Bars are plentiful, some attached to hotels, others are mountain snugs. Favourite hangouts include the Unique Hotel Post at Bahnhofstrasse, which boasts three in-house restaurants, a disco, and five bars. Papa Caeser’s lounge bar has a cool vibe and open until 1.30am. The Backstage Hotel Vernissage is a popular bar hangout, and Gees is a sophisticated cocktail lounge. My Gees Royal cocktail – a subtle infusion of Hayman’s Sloe Gin, Rhabarber bitters and Champagne was the perfect pre-dinner apéritif. Grab a drink then head for the Alex grill with its meat and fish specialities. The Hotel Pollux, perfectly situated in the centre of the town, has a cosy bar and outside terrace.
It’s hard to imagine Zermatt without the snow, but summer time is also magical in this invigorating mountain kingdom. The area offers more than 400km of hiking paths, challenging climbing and mountaineering, 100km of mountain bike trails and even a nine-hole golf course. And if you’ve a head for heights, take a tandem paraglide – in summer and winter – across the valleys. Or a hike to the famous Hörnlihütt, aka Base Camp Matterhorn, the starting point for the ascent of the mountain via its North face (Hörnli and Zmutt ridge). Fuel up at the Berghaus Matterhorn before your descent – a traditional Swiss mountain inn serving climbers since 1911.
Although I was only in Zermatt for less than 48 hours, the incredible skiing, the friendliness of its locals and the wonderful Chalet Hotel Schönegg captured my heart.
Quite possibly the best ski resort I have ever visited, the Matterhorn is Zermatt and its magic will no doubt touch your heart as it has mine. The mountains are calling…
Ski passes information
A one-day ski pass for adults is €79 (€40 for children). A six day pass is €380 (€190 for children). A day pass for Cervinia is €92 (children €460. All tariffs are listed at www.matterhornparadise.ch The site also has excellent information on lifts, runs, restaurants and trains – for summer and winter seasons. The ski pass includes the shuttle between Täsch/Randa for car users.
Getting to Zermatt
*By road: Drive to Matterhorn Terminal Täsch and leave your car in one of the 2,100 covered spaces and take the shuttle train to Zermatt. Up to 8 days parking costs CHF14.50 per day.
* By air: Geneva (4.5 hours), Zurich (3.5 hours), Sion (1 hour 14 mins).
Take train from airport and change at Visp for connections to Zermatt.
*By train: From Zurich, Geneva, Sion. Change at Visp for a 1 hour 10 minute ride through stunning scenery to car-free Zermatt. Departs every 20 minutes. The famous Glacier Express also connects St Moritz and Zermatt. www.glacierexpress.ch/en/
Swiss railways has all the information you’ll ever need at www.sbb.ch/en
* By helicopter: Air Zermatt (www.airzermatt.ch)
Gina travelled to Switzerland courtesy of SWISS.
Thanks to Zermatt Bergbahnen AG, the Gornergrat Bahn and the staff at Zermatt Tourist Office. Photos: Jon Pls credit where necessary- names are on images
Chalet Hotel Schônegg
Riedweg 35, 3920 Zermatt
+41 (0) 27 966 34 34
www.schonegg.ch
[email protected]
Zermatt: www.zermatt.ch./en
Tourist Office: Bahnhofplatz 5
+41(0) 27 966 81 11
[email protected]
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