My Favorite Things to Do in Zermatt Switzerland

Thank you to Zermatt Tourism for hosting me. As always, all opinions and recommendations are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Zermatt is a cute, little alpine resort town in Switzerland. You might have heard of it…or maybe you have heard of its prized possession, the Matterhorn? Either way, if you are headed to Switzerland, you will definitely want to add Zermatt to your itinerary. Whether or not you ski and no matter if you visit during the winter or the summer, there’s plenty to keep you busy and these are the best things to do in Zermatt!

Best Things to Do in Zermatt

Matterhorn Madness

I have to admit that I was most excited to see the majestic Matterhorn. You might say I was mad for the Matterhorn! Okay, pun intended (and a bit cheesy I admit, but fun none-the-less 😉 ).

This cute alpine resort town is a must-see on a trip to Switzerland. Whether you visit in summer or winter, these are my favorite things to do in Zermatt! #zermatt #switzerland #europe #alpinetown #skitown #resort #swiss #destinations #travel

The Matterhorn means “peak in the meadows” in German and is a mountain in the Swiss Alps straddling the border of Switzerland and Italy. It has a summit of 14,692 feet (4,478 meters) making it one of the highest of the Alps and in all of Europe.

Thankfully, you can see it from just about anywhere in Zermatt and so I got to see and photograph it a lot!

TIP: Be sure to catch the Matterhorn at sunset. How beautiful is this lighting?!?

Explore the Town

Let’s be honest…all of Switzerland is beautiful and colorful; however, there’s just that extra something about Zermatt.

Everywhere we looked, we were greeted with beautiful houses…

buildings adorned with pretty flowers on each of the resort town’s streets all the way up the mountains

and even a clock tower that I’m so used to seeing in what seems like every European town.

I love all the street lamps with the Swiss flags!

TIP: Zermatt is a car-free town which makes for a very easy and relaxing walking atmosphere.

Paragliding

By far my most favorite thing we did in Zermatt was go paragliding with Fly Zermatt. The experience was completely amazing!

I still can’t believe that I was 10,000 feet in the air with the Matterhorn. It was very calming and talk about great views of the Matterhorn and Zermatt! 😍 Watch here as I take off!

TIP: Try booking your paragliding adventure at the start of your time in Zermatt. That way you can hopefully be rescheduled for another day if the weather isn’t cooperating.

You might also like: PACKING LIST FOR SWITZERLAND IN SUMMER: A 16-DAY SIGHTSEEING ADVENTURE

Summer Snow Skiing

Yes, you can snow ski in the summer in Zermatt! So of course, we had to do it. And by we, I mean, Amanda skied and I got on skis (let’s be honest, there is a difference).

I had only been on snow skis once prior to this trip but I was NOT missing out on a chance to ski (loose term here) in the Swiss Alps…not to mention Zermatt has the largest and highest summer skiing area in Europe!

While you’re up there go to the top outdoor viewing area to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise where you can see the highest mountains in Italy, France, and Switzerland as well as the Theodul Glacier!

Take the cable car back down from Europe’s highest station (12,739 feet or 3,883 meters) and see the beautiful views of Zermatt from another angle. There is no shortage of views of the town or the Matterhorn!

TIPS: Don’t forget your Swiss Travel Pass as it will get you a 50% discount on the cable car. Along with skis and boots, we also rented pants there so we didn’t have to pack those on a summer trip. Read on for more information about summer skiing in Zermatt.

Gornergrat

Ride the world’s first fully electric cogwheel train from Zermatt up to the Gornergrat and be sure to also get off at each of the four stops along the way.

You can get the most amazing views of the Swiss Alps…

and Riffelsee (lake) with the Matterhorn in the background. In addition, you can go hiking, mountain biking and paragliding making the ride to Gornergrat one of the most popular things to do in Zermatt.

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife you can see from the train!

TIPS: The Swiss Travel Pass will get you a 50% discount. Round-trip train ride from Zermatt to Gornergrat takes 2.5 hours alone. Check the weather before you go because if there is extensive cloud coverage, there won’t be any views to see.

Where to Eat

For a great fondue experience, try Cafe du Pont. We ate in the outdoor courtyard which is perfect for the summer. Nothing better than eating Swiss fondue while looking at all the beautiful Swiss views!

TIPS: Casual dress, reservations needed!

If you are there during the summer, definitely try out the Taste of Zermatt. When we were there it was called the Swiss Food Festival and now is sporting its new name the Taste of Zermatt!

We sampled the most amazing food from all of the popular restaurants in town and even had wine pairings. It was in a word, awesome! Seriously some of the best food I’ve had and I loved taste testing so many different types!

Where to Stay

Hotel Ambassador

We stayed at Hotel Ambassador and were quite happy with our room. It sported this view of the Matterhorn which meant I could see it from my bed each morning when I woke up. It doesn’t get any cooler than that!

Not only that, the room was spacious and definitely had that ski lodge feel. Friendly staff, comfortable beds and multiple breakfast options made it even better!

TIPS: Hotel Ambassador will make a breakfast box to take with you on excursions like Gornergrat. I didn’t get one but Amanda said hers was really nice and it held over for lunch too!

PIN IT!

Hopefully, you are falling in love with Zermatt. I know I did and would love to return the next time I visit Switzerland. It was the perfect place for relaxation and downtime!