IN A NUTSHELL
WHAT: Zermatt.
WHERE: Alps, Swiss-Italian Border.
WHY: Quaint, pedestrian only village in the shadow of the
Matterhorn. Skiing, hiking, and year round outdoor sports.
WHEN: Year round.
HOW: Flight to Zurich or Geneva, then via car or train.
For an additional delight, driver through the Lötschberg Car-Train,
a train that carries your automobile through a tunnel through the
Alps.
IF YOU LIKE THIS... Then you should take a look at
Kitzbühel
and Garmish, two other
wonderful mountain hiking and skiing destinations. |
ZERMATT
Zermatt, at an altitude of 5313ft (1620m), lies in the village below
the Matterhorn and is a pedestrian-only village (visitors must park
their cars at Täsch and take cog-rail train up the mountain) and
world-famous skiing and hiking destination. All combustion
engine vehicles (aside from emergency vehicles) have been banned in
the valley to prevent air pollution. While the Matterhorn
straddles the Italian-Swiss border, the iconic picture of the horn
shaped mountain above green valleys is the view from the Swiss side.
Zermatt is the starting point of the world-famous Haute Route, which
traverses the Swiss and French Alps and ends at Chamonix.
Zermatt is a true delight to explore. The whole town is
straight out of a postcard, with Swiss chalet style buildings and
during the summer every window has a basket of flowers in front of
it. The town lies in the constant shadow of the Matterhorn and
other high mountains, which provide a beautiful backdrop for the
town.
Z'MUTT
Z'mutt is a tiny village of about 20 buildings in the
valley above Zermatt. At 6351ft (1936m), Z'mutt is about
1000ft above Zermatt, and the hike up the valley to Z'mutt gives you
spectacular views up to the Matterhorn and down into Zermatt.
This tiny town features a few outdoor restaurants in its little main
plaza. The entire village is nothing more than a few scattered
houses, outdoor tables, and an chappel, but is beautifully perched
high in the mountain valley and is a quaint and relaxing place to
stop for a nice meal. The restaurants here also offer rooms
for hikers in the summertime.
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Swiss chalet-type buildings in Zermatt |
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Looking back
down the valley toward Zermatt |
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Central Zermatt |
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Looking up
the valley from Zermatt to the Matterhorn |
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Hiking trail up the valley from Zermatt toward the
Matterhord |
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Riding the
Lötschberg Car-Train south to Zermatt |
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Chapel in Z'mutt |
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Approach to
Z'mutt |
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Hiking down from Z'mutt to Zermatt |
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Looking up
the valley from Z'mutt |
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Approching Z'mutt from below |
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Signposts
guide your hikes above Zermatt |
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