Zermatt – Matterhorn Ski Paradise
Zermatt is most noted for the remarkable Matterhorn, the 14,692′ peak on every Swiss postcard. But families love Zermatt for more than just the splendid mountain scenery. Zermatt’s extensive car-free ski village is reached only by train, making it special from the moment you arrive. Zermatt offers extraordinary alpine skiing on three separate ski regions, and dozens of delightful Swiss mountain chalets serving lunch on a sun terrace or a cozy wood interior, making the perfect Swiss family ski holiday. Plus on a clear day, no big winds, you can ski over the mountain into Cervinia Italy for lunch, and more ski terrain!
We recommend you save Zermatt for an age when your children can truly enjoy all that Zermatt offers, from the vast high elevation terrain – up to 12,791′, the 52 ski lifts, and the big ski village. Zermatt is a sea of sophisticated, high capacity lifts, so you need to make a plan for your day, and don’t forget to reserve lunch at some chalet – its a highlight and resies are important. Everywhere you ski, there’s the iconic Matterhorn, who seems to change colors and moods and aspects as you ski around. No wonder it’s the most photographed mountain the world!
The village of Zermatt is sizeable and bustling, while there are technically no cars, there are a plethora of electric shuttles, taxis and buses transporting skiers, workers and visitors. In this magnificent region, you are surrounded by 29 peaks towering over 13,000′. Of note, you are not actually skiing the Matterhorn- its too jagged and steep, but fun to look at! Many tourists come just to get a glimpse of the mighty Matterhorn and ride the Gorngrat train…good news they aren’t taking your powder turns!
Zermatt has over 120 hotels, from Switzerland’s top five star full-service ski hotels to family friendly condo style apartments and chalets. Après ski and evening fun include music at on-slope chalets, or warm drinks by the fire in the village, sledding and horse drawn sleigh rides and delicious dinners of French, Swiss and German specialties. Here the language is Swiss German, but most everyone also speaks French, many speak English, and a few Italian. Signage includes all four, but trails signs on the ski slopes are limited (sometimes just numbers and sticks along the side of the prepared slopes), so be sure to keep a trail map on you at all times.
Zermatt’s ski tradition is legendary, the original Gornergrat train started ferrying mountain enthusiasts up the hillside in 1928. Zermatt officially became a ski resort in 1942. The legendary Matterhorn always looms large above town, making for that perfect photo backdrop. Your kids will love riding the Gorngergrat ski train – a half hour ride up out of town up to the 9,267′ Gornergrat peak where there’s a summit hotel, restaurant and observatory for star gazing. On your long run down, you can stop at Zermatt’s Igloo village, how cool is that? We don’t suggest you spend the night in an igloo however, stay in town at a warm family friendly ski hotel instead, like Zermatt’s four star Hotel Alex.
Zermatt’s Sunnegga Rothorn ski region is accessed via funicular, followed by a gondola to Blauherd chondola then a cable car to the Rothorn summit of 9,309′. The Schwarzsee region, the southern part of Zermatt, brings skiers all the way up to the Klein Matterhorn via a modern high-capacity scenic gondola – the highest cable car in the world – to 12,791′ – not for toddlers or the timid – this is a serious summit! Tremendous freeride terrain is everywhere, but it can be dangerous, avalanche prone, with glacial crevasses too, so hire a guide to safely explore.
From atop the Klein Matterhorn, reached by the multi-stage Matterhorn Glacier Ride, you can ski an 8-mile-long track back to Zermatt village, 7,477′ down. Or you can ski across the Plateau Rosa to Italy and Cervinia – no passports required, just strong ski legs and preferably a clear blue sky day. In fact, the border crossing is often closed with low visibility or high winds. Be sure to catch the lift back to Zermatt before the lifts close or you are SII – stuck in Italy.
The Matterhorn dominates the sky line, you can tell your children the legends of the 450 hikers that have “tried and died” hiking the steep jagged peak, there is even a cemetery of Matterhorn hikers. You can dine on Swiss cheese fondue at the Whymperstube, named for the first successful hiker to summit in 1865.
The ski slopes of Zermatt are long and lifts are open from early to late. Zermatt boasts the longest ski season in the Alps from November to the start of May – with glacier skiing through summer, riding cabel cars up and down and using T-Bars on the high glacial plateau. Christmas and Easter ski holidays in Zermatt are very popular with families, there is plenty of ski terrain and lifts to handle the peak season, although trails and ski schools can be busy, restaurants and hotels too- and these are peak price times as well.
Where to stay at Zermatt? So many charming Swiss Chalets to grand old hotels, and modern chic lodges. We love Cervo for upscale alpine luxe at the base of the slopes, Mont Cervin Palace or Hotel Monte Rosa for classic old-world hotel, and Hotel Alex for tradition and a great village location. Book your Zermatt ski lodging.
On Mountain Dining at Zermatt, ski in ski out:
Chalet Vrony is perched at 2100m above sea level right by the ski slope, with an incredible view of the Matterhorn – unsurprisingly, tables on the terrace are in great demand, reserve ahead. The Vrony burger is legendary, so is the people watching. Reserve.
Enzian just down the ski slopes, when Vrony is fbooked, is more casual, less pricey, with a homey feel, great deck with a view of the Matterhorn, and traditional cuisine! Fluhalp is another great chaletrestauarnt with views in the Rothorn ski region.
On the Italian side, Chalet Etoille is delightful historic restaurant situated at the bottom of the Cervino, with amazing Italian cuisine, sit outside on the sun terrasse or in the cozy lodge. Reserve ahead. Love Cervinia is a cool spot, with table service or self service- and fun apres ski on the sun terrace with a DJ!
Après ski back in Zermatt, AlpHitta on the red ski slope in Riffelalp with live music by Irish Dave is a hopping place you can reach by skis, the train or cable car. Hennu Stall (hen stall) on Furi slope is classic Swiss apres, with live music and good cheer. In the village, Cervo Puro is right at the base of Sunnega’s slopes for drinks with vibey music with the cool kids.
Zermatt is famous for skiing, for good reason! Its epic “international” terrain, on the IKON Pass though. We found ourselves skiing for miles, super long vertical runs, enjoying the impressive lift system – trains, trams, glass gondolas, 6 and 8-packs, and meeting skiers from all over the world!
Matterhorn Ski Paradise Stats:
Base Elevation: 1620 Meters (5,315′)
Summit Elevation: 3899 Meters (12,792′)
Vertical: 2279 Meters (7,477′)
Lifts: 54
Prepared Trails/Pistes: 145 trails, 322 km. Plus glacier skiing.
Terrain interconnected to Cervinia, Italy
Hire a guide/Bergfuhrer to explore 1,000s of acres of off-piste terrain.
Longest Run: Over 6-miles from atop Klein Matterhorn to the village of Zermatt, or Valtournenche Italy – part of Cervinia
Zermatt Ski Photos l Zermatt Ski Videos
Travel to Zermatt: Fly into Zurich or Geneva, take a Train to Visp then the final scenic hour plus train to Zermatt on the St Bernard Express.
