Zermatt & Matterhorn, switzerland
Attractions Guide

Zermatt is a stunning resort town high up in the Swiss Alps with many great ski resorts in winter and extensive hiking opportunities in summer.

The city lies just below the famous Matterhorn Mountain, which you can hike to from town. The best option for hiking the Matterhorn is to take the gondola from Zermatt ZBAG-Iz Station in town to Schwarzsee VS Station (the route is known as the Matterhorn Express) leaving you with a 5 mile (8 km) round-trip hike.

At the end of the hiking trail you can optionally climb the last mile to the top if you have the appropriate ice climbing gear and skills.

Also popular is the Gorner Gorge, a scenic river gorge featuring waterfalls and beautiful scenery that you can walk through, located at the southern end of the town of Zermatt. The trail takes approximately 15-20 minutes total.

Just past the end of the Gorner Gorge is a large suspension bridge you can continue hiking to, the Hangerbruecke Bridge. You can experience this exciting suspension bridge with a 1.7 mile (2.7 km) round-trip hike beginning from the Furi Gondola Station.

Be sure to walk around this charming town on foot, and perhaps visit the local Matterhorn Museum Zermatlantis if you like, which features exhibits on the region and mountaineering. Adjacent to the museum is the impressive Pfarrkirche St. Mauritius, a lovely Swiss-style church.

From the Furi Lift Station above Zermatt (which connects to the Matterhorn) you can access several other gondolas in order to explore more of the area, including the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, the Gornergrat Ridge, and the Zmutt Valley.

From the Furi Lift Station you can hike along the lush and scenic Zmutt Valley while enjoying views of the Matterhorn, Zmutt Glacier, and several glacial lakes which cascade into one another. The trail to reach the best views over the lakes with the Matterhorn behind them is quite long at approximately 9.8 (15.8 km) round-trip, with the option of further exploring back into the valley. The full route circles back to the town of Zermatt.

You can take the lift up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise for excellent panoramic views over the surrounding mountains and several glaciers via Trockener Steg Station (From Furi). Here you can enjoy breathtaking views over many snow-covered mountains from an observation platform. The Glacier Paradise also hosts a large Ice Cave that you can tour with many ice sculptures and lights.

Be sure to also take a short walk from the Trockegner Steg Station to the nearby lake from which you can enjoy magnificent views of the Matterhorn behind the lake.

Another option is to take the lift up to the Gornergrat Ridge for more amazing views (also accessible via railway from Zermatt).

You can also admire the view of Matterhorn framed behind the Riffelsee Lake, which you can reach by hiking approximately 1.4 miles (2.3 km) downhill, or by taking the train down to Rotenboden Station.