Last Updated: May 5, 2023
20 Things to do in Zermatt, Switzerland
Beyond the big cities of Geneva and Zurich is a popular town at the foot of one of Europe’s highest mountains. Zermatt has one of the best locations in Switzerland for some authentic and unique Swiss adventures. So, pack your luggage and get ready for some fun!
A single trip to Zermatt gives you access to the Matterhorn, Weisshorn, and Monte Rosa, some of Switzerland’s most iconic mountains. This area is truly an Alpine playground and you’ll have an endless list of things to do. Fortunately, we’ve narrowed it down to the best experiences you can have in Zermatt.
Table Of Contents Show All
Best Things To Do In Zermatt, Switzerland
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
While scaling the Matterhorn sounds tempting, it won’t be the first thing you should do in Zermatt. Unless, of course, you’re a seasoned mountaineer with years of experience. Otherwise, take a gondola to the highest viewing platform in Europe at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
Take in 360-degree views at 3,883 meters above sea level. From the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you’ll tower over 38 peaks and 14 glaciers in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. From this point, you can go hiking and take your pick from a world of adventures. For the not-so-active visitors, there’s a cinema lounge and several restaurants to chill in after absorbing the unforgettable views.
For the outdoorsy types, there are ski pistes open all-year-round including the one on the famous Theodul Glacier. You can also visit the Snow Park Zermatt at the Plateau Rosa and go snow tubing in the summer.
The Gornergrat
Need more epic views of the Matterhorn? This is an excellent place to gaze at its perfection is the Gornergrat. This extremely popular excursion opened in 1898. You can reach this platform via the Gornergrat Bahn, the world’s fully electric cog railway. It’s also open-air and operational all year round, bringing visitors from Zermatt to an altitude of 3,089 meters.
The ride itself is a great experience passing over dramatic views of bridges, tunnels, forests, and mountain lakes. Once at the platform, you’re treated to breathtaking views of the Monte Rosa massif, the Gorner Glacier, and a total of 29 mountains above 4,000 meters with the Matterhorn as the star of the show.
If you want to spend more time here (and you should), stay at Europe’s highest-altitude hotel, the Kulmhotel Gornegrat. Not only is it one of Zermatt’s best hotels, but it also has a world-class restaurant, an astronomical observatory, and tons of shops for souvenirs. Of course, the Gornergrat also has access to ski pistes, sledding slopes, and hiking paths. So, you certainly won’t get bored.
Hike From the Rothorn
All the way up at 3,103 meters at the Rothorn is the Peak Collection. It’s an exhibition of sculptures that surround Zermatt for you to take in the entire Alpine world in one go. However, the Rothorn is more popular for adventurers looking for challenging hikes to glaciers and Alpine peaks.
You can go through trails lined with endemic plants or take a leap of faith and go paragliding. There is direct access to challenging ski pistes as well. Unique experiences to be had are extra-early sunrise trips or moonlight descents throwing Alpine peaks in a completely different light. And of course, it has great views of the Matterhorn.
Head To Sunnega
Rebecca and BernhardFoter.comCC BY-NC-ND
The Matterhorn and the surrounding peaks aren’t always the best places to go when you have kids in tow. Luckily, there’s Sunnegga. At 2,288 meters, Sunnegga gives every member of the family something to be excited about. The funicular ride from Zermatt only takes 4.5 minutes – short enough to keep impatient toddlers in their seats.
Once there, you disbark on a sunny platform with direct views of the Matterhorn. During the summer, you can swim in Leisee Lake or watch out for marmots at the marmot-watching station. There are playgrounds and barbecue areas for an easy day.
In the winter, there are several hiking trails safe for children. Wolli’s park is also accessible from Sunnegga for some skiing fit for beginners.
Findeln Village
Findeln Village above Zermatt
When you’re done chilling at Sunnegga, take a four-seater chairlift to the village of Findeln. It’s a small cluster of farmhouses that used to grow rye and barley on the slopes. The Maiensäss village, at a height of 2,100 meters, is only occupied during the summer. The villagers take a grueling cattle drive to this spot, which sits at the lowest part of the mountain pastures.
Villagers used to take grain, cheese, and milk to be sold back down in the valley. Nowadays it is mostly holiday rentals with fantastic views of the Matterhorn.
Even if you don’t visit during the summer, the farmhouses are great to see and a 17th-century chapel still stands in the village.
Stunning Schwarzsee
Technically, the Schwarzsee is a cable car station. But at 2,583 meters, it gives visitors a great view of the whole valley and overlooks the town of Zermatt below. Schwarzsee is also the starting point of many hikes and many mountain excursions. A popular attraction is the Schwarzsee lake where the “Maria sum Schnee” stands on the shores.
This small chapel sees many mountaineers who say a little prayer after a successful ascent of the Matterhorn. From the station, you can also go on themed trails characterized by boulders and scree scattered with streams and lakes. The Matterhorn glacier Trail leads from Trockener Steg to Shwarzsee. Along the trail, you’ll also see information about the mountain and its history.
Zermatlantis – The Matterhorn Museum
The Matterhorn Museum in the center of Zermatt
Interested in the history of Zermatt? Head over to the Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis, smack bang in the center of the main shopping street in Zermatt. It is easy to miss, so be sure to check your Google Maps pin!
At the Matterhorn Museum you get to go through the development of Zermatt as well as various aspects of its history. The museum also focuses on the triumph and tragedy surrounding the first-ever attempt to scale the Matterhorn in 1865.
Four out of seven climbers lost their lives during this expedition. There are several exhibitions as well, including original houses, a multimedia room, and some paraphernalia from the first ascent of the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn museum is also set underground, which adds to the novelty of the visit.
The Gorner Gorge
The Gorner Gorge in Zermatt
Another adventure while visiting Zermatt is a hike up the valley to the Gorner Gorge. The gorge is created from the meltwater of the Gorner Glacier that swirls and churns through the Gornervispe each spring. Through wooden walkways between towering cliffs, visitors will look into the dramatic result of nature’s power cutting away at rocks and creating a whole new world by the sheer movement of water.
Getting to the walkways is a mere 25-30 minute walk from the village of Zermatt. There are a lot of big signs throughout the main street in town. Just follow them in the direction of the Matterhorn. The easiest way to find your way there is actually to just follow the river upstream out of town.
Once there, you will be engulfed by the roaring sound of rivers and falls and surrounded by greenish rock naturally carved into unique and mysterious shapes.
Furi Suspension Bridge & Gletschergarten
Furi Suspension Bridge above Zermatt
If you wish to continue uphill from the Gorner Gorge you can hike all the way to the brand new Furi Suspension Bridge. This is one of the many such suspension bridges in the Wallis region now. The more famous one is the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge on the Europaweg above Randa.
The Furi Suspension bridge is 100m long and hangs precipitously above the upper Gorner Gorge. It offers stunning panoramic views of Zermatt below and the mountains in the valley. If you come in the fall, you also get to see Zermatt in all its golden glory.
There is also a fun playground and bbq picnic area next to the bridge. So, you can make a full day out of it. There is a small climbing wall for kids, a zipline, large xylophone and a lot more.
There is also an intriguing Gletschergarten 10 minutes walk uphill from here. This is a site discovered by a Zermatt local that shows how the glacier has worked its magic. There are strange round pits that the glacier meltwater makes as well as fun caves to explore. All of this is covered in wooden walkways and stairs the kids will enjoy.
Tour de Monte Rosa
Paulo EtxeberriaFoter.comCC BY-NC-SA
If you’re looking for a more challenging excursion, take the Tour de Monte Rosa. It’s a 9-day trek around Monte Rosa, an ice-covered mountain massif in the Alps. It stands at 4,634 meters above sea level, earning its honor as the second-highest Alpine mountain and in all of Western Europe.
This trip is definitely for the faint of heart. Even the physically fit can sometimes feel challenged by the tour. Trekkers go through 8 stages, including one that crosses the Italian territory. There is also a stage that goes through the Theodul Pass, which has been used as a route to Italy since the 4th century.
While daunting and challenging, the tour rewards mountaineers with unique vantage points of the Monte Rosa, the Dom, Alpine villages and wildlife, and of course, the Matterhorn. Because of its difficulty and length, you will not run into a lot of people so you can enjoy the best of the Alps in peace.
Hike to Monte Rosa Hut
martin_vmorrisFoter.comCC BY-SA
Not everyone has the ability or the time to go on a 9-day trek, so a decent alternative is a hike to the Monte Rosa Hut. It may not be as grueling and you may not see as much compared to the Tour de Monte Rosa, but it’s all the best highlights squeezed in a shorter trek.
Be warned, however, that though this trek is shorter, it’s still not a simple walk in the park. Trekkers are highly recommended to do this with a guide as conditions have become unstable and you’ll hear the constant creaking and cracking of ice in the frozen world below.
Through hiking trails and across the Gorner Glacier, the hike to the Hut is still worth the effort. The Hut is an attraction in itself with its very modern structure and cozy interiors.
Helicopter around the Matterhorn
Air Zermatt Base
A gondola ride to the viewing platforms on and around the Matterhorn is breathtaking. But if you want to take it to a literally new level, book yourself a helicopter tour and get right up to the peak. You can book a flight with Air Zermatt anywhere between 20, 30, and 40 minutes.
The route will vary depending on how long your flight is, but the trip also includes landing on the Unterrothorn for an Alpine lunch at the restaurant Fluhalp.
30 Minute Flight with Air Zermatt
We did the 30-minute tour a few years ago and it was breathtaking. They fly you up a glacier-filled valley and then shock you with a sudden view of the Matterhorn as you climb out of that valley into the next. The tour then goes around the actual top of the Matterhorn, where you can see the climbers right on the mountain. Next, you go around the rest of the Zermatt valley, landing on a glacier briefly, then finally back to base. Unforgettable!
Hike the Europaweg
Get ready for the most beautiful 2-day hikes in the Alps and go hike the Europaweg. This goes between Grächen and Zermatt for panoramic mountain views including, of course, the Matterhorn. The Europaweg was created in 1997, marked by stunning views used as orientation points to map out the paths in the villages of St. Niklaus, rächen, Randa, Täsch, and Zermatt.
If you complete the 2-day hike, you will go from Grächen via Gasenried to Grat. It then continues southwards to the Europa Hut above Randa, then over the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge – the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world. We did this hike a few years ago and it was stunning. Especially if you manage to do it in the fall season when the trees are yellow.
Note: Check out the Highest Bridges here
It traverses the Grabengufer with a length of 494 meters hanging 65 meters above the chasm below. The path then continues in the direction of Täschalp and finally to Zermatt.
This is also part of the Haut Route, one of the longest and most iconic long-distance walks in Switzerland. It starts in Chamonix, where it shares a path with another stunner – the Tour du Mont Blanc. Either are definitely worth doing if you love stunning scenery and challenging, alpine hiking.
Climb The Breithorn
Scaling the 4,000-meter peaks around Zermatt is phenomenal, but not always realistic. If you want to do it anyway, go up to the peak of the Breithorn. The good thing is you can skip a lot of the hard work as the hike begins at the Klein Matterhorn on the aerial tramway. The Breithorn is considered the easiest 4,000-meter peak to climb.
Given that, you will still break a sweat when you go on this trek. You’re required to take a qualified mountain guide for the 2-hour ascent to the highest point of the Breithorn. The climb is very doable, but the challenge is with the thinness of the air at this elevation. The slopes are also icy and slippery, especially during colder months.
14) Hit the slopes
You can’t visit the Alpine wonderland of Zermatt without doing the most iconic Swiss thing to do in winter – skiing. Whichever peak you choose to visit, there will always be access to ski pistes and slopes for snowboarding. Choose the lower peaks if you’re still a beginner or you’re simply starting to learn how to ski. Or head to the dizzying heights of Klein Matterhorn, the highest cable car station in Zermatt for great views.
All in all, there are 360 kilometers of pistes in Zermatt, some with a sneak peek into their Italian neighbor. You can also go on a Matterhorn Ski Safari that takes you through 12,500 meters or 10,500 meters of altitude. You will be able to circuit different pistes and always with the Matterhorn in full view.
Enjoy Some Apres-ski
After a full day of hikes and snowy adventures, it’s time to hit the sack for a good night’s sleep. Most of the time. For some nights, you can hit the hottest clubs in this Alpine wonderland. Set right by the pistes, these cool establishments have views like no other. A very popular and easygoing bar is Hennu Stall on the bottom section of the Furi-Zermatt slope.
They have a DJ and live band music and also have menu items appropriate for kids. If you still have lots of energy to spare, Harry’s Ski Bar at the Matterhorn Lodge is where dancing, singing, and mingling happen. If you want to hang out with locals, the Papperla Club is a popular haunt with interiors that replicate an Irish pub.
Tour Zermatt Village
There are a lot of tempting adventures towards the Alpine world around Zermatt. However, taking your time exploring the town is a great experience as well. You can spend a full day (or even more) just wandering the streets of Zermatt and discovering surprises around the corner.
The town itself is very traditional in terms of structure and aesthetics but has been highly influenced by modern technology thanks to the influx of tourism. Around the old village, you’ll see ancient structures that are around 500 years old.
Then just a few meters away are over 100 hotels and chalets that cater to different kinds of travelers from all over the world.
Visit The Mountaineer’s Cemetery
It may sound a little morbid, but a visit to the Mountaineer’s Cemetery in the village of Zermatt will give you a deeper appreciation of the grandeur of the Matterhorn. As beautiful as it can be, the Matterhorn is also one of the most dangerous peaks to scale in the world.
Since the first ascent in 1865, an estimated 3,000 mountaineers attempt to climb the peak every year. There have already been around 500 deaths recorded since then. While there are now better ways and equipment to scale the peak, avalanches and sudden weather changes still pose danger to mountaineers.
Many of those who have died climbing the Matterhorn are buried in the cemetery, including those from the first expedition in 1865. The gravestones have information about the climbers, including their age and where they perished.
Go Shopping
Every corner of Switzerland has its own shopping district, and it’s no different from Zermatt, Switzerland. Shopping here can be a little strange though because nowhere else will you find Armani suits sold within meters of ice picks. The town has its own Bahnhofstrasse with 316 shops that sell souvenirs, fashion, and goods. And if I have not mentioned it already, the town is car-free!
There is a wide range of designer brands and jewelry boutiques and several local shops with unique creations. Chocolate stores are popular as well, such as Boite a Chocolat which sells chocolates from all over Switzerland, including some they make themselves.
A good place to go is the Lorenz Bach outlet store opposite the Mont Cervin Hotel. Here you’ll find a range of top designers at bargain prices.
Enjoy The Mont Cervin Spa
Zermatt is home to many luxurious hotels and world-class spas, and Mont Cervin has one of the best. You can indulge in a wide range of services including facials, massages, and treatments. They also have some unusual offers such as the Swiss Chocolate Body Peeling and Hawaiian Flower Baths.
The spa has heated indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzis, saunas, a dipping tank, and a whole lot of other amenities you can enjoy after your massage or facial. Spanning around 1,700 square meters, a visit to the spa can pretty much last a full day.
Visit Some Restaurants
You’ll never run out of things to do in Zermatt, but make sure you include restaurant hopping in your itinerary. Zermatt has a long list of good restaurants to try, whether it be in the village or high up in the mountains. Cheese is a popular dish, as is usual in all of Switzerland, and there’s something a bit more satisfying with dipping meats in hot fondue with a full view of the Matterhorn.
Restaurants in ski resorts are very cozy but tend to be pricey. For a taste of the best without a steep price, make sure to drop by Restaurant Du Pont for great cheesy options.
Where To Stay In Zermatt
Zermatt is actually a reasonably small town, so in most cases, you will be able to walk to your accommodation. Worst case, there are small electric taxis you can take around town, and many will be awaiting your arrival at the train station. Remember, you cannot bring your car into Zermatt, so these are the only two options for getting around.
Mid to High-end Hotels
The following are some of the best hotels Zermatt has to offer. This is not to say they are all super-expensive, but they are not in the budget end of the field.
Cheaper Hotels & Hostels
These hotels are a lot cheaper than those above, and include budget hotels and well as some of the better hostels in Zermatt.
Getting To/From Zermatt
There are two options for getting to Zermatt, by car or by train.
By Train
Zermatt is a part of the Swiss rail network so if you are using a Swiss Travel Pass, it includes Zermatt. Zermatt is also part of one of the classic Swiss train trips – the Glacier Express, which runs between Zermatt and St Moritz. So, it makes a good base to stay here as a part of that journey too.
Trains run from all over Switzerland to Visp where you will always change trains to the Zermatt train, which starts there. To find your specific timetable and connections head to the Swiss Rail website and find the best times.
By Car
If you are traveling by car it is possible to get close to Zermatt (to a town called Täsch) where you have to leave your car in a parking lot by the train station. From there, you have to take a local train one stop to Zermatt. Zermatt is a carless town, so you are not allowed to drive there.
The approximate costs for parking are 15-20 Swiss Francs a day. Make a booking here.
The train from Täsch to Zermatt is 12-15 minutes and costs 8.20 CHF one way (with no half-tax discount)
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
