Zermatt is probably the world’s most loved resort, due to the famous Matterhorn which towers high above the village. The resort, situated on the border of Italy and Switzerland, is alive with activity and offers some of the best ski possibilities for skiers and snowboarders alike.
Zermatt boasts an array of fine dining, drinking, dancing, lodging, après-ski and non-ski alternatives to make most other resorts green with envy. The standard of skiing, along with all the facilities on offer is incredibly high, paling only in comparison to the Matterhorn. From Triftji, the world famous black run, to the stunning spectacular backdrop, Zermatt has it all.
The resort has three ski areas, with a combined 394kms of prepared slopes plus an extraordinarily large and challenging cross-country area perfect for skiers and snowboarders. The runs at Zermatt favour the intermediate level skier who gets 55 per cent of runs, while advanced skiers get 36 per cent, and beginners receive nine per cent.
Sixty lifts service the resort, which has a top elevation of 3,900m and a vertical descent of 2,280m. The lifts have an uplift capacity of 75,180 skiers per hour. Zermatt also has a snow park and fantastic off-piste terrain for snowboarders, plus 200 instructors on hand with ski and snowboard tuition.
Away from the slopes, Zermatt has sufficient après-ski and non-ski alternatives for five regular resorts, with over 100 restaurants, dozens of bars and cafés, discos, concerts and folklore evenings all specialising in providing a stimulating and animated stay. The resort also offers curling, helicopter skiing, horse-drawn sleighing, natural ice-skating, mountaineering, paragliding, dog-sledding, gorge adventures, and much more.
The season at Zermatt runs throughout the year, with the summer ski months between May and November.
Geneva and Zürich international airports are both around 235kms from the resort and both have train transfer services direct to Zermatt. Alternatively, catch a Eurostar train to Paris and change to the overnight train to Basel, from where you can catch a connecting train to Brig, and then another to Zermatt.
