Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 106 Transcript
How to plan your perfect trip to Zermatt (Best things to do and see)
You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.
Intro
Are you dreaming of visiting Switzerland? Planning a trip to Switzerland is very exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you choose which of the many scenic cities, towns and villages to visit, which mountain top excursions should you take? And what’s the best way to get around Switzerland and of course, how much of the country can you realistically see within your time frame? If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, this is the podcast for you. This is the Holidays to Switzerland travel podcast. And in each episode, your host, Carolyn, chats with Swiss travel experts to answer your most commonly asked questions, provide practical tips and take you on a virtual visit to the most popular destinations, and, of course, some hidden gems to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. And you’ll hear plenty of conversations about Swiss cheese and chocolate too. Are you ready to plan your trip to Switzerland? Well, let’s get started.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Hello, Grüezi, and welcome to Episode 106 of the Holidays to Switzerland podcast, thanks for joining me today for your regular dose of Swiss travel inspiration. Back in May of this year, I recorded a video interview with Viviane Zellweger from Zermatt tourism, which was published on the Holidays to Switzerland YouTube channel and in our Switzerland Travel Planning Facebook group. In the interview, Viviane answered lots of commonly asked questions about the beautiful alpine town of Zermatt. So I thought it was worth sharing all that info with you here on the podcast as well. I know many listeners are planning to visit Zermatt in their upcoming Swiss travels, so you’ll find this episode really helpful. As divyan covers the top things to do in Zermatt accommodation options, she tells us where to eat, and she also shares a couple of authentic experiences for you to try too. A month or so after we recorded the interview, Zermatt and the surrounding area was affected by severe storms, landslides and flooding, so I caught up with Vivian again just recently to ask her about the current situation in Zermatt.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Hi, Viviane, thank you so much for coming back. And could you tell us, for anyone who’s planning to head to Zermatt soon, what is the current situation there, after the flooding that occurred in back in June?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, there has been some flooding due to heavy rain and also the snow melting in the end of June, but Zermatt has recovered very, very quickly from the storms. And I think what is most important to mention is that for all tourists to know is that Zermatt is safe. Zermatt is accessible, and vacations can be taken as normal as it was before. Moreover, I think what is very important to mention is that since mid July we have had a very nice period of good weather, which is why Zermatt has been visited very well since then. And this is to mention that despite the events we’ve had in the end of June, I think we’ve had a good summer so far, and we’re heading into the direction of a successful summer season nevertheless.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Fantastic. Yes, I have spoken to a few people who have visited Zermatt since June, and yeah, they have said it’s they wouldn’t have known that anything had occurred, they were able to have a fantastic vacation. So that’s great to hear. So for people who are planning to visit in the next sort of little while, is there anything that they need to be aware of?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, the tourist offers, like all of them, are practically fully in operation again or accessible again. A few hiking or biking and or biking trails have been affected, but mostly they opened again, like the reconstruction has been done and finished. What also has been affected was the railroad from Visp to Täsch, so there was currently a bus replacement, but it should be under operation again in the near future, so I’d say at latest, by the end of August.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, that’s fantastic. So people can still get to Zermatt in the meantime, by bus and everything once they get there, pretty much everything is operating as per normal.
Viviane Zellweger
Yes, exactly.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Fantastic. Well, thank you for the update.
Carolyn Schönafinger
It’s fantastic to know that Zermatt has recovered quickly from the natural disaster. Now, here’s my full interview with Viviane, with all her tips for visiting Zermatt. Welcome to you, Viviane.
Viviane Zellweger
Hi. Thanks for introducing me and thank you for your time to talk about Zermatt.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Oh, I’m very much looking forward to it. For our audience who haven’t been to Switzerland before and perhaps are just in the starting stages of planning their trip. Whereabouts, actually, in Switzerland is Zermatt located?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, Zermatt is located in the canton of Wallis. So it’s right at the bottom of Switzerland, at the border to Italy. And it’s located at the foot of the Matterhorn, the very famous Matterhorn Mountain, at above 1600 meters above sea level. And I always say it’s like you can either fly into Zurich or flying to Geneva and from both of the airports, it’s about a three to four hour train journey, or journey by car to Zermatt.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, wonderful. Now you mentioned there the different ways to get to Zermatt. Now it is a car free village, and I imagine that most visitors probably arrive by train. But if someone is renting a car for their trip around Switzerland, how do they get to Zermatt if they can’t take their car there?
Viviane Zellweger
Good question. Well, Zermatt is car free, and there is the option to leave your car in Täsch. There is a car terminal, and from Täsch to Zermatt. It’s about a 15 minute train journey up to Zermatt. There is a very convenient shuttle train that runs every couple of minutes. But of course, there’s also the option to take a taxi up to Zermatt, but I’d recommend taking the train to Zermatt.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, great idea now, because it’s a car free village is walking the only way to get around, because I know I’ve been there myself, and it is probably a bit bigger than most people imagine. So for those people who are a bit worried that they might have to walk long distances, is there any other way that they can get around the village?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, walking is, of course, the main way to get around. But there are other options, such as, there are little electric cars that can either be like the hotels they own their electric cars to transport their guests from the train station to their hotels. And also, there are electric taxis that you can just call and they come and pick you up wherever you need it. And what is very nice, we also have an electric bus. There are two different lines. They also run very frequently, and they are free of charge. So that is also a good option to get around town. But to say, since walking is the main way to get around, everything is within walking distance. So from one end to the other end, it’s about, well, the longest distance is probably like 30 minutes.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Excellent. All right, so what are some of the top things to do in Zermatt? What are the famous things or the most popular attractions that draw people to the Zermatt?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, of course, most people come to see the Matterhorn, which is just like a very, very iconic mountain. And I think everyone has to see it once in a lifetime. But of course, there are numbers other activities and very nice experiences. And to say, like there’s something all year round. What I think is one of the top activities is, of course, to see the main peaks. So there are three main peaks in Zermatt. One of them is the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, which is the highest station in Europe. The other one is the Gornergrat, also very famous. And then there’s also Rothorn. And so all three of them are top attractions. People go up there, enjoy the view and just spend some time there. Also, in summer, there are more than 400 kilometers of hiking trails. There’s also a great variety of biking trails. So there’s something for everyone. But there’s also lots of other activities, such as paragliding. There is some sightseeing flights by helicopter. There’s trail running. There’s just lots of also sports activities. And also there’s more than 360 kilometers of slopes to go skiing. But also there are other activities. There’s a very nice Iglu village, there’s Husky sleigh rides, there’s ski touring. There’s just a lot to explore.
Carolyn Schönafinger
And I think a couple of things that that I find really special about Zermatt, one, you can go skiing all year round because of the glacier up there, so that’s quite unique. You also have some pretty special animals too that are unique to that area. Would you like to tell everyone about those?
Viviane Zellweger
Of course, yeah. So there is, like, a very famous black no sheep. It’s also our iconic animal here. It’s called the Black No Sheep. They’re locally bred. They’re like local animals here, there’s a very nice experience. You can visit them on top of corner growth they spent their summer day, and it’s an experience called Meet The Sheep. So you have the possibility to track them by a GPS, because they have a GPS track in their color, so you can see where they’re located. You can see what they doing, and there’s a nice hiking trail to go visit them. But also when they’re not up on Gornergrat because they only spent their summer season there, you can see where they are in the barn, so you can get the chance to see them. Also when they’re not up there.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, good. So you don’t have to miss out if you’re not visiting in the summer season,
Viviane Zellweger
Exactly.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Good. So let’s talk about those mountain peaks just a little bit more. Because I know, as you said, that’s something probably most people come to Zermatt to see, get up as close as they possibly can to the Matterhorn. They’re quite different excursions, aren’t they? So perhaps tell us about Gornergrats first.
Viviane Zellweger
So Gornergrat is a cogwheel train that takes you up to Gornergrat station. On the way, you have lots of different other stations, such as Riffelalp, Riffelberg, so you can also go out on your way up or on your way down and just explore the other areas. And as I’ve mentioned, they meet the sheep. It’s a you get out at Rotenboden or Riffelalp, and you just explore the area there. There’s a very nice lake to see the reflection of the Matterhorn, which is probably most it’s best in the morning. So that’s Gornergrat.
Carolyn Schönafinger
And next the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
Viviane Zellweger
Well, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is about a 45 minutes right up to the small Matterhorn, what we call it. And you take different gondolas to go up there. And up there you have a viewing platform. You also have, like a cinema experience. You have an ice cave, so you can spend a lot of time up there to just get the most of it. And what is very nice to see on your way up is that you can see the Matterhorn from different angles, which makes it very special.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay. And there’s also now a connection, isn’t there, over to Italy, so you can actually continue on your way and do a day trip down to Italy and then return back to Zermatt.
Viviane Zellweger
Exactly. So it’s our brand new product, and it only opened up in summer in 2023 it’s called the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing. And so it’s a new gondola that connects the Swiss side with the Italian side. And now you can go from Zermatt to Italy in 90 minutes. I say like more or less, depending on what station you go out and explore some more. But in total, it’s about 90 minutes. So it’s the perfect experience to go from Switzerland to Italy, do a one day trip and just go back for the evening or however you like. And it’s also very special because you see the Matterhorn from very different angles, and that is really a great experience before the new, Matterhorn Alpine Crossing opened up. You could already go over to Italy, but only on skis. So it was only possible during the winter times when the whole ski area was open.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Right. Okay, so now the cross, with the crossing, it’s possible to do that all year round?
Viviane Zellweger
Yeah, it’s possible to do it all year round.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, fantastic. All right, so what about the third peak that you mentioned? Rothorn.
Viviane Zellweger
The third peak Rothorn is also very famous. It’s another area. Maybe you’ve heard of Sunnegga, which is the middle station. This area is very, very famous for hiking. So maybe you’ve heard of the five lakes hike, which is one of the most famous hikes in Zermatt, where you get to pass by five different hikes. And also this is such a nice experience to just enjoy some hiking trails in Zermatt.
Carolyn Schönafinger
And I think there’s some kind of adventure type activities at Rothorn too, is there Mountain scooters or mountain carts or something that people can rent. Is that right?
Viviane Zellweger
Yeah. So from Sunnegga, you have the possibility to also do, yeah, rent some mountain carts to just go down and enjoy some fun.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, so people who want to a bit of an adrenaline hit perhaps that’s that’s a good option for them.
Viviane Zellweger
Exactly.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah. Now, of course, one of the great things about visiting Zermatt or something that you must do, is just to have a wander around the village, because it’s just so typically Swiss. I think it’s what everyone imagines a Swiss village would look like with those beautiful wooden chamras and in the summer, there’s the flower boxes with so many colorful flowers in them. It’s so good shopping, of course, is very enticing when you’re in Zermatt. But what about if people are looking for a special souvenir, or they want to taste Swiss cheese or Swiss chocolate? Are there any specialty shops there that they should make sure to visit?
Viviane Zellweger
Yeah, so of course, in Bahnhofstrasse, our main street, there are so many shops, like all the big brands are there. And also the famous Swiss chocolate brands have their stores there. And what I really like is there’s a local bakery called Fuchs, and they have a very unique chocolate Matterhorn. It’s very, very tasty. And I always tell my guests that they need to try it. At least they have, like, a very nice souvenir from Zermatt. Regarding cheese, there is a local cheese manufactory. They are a bit uphill, but it’s within walking distance. You can visit sometimes, like when they do, you can see how they make their cheese, and they also, what is very nice, they have a fridge where you can buy their products, so even if the manufacturer is closed, you can still buy some nice cheese. And of course, there’s so many restaurants that offer different types of cheese, fondue or rocklet or so. There’s lots of opportunities to try cheese.
Carolyn Schönafinger
That’s good. So probably everyone’s familiar with the Toblerone with the Matterhorn image on it, but when you’re in Zermatt, you should go to Fuchs bakery and buy an actual chocolate Matterhorn. That’s something quite unique.
Viviane Zellweger
Exactly.
Carolyn Schönafinger
So when people are planning their visit to Zermatt and they’re looking for accommodation, is there a particular area or particular part of the village that you recommend they stay in or does it really not matter?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, I think it really does not matter where in town, in which area you stay from, like wherever you stay, since everything is within walking distance, you can experience all of it, of course, like staying on top of, for example, Gornergrat at their hotel, or Riffelalp, there’s a hotel, but also staying at Furi, which is a bit higher up on the mountainside. These could all be very, very nice experiences if you’re not looking to stay in town.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay. And what sort of accommodation options are available? Are there a wide range of styles of accommodation?
Viviane Zellweger
Yeah. So there are different accommodation types, so there’s holiday apartments, but of course, there’s also hotels, everything within the range of two to five star hotels, there are very different kind of hotels. So there’s, like the traditional Swiss style hotels, like the chalet type and like everything with their wooden interior and just very Swiss nest style hotels. But of course, there’s also hotels that are a bit more like into art, or just more like in a new kind of style. So there’s something for everyone.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, and I noticed that quite a few of the hotels have their own wellness center too. I I guess that’s a big attraction for a lot of visitors.
Viviane Zellweger
Yeah, I think that’s for lots of visitors. It’s very important to have the opportunity to enjoy the spa, especially in winter time after skiing, people like to enjoy the spa and just have some some time to relax. So there’s lots of hotels with spas.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Wonderful. In your opinion, Viviane, what would you say is the best time of the year to visit Zermatt?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, I think that’s a very hard question, since it really depends on what you would like to experience if you’re into skiing. Of course, winter is the season to come, because you get most of the whole ski areas open. You have 360 kilometers of slope, so it’s wonderful for skiing. But as I said, it really depends on what you would like to explore. Also, summer is very nice, but spring as well. And personally, I think what is now one of my favorite seasons is fall, cause, since the season is a bit changing, Summer, like temperatures are still kind of high, even September, October, it’s still like the perfect weather to go hiking and to go biking. Everything is still open. And what is very, very nice is that you can experience the change of the colors of the trees. So there’s some very nice places to go and see the Matterhorn, of course, with the changing colors. So I really enjoy the fall time here in Zermatt.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, lovely. And if someone is coming to visit in fall and they’re interested in seeing those place with you know the, as you said, the Matterhorn view with the lease, does the tourist office have some information to get so they know exactly where to go to see those best viewing spots?
Viviane Zellweger
Yes, yes, of course. So we have all seasons on our website so you can see what activities and what products are available in what season, and also our staff at the Information Center, they’re always more than happy to welcome our guests and explain them where to go and to get the most out of their stay.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, good. All right. So if someone is visiting Zermatt just for one day, so perhaps they’ve come and they’ve arrived at night, and they’ve got the all of the next day to spend in Zermatt before they’re leaving again. What would you recommend that they do?
Viviane Zellweger
So I think we have a very nice product, which is called Peak to Peak as I said, like exploring the peaks is probably one of the most exciting things to do in Zermatt, and the peak to peak pass allows you to explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in one day. So you can go up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in the morning, spend some time up there, maybe even have lunch up there, because there’s also a restaurant. And then in the afternoon, or after lunch, travel back down and head up to Gornergrat. So in this way, you can see both main peaks. You can like, both of them are very different, like, one of them is a cog wheel train. One of them is by gondola, so you really get the most out of out of your day. And of course, if there is still some time afterwards, I really recommend just like, wander through the town just to experience how Zermatt feels like.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, absolutely. And as you say, by doing those two different peaks with the two different modes of transport, it’s really giving everyone, I don’t know, it’s quite, quite a different and unique experience that they get to enjoy in one day. So that’s a great offer. Now I can’t let you go without asking you, have you got any local secrets, or are there any hidden gems that we might not read about in a normal travel guide, that that you would like to share with us?
Viviane Zellweger
That’s also a very hard question. I don’t think there’s any like secrets. Also, since Zermatt is very popular, like most people know, from like either media or social media or wherever, what they would like to explore. So I don’t think there’s any secret about our experiences, and we like to really put it out there. We like to make it public for everyone to that what they can explore and what they can expect from Zermatt. So we try to really put our products on our website, or just also, yeah, give some insights on what you can do, but, um, what I personally really like, which, yeah, probably is not a hidden gem. But we’ve already talked about the blacknose sheep. So I think it’s a very unique experience to go and visit them on top of Gornergrat.
Carolyn Schönafinger
I visited them a couple of years ago. And we did, we took so many photos.
Viviane Zellweger
Yeah, it just gives you a good, like, a good feeling to just go and meet them and you can see the small ones. And so just very nice experience for young and older people, like, for everyone.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Absolutely, absolutely. So is there anything else that someone planning a visit to Zermatt should know?
Viviane Zellweger
Well, I think most important thing is to make sure to check out lots of our culinary delights, because Zermatt has one of the greatest densities of gourmet restaurants in the alps. So there are so many nice restaurants, even like The Omnia or Michelin Star certified restaurants. So there’s really something for everyone. And of course, with the kind of Swiss like, there’s lots of Swiss traditional dishes, but also other types of cuisine. So I really recommend to make sure to enjoy lots of nice dishes, explore the restaurants and also enjoy some time on either like a on the mountains in like a restaurant, on their sun terraces, just like spending some time with family, friends or whoever you travel with and enjoy some good food in the mountains.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Good food and making memories following you looking at that beautiful Matterhorn.
Viviane Zellweger
Exactly. Enjoy the views and enjoyed it.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Well, thank you very much, Viviane for sharing all that with us today. Where can people find out more information about Zermatt.
Viviane Zellweger
You can find out more about Zermatt on our web page, which is Zermatt.Swiss and you can also check out our social media so Zermatt.Matterhorn, and you can always keep up to date with our information on there.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Excellent. Thank you again. I hope we’ve encouraged and inspired a lot of people to visit Zermatt. Well, I’m sure there are already lots of people planning to visit Zermatt, but I hope we’ve given them some good information there to help them plan their trip and make the most of their visit.
Viviane Zellweger
Thank you so much.
Carolyn Schönafinger
For a small town there really is so much to see and do in Zermatt at any time of year. Take my word for it, one day in Zermatt is never enough. So if you can, I recommend staying at least three nights so you can experience a variety of activities. If you miss the name of the bakery or the cheese dairy that Viviane mentioned, or you’d like to learn more about the many things to do in Zermatt, take a look at the show notes for this episode. You’ll also find a link in the show notes to grab a copy of my new free guide 21 Useful Things to Know Before You Visit Switzerland. I’m sure you’ll find it helpful as you prepare for your visit to Switzerland. You can see the show notes at holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode106. Thanks for joining me today until next time. Tschüss.
You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.
