Zermatt

Zermatt is most famous for the Matterhorn and, in particular, its historic first summit by Edward Whymper on the 14th of July 1865. The race to become the first to climb the pyramidal peak gave the small farming town global recognition and slowly it developed into the town we know today. Plenty come to climb or see the famous mountain still today. The ski area is huge, varied and usually has fantastic snow, due to the altitude.

Zermatt’s high street is lined with luxury jewellery, watch and clothing brands and this does give the town a reputation. But it doesn’t have to be as expensive as one might think. There are many great ways to enjoy the town on more of a budget, with some tremendous self-catered accommodation to choose from, Swiss rail pass deals and free skiing for kids up to the age of nine. You can also take the free buses around the village so you don’t need to pay for an electric taxi.

Zermatt became car-free to preserve its postcard Matterhorn views. Locals were concerned that too much air pollution might disrupt the famous skyline. Near silent electric vehicles now trundle about the streets and help to maintain the town’s low sound pollution also. There’s even a rule that noise must be kept down after 10 pm which adds to Zermatt’s idyllic, chocolate box feel. Most of Zermatt is pedestrianised so to get around you can walk, take an electric taxi, or hop on one of the small electric buses that take people for free around the resort. There is a convenient and quick train service that takes you right into the centre of Zermatt, so leave your car behind.

We have some excellent beginner terrain in Zermatt. The resort’s mascot, Wolli the Sheep, has his own beginner area, with a number of magic carpet lifts, open to all ages. With ES that’s where we will get started with beginner kids groups and private lessons. From there, skiers can progress onto their first blue runs with chairlifts and beyond. It is a nice progression and your first chairlifts start not far from the beginner area. As a beginner, you will start skiing from the Sunnegga area, and so it can be helpful to have accommodation nearby.

Yes of course! Zermatt boasts some of Europe’s highest skiing and its glacier welcomes skiers 365 days a year. In November usually only the Klein Matterhorn side is open, but it is sometimes possible to ski over the border to Cervinia in Italy, depending on snow conditions. With the altitude and beginning of winter, temperatures in the resort can be pretty low, so it’s important to wrap up.