Magical
Matterhorn live!
The greatest mountain
of them all
The magnetic draw of the Matterhorn can be felt worldwide and has made Zermatt famous internationally as a holiday destination. But the people of Zermatt have managed to prevent it from losing its feel of a village. There have been no cars on the streets of Zermatt for many years. And, bustling though the shops may be on the main street of Bahnhofstrasse, it is never far to the edge of the village. From there onwards, it is the towering mountains that set the pace. With 38 four-thousanders nearby, the peaks still command respect.
The Matterhorn: no one can escape its fascination. Standing alone on the horizon, a magnet for alpinists, mountain with ideal proportions. Rugged rock with magical light. Playing in a sea of clouds and horizontal colouring. On 14 July 1865, climbers stood on the summit of the Matterhorn for the first time in history. Seeing enough of the Matterhorn? Not possible!
There are plenty of ways of expending energy in the fresh, clean Zermatt mountain air: hiking (400 km of paths), climbing and mountaineering (easy via ferrata and 38 four-thousanders), mountain biking (100 km of trails), skiing (Europe’s highest all-year-round skiing region) or playing golf (9-hole course) – but there is also the option of doing nothing, and simply enjoying summer in the Zermatt mountains from the terrace at the Hotel Riffelhaus.
The Zermatt skiing area is Europe’s highest skiing region, with more than 360 kilometres of stunning pistes in both Switzerland and Italy. Lifts go up as far as the Klein Matterhorn, at 3,883 metres above sea level. Lovers of the snow can enjoy the area even without skis, as this sun-drenched mountain region offers plenty of magnificent views and even more mountain restaurants with glorious sun terraces.
Cars start their holiday five kilometres before the people do, in the car park in Täsch. From Täsch the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn ferries guests to Zermatt at 20-minute intervals. A taxi service is also available on request. On your arrival at Zermatt station, cross the Bahnhofstrasse und take the Gornergrat Bahn, which takes around 30 minutes to the Hotel Riffelhaus.