Located in the southwestern of Switzerland, Zermatt is the country’s premiere ski resort. The exclusive town is nestled high in the Alps and offers visitors the best winter sports available coupled with old-fashioned glamour and charm. With year-round skiing possible, hundreds of fantastic restaurants and superb scenery, Zermatt is one of the most popular ski resorts in the world.

The spectacular Matterhorn is the country’s most famous landmark and looms over Zermatt dominating the city’s skyline. The impressive mountain peak has attracted mountaineers since 1865 when Englishman Edward Whymper led an expedition in which four of the seven adventurers died on the descent. Nowadays, the Matterhorn is a popular climb for adventurous visitors looking for a challenge.

Snow sports are one of the most popular reasons people visit Zermatt, but there are also a plethora of other activities to enjoy, including ice skating, curling, ice climbing, tennis, squash, indoor golfing, walking, trekking, hang-gliding and more.

Air Zermatt is a fantastic helicopter service that not only shuttles visitors between airports in Zurich, Geneva and Italy but also offers interesting sightseeing tours of the surrounding glaciers and mountain peaks, including the Matterhorn, the Theodul glacier, the Rothon and the Testa Grigia.

There is a wide variety of hotels in Zermatt from camping sites and modest guesthouses to five-star hotel rooms, or private chalets varying in comfort levels. Booking your accommodation in advance is recommended, especially during the peak season between December and May, as the town can fill up quickly leaving little choice of rooms available.

Zermatt is situated approximately 240 km from both Zurich International Airport or Geneva Cointrin International Airport, from where rail connections are available to the ski resort. Alternatively, hiring a car and driving on the scenic mountain roads or taking the Air Zermatt helicopter service is possible. Trains also arrive from Milan in Italy and Paris and Marseille in France.

Being positioned at over 5,000 feet, Zermatt experiences a cold climate year round with substantial snow during the winter months. With the city located south of the mountains, some protection and refuge from the heavy snow and wind is achieved. The total yearly rainfall averages at around 690 mm, with the driest months being between January and March.

The coldest time is from October until April when temperatures can drop as low as -8°C, and this is the busiest time of year for tourists who come to enjoy the snow sports and winter festivities. During these months daily snow is common, especially high in the mountains, which makes for fantastic winter sport conditions. Summertime is between June and August, with maximum temperatures of 23°C. Throughout the year sunny blue skiesare enjoyed, even during the winter months.