ermatt was our first venture into the Swiss alps and we had no idea what to expect. We wouldn’t have stopped in Zermatt at all, but it’s where you catch the Glacier Express train to St. Moritz which leaves so early in the morning that you have to overnight here. We spent a few days getting to know the place and capture at least one picture of the Matterhorn mountain. (which you can find a representative of on every Toblerone box)

It was worth the stop as Zermatt is a beautiful little ski town with cobbled streets and decked out for Christmas.

1. Things to see

Additionally, there was some stunning scenery along the way as we went from lush green lowlands and farmland to pure white mountains crossing deep ravines and stone curving bridges.

Blue-green rivers rushing alongside the train with melting snow, there was nowhere you could point your camera and click that didn’t end up an enviable photograph.

Along the way we passed many small snow-covered houses, in even smaller villages, you had to wonder about the lifestyle in these villages. How do people make their living, what do they do in the long winter months, how do they date, travel, live day-to-day?

When we finally reached Zermatt we found an upscale ski town – All the big name brand stores were represented, expensive ski wear and kit was on sale in all the windows, and there were plenty of restaurants and bars to keep you busy after a day of skiing on the mountain pistas.

Just like a postcard – giant horn sculpture, a giant wreath, horse-drawn carriages, candy shops, and bakeries private hotel clubs, etc.

Walking home past the mountain climbers graveyard one night where lots of candles were lit. We caught our only glimpse of the Matterhorn. It was full dark so it took a while to capture a grainy picture before it was shrouded in clouds again. If we would have known that was our only chance we would have stayed and looked longer, we didn’t realize you can go days or weeks without catching sight of it.

The next day we decided to ascend Gornergrat – at 3,134 meters.

“The Gornergrat is a rocky ridge of the Pennine Alps, overlooking the Gorner Glacier south-east of Zermatt in Switzerland. It can be reached from Zermatt by the Gornergrat rack railway, the highest open-air railway in Europe.”

Coming from an island nation, it’s certainly the highest I’ve ever been. You take a slow ride up to the top on a brown railway car – It was crazy at the top, overlooking all the other mountains, we couldn’t see the Matterhorn but no matter, we had our chance the night before.

My travel partner felt sick from the altitude so we made a hasty retreat back down. Gornergrat Is not to be missed.

Small villages along the way

Forests of winter trees

Scenes in the city

On top of the mountain

Green water – no filter

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Fancy nightclubs

A filipina at 3,100 meters!

2. Nightlife

Plenty of nightlife all over town – we tried an upscale bar with a movie house downstairs for a few cocktails then migrated over to a place where people gathered after skiing or snowboarding, that was much wilder. Standing outside in the dark it was nice to sip our drinks and look at the old fashioned wood-beamed houses steeped in snow.

The next night we hit some bars closer to our hotel, everywhere was packed with tourists because of the holiday but everyone was drinking and having a good time.

Zermatt inebriation factories

More bars = more fun

3. Spend

Lots of souvenir on offer here, a small grocery store, and if you want to spend on ski clothes the sky is the limit. We saw the most variety of cool magnet and smaller objects we could take home. Little swiss bells and things like that.

4. Food

A simple Thai meal in an even simpler restaurant of three dishes and two drinks set us back 100 euro. After that, we were more careful to look at the prices first. A plate of simple fried rice that would be 8 euro anyplace else was 24 here.

5. Getting Around

Everything on foot. Your hotel can send an electric cart to get you at the train station – or you can just walk. If you’re in an upscale hotel they’ll send the horse and carriage.

6. Costs

Very expensive if you don’t check the prices first. Mildly expensive if you keep your eyes out and stick to bar food. But reasonable if just coming for a few days.

7. Tips

If you’ve never been to high altitudes, be a little careful, I had no problems but my partner did. Once you’re at the top of Gornergrat the trains only run every 30 min or so, so you’re stuck up there. If you do have a problem as soon as you descend you should recover quickly, although Zermatt is at 1,608 meters a well.

Perfect stopover before heading on to St. Moritz – an even better (but different) alpine resort.