Travel inspiration!
Zermatt is a beautiful little town in Switzerland, home to the world-famous Matterhorn. Why visit Zermatt, you might ask? Let’s talk about six wonderful reasons!
Reason 1: You don’t need a car!
Cars are not allowed in the village. To get to Zermatt, you’ll need to take a scenic shuttle train from the Tasch train station. There’s a train every 20 minutes to and from Zermatt. You can also take the Glacier Express from the Zurich or Geneva airports. There are electric taxis and buses that you can take around the city, or go on a carriage ride. No cars means less air and noise pollution, and more opportunity to walk and enjoy the scenery all around!
Reason 2: There are three amazing mountains to visit
Of course, there’s the Matterhorn. If you’ve been to Disneyland or Disney World, you’ve seen the replica. Now you’ll get to experience the real thing! Europe’s most famous mountain sits on the border between Switzerland and Italy. You can see it from almost anywhere in town. Besides the Matterhorn, you can also visit the lesser-known Gornergrat and Rothorn mountains. Gornergrat, a little town at the top of the mountain, offers the best view of the Matterhorn. Visit Rothorn if you want to see other amazing views across the Alps. Zermatt offers plenty of mountains to explore and enjoy.
Reason 3: Hiking, biking, and skiing
If you visit in the summer, you’ll most likely do a lot of hiking or biking. There are trails for all levels throughout the Zermatt area. Almost all of the hikes offer stunning views of the Matterhorn—or, of course, you can hike the mountain itself. (If you were wondering, about 150 people per day hike the Matterhorn during the summer months.)
In the winter, of course, you’ll love the skiing! With skiing becoming so expensive in the U.S., you may not have thought about Europe. But skiing the Alps could be a less expensive trip than skiing in America (yes, I’m serious!)—and there are 223 miles of trails for all levels. Zermatt is Switzerland’s highest ski resort, and they even keep some of the runs open during the summer.
Reason 4: Ride a mountain cart
A mountain cart is like a go-kart, but there’s no motor and no pedals (although there are hand brakes). It only has three wheels. Gravity pulls you down the mountain; all you do is steer and enjoy the view. You can rent a cart for either one way, or switch off riding the mountain cart and the gondola to get you up and down the mountain. For a few minutes of pure joy, you’ve got to rent one of these fun machines!
Reason 5: Fondue
Swiss fondue is almost always cheese fondue. Chocolate fondue is a rare find in Switzerland. In Zermatt you should definitely try as many variations of fondue as possible! Most restaurants have their own blend of cheeses, so they’re all a bit different. Some have more herbs, some incorporate five or more different cheeses, and some have a stronger pepper flavor. But all delicious.
Reason 6: Chocolate
Swiss chocolate is definitely not to be missed! What makes Swiss chocolate unique is that the actual production of the chocolate must take place entirely in Switzerland. Check out Läderach chocolate shop in Zermatt for gourmet Swiss chocolate, including fruit and nut bars, alcoholic truffles, and other assorted chocolates. Just like anywhere, chocolate in Switzerland comes in many different blends and brands.
Zermatt definitely offers some unique and amazing experiences! You’ll have to include this incredible town in your next European itinerary—I’d be happy to help you get there!
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