The Matterhorn and a Village Without Cars
Zermatt is a mountain village in the canton of Valais in southern Switzerland, known for the Matterhorn, a pyramid of rock rising to 4,478 metres, and for being largely car-free. Electric taxis and horse-drawn carriages move along the main street, and visitors arriving by road leave their cars in nearby Täsch and take the shuttle train. The result is a village with a clean, quiet atmosphere, wooden chalets, narrow lanes and a mountain framed at the end of almost every view.
The Matterhorn defines the place. It was first climbed in 1865 by a party led by Edward Whymper, an ascent that marked the end of the golden age of alpinism, and the story is told in the Matterhorn Museum in the village. Today the peak is a symbol of Switzerland itself. Across the glacier, the Italian side is reached via Cervinia, giving skiers a rare chance to ski between two countries, and Chamonix offers the French counterpart to Zermatt's alpine drama.
Gornergrat, Glacier Skiing and Alpine Tables
The mountain experiences are exceptional. The Gornergrat rack railway, opened in 1898, climbs to around 3,090 metres for a panorama of the Monte Rosa massif and dozens of other four-thousand-metre peaks, while the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car rises to about 3,880 metres, the highest cable-car station in Europe. Skiing here reaches high glacier snow, and the area is linked with Cervinia in Italy for long descents between two countries. Summer brings hiking, climbing and glacier skiing on the highest slopes.
Table culture is another strength. Mountain huts serve rösti, raclette and Walliser dishes, while the village's restaurants range from traditional stübli to ambitious modern kitchens. Valais wines, many grown on steep terraces in the valley below, accompany meals. A hotel group with an alpine property can build its story around the Matterhorn view, the quiet car-free setting and the full range of summer and winter activity. Verbier provides a livelier contrast for those moving on across Valais.
Read the full Zermatt guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitZermatt.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.