Zermatt, Switzerland: 3 Nights of Peak Perfection

Zermatt is the peak perfect destination to elevate your average, everyday activities to extraordinary experiences – eating breakfast made from only local ingredients, sipping champagne in a hot tub, ascending to 3883 meters in a cable car with avid skiers on the most coveted slopes in the world- with the most desired background. Zermatt and it’s iconic Matterhorn are Peak Perfection.

Nestled within the awe-inspiring Swiss Alps, Zermatt is a captivating alpine paradise that invites travelers with its enchanting and iconic Matterhorn. This car-free village exudes timeless charm through its traditional Swiss chalets, upscale boutiques, and delightful culinary offerings, creating an idyllic haven for those in pursuit of natural splendor and alpine escapades.

Zermatt was our second destination on the Christmas Market itinerary, despite the absence of a Christmas Market in the town. Prior to Zermatt, we stopped in Basel to explore the festive Christmas market. Then continued our journey, after Zermatt, by train to Colmar, Strasbourg, and Heidelberg.

I had a difficult time planning our Zermatt itinerary because the weather can be so hit or miss in December, and some activities are better if the sky is clear, but also because there wasn’t that much information online for non-skiers. (I do not ski or snowboard, I was there to be awe-struck by the mountains and live my best Swiss life.) I was able to figure the logistics out while I was there, but I like to be more prepared before I go. Hopefully you can find some answers here that you can’t elsewhere, if you’re planning your trip to Zermatt.

Day 1: Arrive in Zermatt; Walk in the town; Fondue & Dinner

Despite a cogwheel train necessary to arrive to Zermatt, it was really not that difficult to get there. I was already in Basel for the Christmas Markets, so I took an easy train ride to Visp, then the cogwheel from Visp to Zermatt on the “Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn.” It was a quick walk for us from the train station to our apartment, but there were electric taxis scooting around for those who would prefer them, or for those with a lot of ski gear. (Even though Zermatt is car-free, these tuk tuk like vehicles zoom past you quite frequently and quickly…but very quietly.)

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Switzerland is notoriously expensive, so anywhere you stay is going to be more than you really want to spend. I was traveling with 6 other people, so we rented an apartment on Booking.com, in the center of Zermatt’s town, right next to the famous Mont Cervin Palace. The apartment was absolutely beautiful and had views of the Matterhorn!

I was extremely lucky with the weather in Zermatt. We quite literally did not see a cloud in the sky while we were there, so the Matterhorn was completely visible. I know others aren’t so lucky when they visit, but it’s the chance you have to take!

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By the time we arrived and settled into the apartment, the sun was going to sleep. We walked around the town to see our first glimpses of this alpine paradise’s charm along the Matter Vispa river.

As you walk, you will run into many restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, boutiques, chocolate, and Swatch stores.

Our Switzerland food bucket list consisted of a few things:

Fondue
Rosti
Hot Chocolate

We found a restaurant, Pollux Pinte, with delicious fondue and reasonable prices. Numbers 1 & 2 were checked off from our list this first night, as we enjoyed our 1 fondue split between 7 people, and a few Rosti plates.

(Tip: It is common that the restaurant will charge you per person for fondue. Pollux did not charge per person, so we were able to split the 20 francs for 1 fondue. Just be careful or they might assume you need a whole portion per person, even though you only technically told them you wanted one fondue.)

After leaving the restaurant full of cheese, bread, potatoes, and beer, we walked to the Nespresso pop up tent for an Espresso Martini pick me up.

Brown Cow Pub was necessary to visit for Swiss beers while watching the skiers walk by.

Hotel Alpenroyal’s Bar served as our final destination for a refreshing beer before going to bed. This holds special significance for us, as it was the very place where my parents celebrated their honeymoon in 1994!

Day 2: Peak 2 Peak; Matterhorn Glacier Paradise; Schwarzsee; Gornergrat; Drinks at Harry’s Ski Bar

Upon waking up, I was greeted by the sight of our beloved Matterhorn mountain, as if it were telling me “good morning”.

We bought Peak 2 Peak tickets, which included the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat. (There are different routes you can take to see it all, but the employee told us the best way was to start with Matterhorn Glacier Paradise first, since it closes before Gornergrat.)

If you’re debating whether to skip the Peak 2 Peak pass and only visit one, I would recommend Matterhorn Glacier Paradise over Gornergrat. The view from the top isn’t as great for the Matterhorn, but the cable car ride was incredible, and you can stop at a few different slopes for food and the best views of the Matterhorn that I saw. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is also the highest cable car station in Europe, and you have a chance to see French and Italian Alps, so it is unique, and I would recommend it 100 times over.

Start at Zermatt’s Cable Car station, a decent walk uphill from the center of town. You will really only have one Cable Car option, so scan your ticket and just hop on a Cable Car. If you are skiing, this is the way to the ski slopes, and there are slots on the outside of the cable car to put your ski gear!

To get to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you will stay on the Cable Car until Trockener Steg, despite passing other stops for ski slopes. There will be another, very impressive and futuristic, Cable Car to hop on from Trockener Steg to the top. If you are skiing, you can get off at any stop and start on those slopes! This will take around 40 minutes total to reach the top.

Part of what made this experience so thrilling was how dramatic the views were from the Cable Cars. Beneath you lay the ski slopes, offering a mesmerizing spectacle of skiers who, like me, were enthralled by the breathtaking views.

You will arrive to the Klein (little) Matterhorn with stunning views of the (big) Matterhorn!

The rest of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise includes the Glacier Palace, a lookout with a Cross, a movie (it was closed while we were there), and a cafe and shop.

The Glacier Palace is an underground ice cave, which includes ice sculptures and a fun ice slide! You are also up at 3000 or so meters, so you might get lightheaded/out of breath. Take it easy!

If you have a clear day, you can see the Italian and French Alps from this lookout at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise!

While on the Cable Car, on our way down from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, we stopped at Schwarzsee for food and drinks. Oh, and to admire the captivating views- of mountains and goats. There is a hotel and restaurant here, so if you are skiing, you can wake up and hit the slopes! In the summer, there is a beautiful lake to walk around, and there is always a “Zermatt” sign.

At the Schwarzsee Restaurant, I ordered Apple Celery Soup and a kafi luz to drink.

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To go from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Gornergrat, you will ride the cable car down until you reach Riffelberg, where you will then ride on the iconic rack-and-pinion railway.

Reaching Gornergrat requires the cutest train ride with stellar views. Once you reach your destination, you can walk around, see the on site chapel, and check out the gold train car. When you’re ready, the train takes you back to Zermatt’s center.

A few important tips:

*Make sure to keep your ticket with you at all times! You will need it to get on AND OFF the cable cars!*

*Most transportation/experiences close around dark. Watch the time!*

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We prepared dinner in our apartment using fresh ingredients from the nearby grocery store. Enticed by the tempting selection, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to try something new. Our apartment, a sanctuary of comfort and charm, made the decision to spend the evening cooking an easy one.

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After dinner, Harry’s Ski Bar was the place to be. It is very small inside, but full of people looking to have fun and drink beer! Music is blasting a mix of American and European songs.

Day 3: Private Spa at Hotel Capricorn; Funicular to Sunnegga; Chez Vrony; Fondue; Swiss Hot Chocolate

I had a vision of myself sitting in a hot tub with a view of the Matterhorn, but really wasn’t sure how that would become reality. There were a few very expensive spas, but I only wanted to go for a couple hours, so they weren’t worth it. Then I came across Hotel Capricorn‘s PRIVATE Spa offer. I wasn’t sure if we were being scammed when I saw it online because the deal was so great. While we were there, it was nothing short of a dream.

We arrived at 0930 and paid for 2 hours (eventually extended for another hour). The 7 of us had everything private – and we could even lock the doors so no one else entered. We had the outdoor hot tub, 2 saunas, 1 steam bath, 2 bottles of champagne, snacks, towels, and lounge chairs for the price of (I believe) 215 francs.

Now refreshed and renewed from our spa day, it was time to do a highly recommend experience and take the funicular to Sunnegga. Our plan was to check out the ski slopes and then walk to Findeln for food and drinks at Chez Vrony. You can eat at Sunnegga, but it is only buffet.

You can also continue your journey from Sunnegga to Rothorn, through Blauherd, on another cable car.

We made a fatal mistake. By the time we got Sunnegga, it was almost 1530. Unfortunately, the last funicular back to Zermatt was around 1620, so we didn’t have enough time to walk to Findeln for Chez Vrony and back on the trail. (Chez Vrony also closed at 1600, so don’t be like us and double check closing times lol).

The trail from Sunnegga to Findeln was clearly marked. I am sure it is lovely in the summer. In December, however, it is covered in snow, and even begins by walking next to skiers on the ski slope!

The beginning of the trail to Findeln:

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Back to The Pollux Pinte Restaurant for more fondue!

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Swiss Hot Chocolate:

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Shopping around the town:

A relaxing last night in Zermatt with a crackling fire, Swiss wine, games, and a Christmas movie.

Day 4: Trains Zermatt – Visp – Basel – Colmar, France (for Christmas Markets!)

Zermatt is an ideal getaway at any time of the year. It paired beautifully with Colmar, Strasbourg, Heidelberg, and Basel for Christmas Markets! Swiss trains are generally extremely reliable, so travel was not a burden with this itinerary.

Happy travels!