Nestled high up in the Valais canton in Switzerland, Zermatt offers a wonderful blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage that makes it one of Europe’s most beautiful destinations. From skiing and glacier viewing in winter to mountain biking and hiking in summer, to just enjoying the cobbled streets, traditional chalets and quaint restaurants in town all year round, Zermatt truly has something for everyone. Interested? Excited? But not a skier? We’ll show you how to make the most of your one day in this awesome part of the world, even if you don’t plan on participating in the winter sports!
If you’re sticking around for a little longer, look out our day 2 and day 3 guides.
Day 1
08:30am – Head to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
If the weather looks good, head straight for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, the highest viewing point around! Don’t try to “save it for later” or build up anticipation – weather conditions in the alps can change quickly so if it’s looking good right now, go right now! Psstt: You can check which lifts are open here.
From the town centre, head south to the Zermatt gondola lift station on foot (10-15 min walk from town, depending on where you are) or by bus (route 571, 5 min bus ride). If you haven’t already purchased a lift pass, follow the signs near the gondola station to the ticket office. There are a couple of ticket options:
- The “Peak Pass” allows you to travel unlimited times across the most popular lifts and rides, and is our recommended option as it gives you the flexibility to go back up a mountain if you missed seeing something the first time around. If you have a Swiss Travel Pass (which we also highly recommend, especially if you’re making a few train trips across Switzerland or if you’re taking the Glacier Express train to Zermatt), remember to show this at the ticket counter for a 25% discount to the ticket price. Prices vary depending on the number of days you purchase for.
- The “Ski Pass” is similar to the Peak Pass and offers the added ability to ski on the slopes, but does not include access to the shuttle train between Zermatt and the nearby town of Täsch (which is the last car accessible town before Zermatt). Pass prices are dearer than the Peak Pass and you don’t get a discount with the Swiss Travel Pass like you do with the Peak Pass.
- If timing or budget is tight, you can get (1) the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise ticket, which still allows you to stop along the way (plus 50% discount for Swiss Travel Pass holders) but doesn’t include rides up any nearby mountains, or (2) the Peak2Peak ticket, which allows you to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise plus Gornergrat (two different mountains) on the one ticket (a 50% discount for Swiss Travel Pass holders applies here too). These tickets are perfectly fine, it’s just that you’ll only have one go at seeing everything.
Once you’ve secured your ticket, head on over to the gondola lift station and join the hordes of skiiers heading up. Your lift pass will have a QR code printed on it – there’s no need to scan this at the turnstile; simply tap your card anywhere on the large grey divider to have your ticket read.
Depending on which lifts/gondolas are open, your path to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise will be either:
- Zermatt – Furi – Schwarzsee – Trockener Steg – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, or
- Zermatt – Furi – Trockener Steg – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
You’ll need to get on and off between each section, but connections are well organised and signposted. Your pass will allow you to get out at each stop to explore, but we recommend doing this on the way down as the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is more susceptible to temporary closures due to weather, so it’s best to reach there first.
09:30am – Explore Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Welcome! You’ve reached an altitude of 3,883m (over 12,000 feet)! The Glacier Paradise has a number of areas to explore:
- Start by going to the viewing platform. On a clear day, you’ll have remarkable 360° views of the glaciers (14 in total) and surrounding mountains (38 of which are above 4,000m), across Switzerland, Italy and France.
- Enjoy the ice carvings, tunnels, crevasse and slide in the Glacier Palace (indoors but not heated for obvious reasons)
- Watch some informative documentaries in the cinema lounge (indoors but not heated)
- Thaw out in the cafe/restaurant with a snack whilst enjoying the tremendously good views.
- Buy a love lock from the shop on the peak and attach it to the railings at the viewing platform (drop the key off in the letterbox by the lift and the lock will be moved to the Glacier Palace)
11:00am to 1:00pm – Slowly make your way down the mountain to Furi
With the highlight of Zermatt out of the way, start making your way through the other stops down the mountain. In particular:
- At Trockener Steg: visit the “Ice Cube” a short walk away from the station to read about the construction of the new lifts up to the Glacier Paradise, relax in the self serve cafe, or step out to just enjoy the snow and views. Check out live pictures from Trockener Steg here.
- At Schwarzsee, check out the mountain lake and its often glassy surface, and take a short walk to see the Maria zum See chapel, established in the early 1900s. Longer hikes are available here too (see here for more information), but make sure you’re well prepared if you do embark on one.
- At Furi, there are a number of great restaurants within relatively easy walking distance from the station, making it an excellent place to stop for lunch. In fact, there are no poorly rated restaurants here at all, so pick away! If we absolutely had to make a recommendation, it would be (1) Bergrestaurant Simi if you don’t want to wander too far, or (2) Restaurant Zum See if you’re happy to walk a little. Both offer great Swiss fare, with the latter being a bit more traditional.
1:00pm onwards
Depending on how long you spent coming down the mountain and at lunch, you have a couple of different options:
- If it’s getting late or if you purchased the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise ticket, keep heading down the mountain to enjoy a nice evening in Zermatt (see our Day 3 guide for inspiration)
- If you purchased a Peak2Peak ticket, catch the cable car from Furi to Riffelberg, then continuing on the Gornergrat railway to Gornergrat for a different but equally breathtaking view of the peaks, valleys and glaciers.
- PSSTT: the shops at Gornegrat are worth a browse too – Matterhorn Destillers is a little gin shop that offers an interesting range of flavoured gins, and the Victorinox Gornergrat Corner offers an impressive range of Swiss army knives along with free engraving – a great memento for your time in Switzerland (just remember to keep it in your checked luggage!)
- If you just want to experience some Swiss tranquillity without straying too far from civilisation, considering hiking down from Furi to Zermatt. Remember to wear good water proof hiking shoes.
Got any questions? Feel free to reach out and ask us anything!