Zermatt Switzerland Tourism (2024) Travel Guide

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10 Days / 9 Nights

Luxury European Holiday Package in Italy, France & Switzerland

$1,745 per adult on twin sharing

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5 Days / 4 Nights

5-Day Swiss Alps Tour Package: Interlaken and Zermatt

$843 per adult on twin sharing

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9 Days / 8 Nights

9-Day Alpine Adventure: Switzerland and Austria

$1,553 per adult on twin sharing

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8 Days / 7 Nights

Switzerland Train Tour Packages - Swiss Train Adventure

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Zermatt Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 2-3 days

Best Time: June to September Read More

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"For the perfect ski weekend"

Zermatt Tourism

Located in southern Switzerland, Zermatt is a popular mountain town in the Canton of Valais. It is situated at the foot of the Matterhorn, one of the Alps' highest peaks. It attracts a large number of tourists for it's activities on offer, such as skiing and mountain climbing, and also for it's resounding beauty in general.

Zermatt is principally a retreat in the Alps. Based just at the foothill of the Matterhorn mountain, Zermatt is one of the favourite weekend spots for the Swiss and outsiders alike. The range of activities in this small town is quite engaging. Activities such as ski trips, mountaineering, mountain biking or even hiking are sure to keep you occupied throughout your stay to this fabulous hill station. And if that's not enough, you can spend a day out shopping and indulge in the local food on the Bahnhofstrasse, it's the main street. The Matterhorn Museum and the Mountaineer's cemetery are also quite popular tourist attractions in the city. The city has no cars, no trains running through it, only electric and solar powered buses, so mostly everyone is either on a bike or on foot. This makes the overall atmosphere of the city quite refreshing and welcoming, not to mention extremely clean and peaceful.

Gornergrat

Five Lake Trail

Skiing in Zermatt

Matterhorn Museum

Mountaineer's Cemetery

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

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Top Hotels In Zermatt

50 Best Hotels In Zermatt

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9 5 Star Hotels In Zermatt

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4 Hostels In Zermatt

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25 Chalets In Zermatt

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31 Best Luxury Hotels In Zermatt

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50 Cheap Hotels In Zermatt

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Currency in Zermatt

Swiss Francs are the only currency in use in Zermatt. Unlike the bigger cities where Euros are accepted in some places, places in Zermatt, being a village, prefer to do all their dealings in CHF only.

Shopping in Zermatt

Souvenir shops and watch shops in Zermatt are plentiful. Watch shops, in particular, have some of the most extravagant collection of Swiss watches you'll find. You'll find the luxury stores and boutiques of the big cities on the Bahnhofstrasse, the main street. Other small gift shops and book stores are also found on this street.

Nightlife in Zermatt

Zermatt has quite a fabulous nightlife. Being a popular tourist place, and attracting a very fancy tourist crowd, Zermatt has the required bars and nightclubs to cater to their requirements. One of the most famous pubs hands down is the Pepperla, having an energetic crowd, full of youngsters just returning from a day of activities. The Hotel Post is another popular option for nightlife in the town, complete with a fantastic bar in Papa Ceasar. Hexenbar on the main street is another popular post dinner party option.

History of Zermatt

Zermatt has existed as a small village on the Swiss side of the Matterhorn since before the 13th century. Known as Praborno initially, it's name was changed to Zermatt after the German speaking populations took over the village. Zermatt had largely been a rural agricultural village at the foot of the mountain. The tourism in the city was slowly on the rise with the opening of the first hotel in Zermatt, Hotel Cervin. Alexander Seiler became the owner of the Cervin and renamed it to Hotel Monte Rosa, and acquired more land and built more hotels in a bit to increase the tourism. However, it was made popular in the mid 19th century when the Matterhorn was finally climbed from the Swiss side of the mountain by Edward Whymper, a British explorer, after 8 failed attempts from the Italian side. Tragically, however, while descending, Whymper's crew met with an accident, and 4 of the 7 did not survive, exclduing Whymper. This drew plenty of visitors to the village which from where the great mountain had been conquered, and Seiler's hotels provided the perfect lodgings. This sudden rise in the vllage's popularity made it into the tourist town that it is today.

Language of Zermatt

Zermatt is a Swiss German speaking region of Switzerland. English, Italian and French are also spoken by a sizable population in the city.

Zermatt Customs

Basic Swiss etiquettes apply in Zermatt. Be polite in your conduct, and not unnecessarily loud, it is considered to be very rude by the Swiss. Formal handshakes suffice as form of greeting. Tipping is not considered to be compulsory. Rounding off bills, and leaving change for porters and housekeeps is more than enough. The Swiss ar a proud people and Switzerland as a country is extremely clean, so be wary not to litter as it will be deeply frownded upon.

Religion of Zermatt

Christianity is the largest religion in Zermatt. About 80% of the population in Zermatt is of Roman Catholics.

Daily Budget for Zermatt

Daily budget in Zermatt can vary greatly, depending upon where you eat, how many attractions you visit per day and so on. Some activities like the Glacier paradise are very expensive, while others like the Matterhorn museum are relatively cheap. Depending on these factors, your daily budget in Zermatt can range from CHF 100 - 120 per day for a low budget trip, to more than CHF 200 - 250 for a high budget trip, assuming that you will cover all the top attractions in a few days such as the Gornergrat, Glacier Paradise, and ski resorts and eat at fairly decent restaurants, and engage in the superb nightlife of the town.

Exchanging Money in Zermatt

It is advised that you withdraw your money from the ATM itself. The ATM will give you the best exchange rates, though different banks charge different transaction fees on foreign cards which you should enquire about beforehand. Still, the rates you get from the ATM are usually better than the tourist exchange rates at the money changing booths.

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FAQs on Zermatt

What is the best time to visit Zermatt?

The summer months between June and September, along with those between November and January, are considered peak tourist times in Zermatt. However, during the summer months, the temperatures are warmer, and more importantly, the prices are reltively much lower. The summers offer a good time to roam around the city with temperatures ranging between 12 - 25 degrees celsius. During September especially, conditions are ideal for skiing, hiking, and biking, among other activities, with day time temperatures hovering around 15 degree celsius.
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What are the places near Zermatt?

The top places near to Zermatt are Zurich which is 162 km from Zermatt, Geneva which is located 125 km from Zermatt, Lucerne which is located 122 km from Zermatt, Basel which is located 171 km from Zermatt, Lausanne which is located 102 km from Zermatt

What are the things to do in Zermatt?

The top things to do in Zermatt are Gornergrat, 5 - Seenwag, Skiing in Zermatt, Matterhorn Museum, Mountaineer's Cemetery, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. You can see all the places to visit in Zermatt here

What are the top hotels in Zermatt?

There are 558 in Zermatt which can be booked through Holidify. The most popular hotels in Zermatt are Chalet Hinter Dem Rot Stei, Chalet Samson, Haus Narnia, Apartment Imperial.1, Apartment Zur Matte B.1, Apartment Lauber, Haus Wichje A, Zermatt. You can see all the hotels in Zermatt here

What is the best way to reach Zermatt?

To get into Zermatt, the most logical option is that of the train. Zermatt is a no car zone, so you cannot take your car beyond Taesch, which is 7 km out. Zermatt also does not have an airport. So, taking the train is best option, which runs from Brig and goes to Zermatt via Visp.
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What is the local food in Zermatt?

Zermatt has a wide variety of restaurants in the city, and also the mountains nearby where tourists go for various activities. These restaurants fall in all kinds of budget brackets, from cheap, to elaborate. Restaurants such as Schaeferstube, Cervo Puro, the Omnia, Aroleid and many others are popular options.
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Zermatt Travel Packages

Luxury European Holiday Package in Italy, France & Switzerland

5-Day Swiss Alps Tour Package: Interlaken and Zermatt

9-Day Alpine Adventure: Switzerland and Austria

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