Home to the famed Matterhorn, Zermatt is an iconic ski destination in the Swiss Alps. As Europe’s highest ski resort, Zermatt offers year-round skiing on the Theodul Glacier and seamless connections to Italy’s Cervinia for an unforgettable cross-border run with sweeping views of the Alps. The charming village is packed with luxurious accommodations, fine dining, and legendary après bars. The stunning village truly looks like it came out of a fairytale, Zermatt is a must visit for anyone planning to ski in Europe.
Where to stay in Zermatt
Europe Hotel and Spa
$$$
Good for: foodies, people who want to relax after a day on the slopes.
Proximity to the slopes: 10-minute walk to lifts.
Amenities we love: ski lockers with built in boot heaters, amazing onsite restaurant OVIS, and tranquil wellness area.
CERVO Mountain Resort
$$$$
Good for: active friend groups that want fun après options close to the slopes.
Proximity to the slopes: steps from the slopes.
Amenities we love: Ski-in apres with live DJs, Japanese-inspired onsen with the most beautiful view of the Matterhorn.
Riffelhaus 1853
$$$
Good for: people who want to be up in the mountains to maximize time on the slopes.
Proximity to the slopes: ski-in, ski-out.
Amenities we love: outdoor jacuzzi with Matterhorn views, distance from town offers a quiet retreat.
Best après ski in Zermatt
Harry’s Ski Bar
$$
Where: in town, close to the Sunnegga funicular station.
When: late afternoon and early evenings after the slopes close, “happy hour” starts at 3pm most days.
What to order: tap beer
Vibe: rowdy après hotspot, lots of dancing and drinking!
Hennu Stall
$
Where: On mountain, on the valley descent between Furi and Zermatt.
When: the party really gets going around 4pm, plan to finish your ski day here and stop off on your way down the mountain. You can hike up but it takes about 30 minutes so better to ski down.
What to order: try their ski shot complete with ELEVEN shots!
Vibe: fun, lively, party vibes.
Papperla Pub
$
Where: in town.
When: afternoon and early evenings.
What to order: bottle of beer.
Vibe: lively pup with party on the Terrace.
Best places to eat in Zermatt
Adler Hitta
$$
Cuisine: Swiss alpine cuisine.
Reservations: highly recommend making reservations for lunch if you want to sit outside on the patio, to just have drinks can try walking in.
Best for: casual mid-day lunch on the mountain, ski in.
Restaurant Zum See
$$$
Cuisine: gourmet Mediterranean dishes.
Reservations: yes, highly recommended.
Best for: elevated lunch on the mountain, ski-in or 40 minute walk from the village.
OVIS Alpine Kitchen
$$$
Cuisine: Swiss alpine cuisine.
Reservations: Highly recommend making reservations, if you’re staying at Europe Hotel and Spa ask about their room and board packages.
Best for: date night in town.
Things to do in Zermatt other than ski
Matterhorn Paragliding
$$$
Where: you’ll meet at their office or on mountain depending on the take off point, to be arranged after booking.
When: yes, must book ahead of time, flights start at 240 CHF per person.
Why we love it: exhilarating experience of flying over and through the mountains with the gorgeous Matterhorn in the background. These are tandem flights so no experience is necessary.
Matterhorn Museum
$
Where: located right in the center of town.
When: Can purchase tickets online ahead of time or upon arrival, tickets start at 12 CHF.
Why we love it: fun in-door activity for days when the weather is bad, great way to learn more about Zermatt and the history of the area.
Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
$$
Where: the highest mountain station in Europe, 3,883 meters above sea level.
When: Lift ticket, Peak Pass, or single ticket required but can go any time, tickets are around 114 CHF per person.
Why we love it: the viewing platform offers stunning 360 views, there is the cinema lounge, a restaurant and even a glacier palace experience available at the top. The gondola ride itself is beautiful and worth taking!
How to get to Zermatt and getting around
Zermatt is a car-free village, so you’ll need to arrive by train. Fly into Geneva or Zurich—both about 3–4 hours away by rail. From Geneva, transfer at Visp; from Zurich, expect one or two changes depending on your route. For a scenic journey, The Glacier Express also runs between Zermatt and St. Moritz and is a great scenic option if you’re hoping to see more of Switzerland. Car transfers can only go as far as Täsch, where you’ll catch a quick 15-minute train to Zermatt. The Swiss train system is fantastic and very easy to navigate. We recommend downloading the SBB Mobile app to help you book train tickets and find the best routes.
Once in Zermatt, everything is walkable, but there are electric taxis and a free e-bus system connecting hotels, lift stations, and key points in town. Most accommodations offer shuttles, but taxis are readily available at the train station if needed.
The Zermatt ski area is huge, there are 38 peaks. To make the most of it try and focus on one specific area each day so you don’t spend all your time traversing the mountain.
From town, the Sunnegga funicular offers quick access to the Sunnegga, Blauherd, and Rothorn areas—home to wide blue and red runs and excellent mountain dining like Alder Hitta. The funicular is walkable from most hotels or easily reached via the green or red e-bus to the Getwing-Brücke stop.
In the center of town you can take the cog train all the way up to explore the Gornergrat and Riffelberg areas which have a wider variety of terrain great for any skier.
But our personal favorite it to take the Matterhorn Express gondola, it has a number of stops at mid-mountain stations, or you can take it all the way to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at the summit. The base is on the edge of town, accessible via the red or green e-bus. If you’re planning to après at Hennu Stall this is the stop you’ll want to head for at the end of the day.
Ski passes and ski rentals
Lift tickets can be purchased directly from the Matterhorn Paradise site, passes start at 88 CFH per day, around $111 USD. There is the option to add access to the Italian side for a small fee. We recommend doing this at least one day if there for multiple ski days. The standard pass will not allow you to cross the border. There are a variety of passes for multi-day trips, beginner passes, and seasonal passes so be sure to check prices and pick the pass best for you.
If you have an Ikon pass it does give you 7 days at Zermatt on the full pass and 5 days on the base pass. However, this does not include access to the Italian side, so you’ll need to buy that add on directly from Matterhorn Paradise.
There are tons of rental shops throughout Zermatt and many of them partner with hotels in the area. When you book your hotel be sure to ask if they offer a voucher with any rental shops. If you’re visiting during peak season we recommend reserving your rentals ahead of time. If your hotel doesn’t have a partner rental shop, you can find a full list of shops in Zermatt here.
Zermatt Matterhorn has an app that we found super helpful during our trip. There is a live bus map, a list of lifts and pistes, along with trail maps. We highly recommend downloading it to help you navigate Zermatt.
