Switzerland from East to West – Third stop – Zermatt

By Saul Schwartz

Zermatt is Switzerland’s best known resort town, and the majestic Matterhorn is one of Switzerland’s national symbols.  Fern and I continued our grand tour of Switzerland by heading from Bern to Zermatt.  After our two days in Bern, we took a two-hour train ride to Zermatt.  We purchased the train tickets in advance to reduce the cost.  This train route requires a switch over at Visp, which required us to hustle because of the short times between trains and the need for switching platforms.  The Bern to Visp trip is about one hour and the Visp to Zermatt trip is also about one hour.  The Visp to Zermatt leg is more scenic, with numerous waterfalls plunging from the Alps.  The train station in Zermatt is much smaller than the train stations in Zurich and Bern.  Upon arrival, we were transported (without charge) from the train station to our hotel in a cute little dinky electric car.  The shuttle car had a picture of a black-nosed sheep, but we did not see any sheep during our two-day stay.

Lodging and more at Tradition Hotel Julen:  Tradition Julen Zermatt was a true resort hotel.  Our room had a small patio which provided a view of the Swiss Alps and the town.  Although the room was average in size, it was modern in all its amenities.  Zermatt is even more expensive than the rest of Switzerland (which is already expensive for tourists throughout the country), so we were not surprised that the nightly rate her was our highest for the trip (at 330 Swiss Francs per night).  The staff were very friendly and helpful when we asked questions. 

This chalet-style hotel was luxurious.  It has received a Michelon star.  The hotel pool and spa areas were attractive (with an Egyptian motif) and well-maintained.  We began our stay with one-hour chocolate massages!  Our masseur Heidi was exceptional.  The Finnish-style massages were the best massages that each of us had in many years.  The milk chocolate is mixed with massage oils to provide a nice scent. 

Fern and I enjoyed using the well-equipped gym on both days of our stay.  There was plenty of cardio and weight equipment within a small space. 

Activities: 

Wandering through the town:  Just a few minutes from our hotel, we walked over a small bridge to get our first views of the Matterhorn.  We were fortunate during our stay to have cool and clear days, with exceptional visibility of the mountains.  The town is divided by the rushing waters of the Matter Vispa river.  The quarter by the river is called Hinterdorf. 

Zermatt is small, so we walked through the town numerous times.  The town is full of stores of all types.  With its Swiss antique-style chalet hotels and stores, the town truly looks as we envisioned Switzerland. 

Zermatt cemetery – A walk in the town’s cemetery is a sobering experience.  The tombstones are full of monuments of accidental deaths of mountaineers and others on the Matterhorn or surrounding mountains. 

The Matterhorn:  For 125 years, the cog railway has been taking tourists from the Zermatt village to the Matterhorn.  The highlight of our Zermatt trip was taking the Gorenergrat Railway up to the Matterhorn.  The trains run about every 35 minutes, beginning at 10 a.m. through around 5 p.m.  The trip takes about 30 minutes to reach the highest level, with several intermediate stops, primarily for different views of the mountains.  The cost was about 114 Swiss Francs per adult.  We paid an extra seven Swiss Francs per person for priority boarding, which ensured us seats on the right side of the train in the front, which is the best viewing area. 

The railway station is right across the road from Zermatt train station.  We spent most of our day at the highest elevation (10132 feet), on the Gornergrat platform.  At this level, there was a very small restaurant open, with limited seating and limited food options.  We were treated to a short impromptu concert by three Swiss alphorn players, wearing their Swiss clothing, including black hats and vests, with red piping.  We had never seen the large alphorns before this concert.  We spoke to the alphorn players, called the Martin Maag group, which included a father and son. 

There is also a small church at this level, as well as a series of viewing platforms for great photo opportunities.  The panorama at the top is of mountains and glaciers as far as the eye can see.

There was one area at this level called Zoom the Matterhorn which included a series of displays showing the first two groups’ climbers competing to scale the Matterhorn in July 1865 and also showing information about the mountains.  The Edward Whymper group led the first successful climb but the climb was marked by tragedy when four of his team died during the descent. 

We did not realize that the other side of the Matterhorn is in Italy until we read this information.  The Zoom building also included a virtual reality area where we felt like we were flying over the peak of the mountains.  There is no extra fee for the Zoom areas. 

We also spent time at the Riffleberg platform level (8471 feet).  The Riffleberg level features a cafeteria style restaurant.  We sat outside for a “coffee break” which included a tasty carrot cake and, of course, Swiss chocolates.  There were both indoor and outdoor seating options.  This was the best food option during our day at the Matterhorn, as the restaurant/hotel at the Gornergrat level was closed, due to renovations. 

Food options:

Once again, Migros and Coop supermarkets were available in Zermatt for food purchases.

As part of the hotel cost, we were treated to a very extensive breakfast buffet.  The hotel restaurant is well-known in Zermatt and, as a result, many non-hotel guests attended its buffet-style breakfast or dinner.  Fern and I really enjoyed the fruit and cereal options for breakfast which included three types of muesli (gluten-free, chocolate, regular) and porridge.  The friendly staff brought over expresso drinks and non-dairy milk for us.  Although we did not eat the hot-food items at the breakfast buffet, there were plenty of options, including cooked-to-order eggs.  The cold portion of the breakfast buffet featured numerous cereal options. 

Mountain guide bread is unique in Zermatt.  This bread is sold at several Fuchs stores throughout the town.  The bread is handmade in Zermatt.  It is very filling, with a taste like a fruitcake. 

Reflections on Zermatt: 

Zermatt is car-free.  You must arrive by train.  As a result, the streets are primarily pedestrian, except for the hotel shuttles and construction vehicles. 

Two days is recommended because the weather is fickle.  We were fortunate to have a nice clear day to view the Matterhorn.  On the day we left, it was rainy in Zermatt, so visibility of the Matterhorn was very limited. 

We liked going in May when the crowds are less than in ski season or in the summer.  Nevertheless, Zermatt is a small town, and it was still busy. 

The legendary peak of the Matterhorn over Zermatt is breathtaking and should be included in your itinerary.  It is Switzerland’s best-known mountain, with its distinctive pyramidal peak at 14,692 feet. 

The language in Zermatt is primarily German, but everyone we interacted with spoke fluent English.