Zermatt, Switzerland
Welcome to Zermatt, Switzerland.
Ronnie and I traveled to Zermatt in the summer of 2022 and stayed at the Cervo Mountain Resort, with stunning views of the Matterhorn.
While we were enjoying a rooftop meal at the hotel and sipping Aperol Spritzs’, Ronnie looked at me and said, “This is my favorite place I’ve ever been in the world.” Following up on what he’d meant, he shared that both the city of Zermatt and the hotel we were staying in were both the best he’d ever experienced.
Now, Ronnie and I are avid travelers, adventure-seekers, and the kind of nerdy couple with both a map of the world and a map of the United States filled with pushpins, so it goes without saying: we are well-traveled. To hear this filled my heart with joy, as I take much pride in researching and picking the best spots to eat, stay, workout, and play around the world.
So, if you are planning a trip to Switzerland, and more specifically, intend on going to Zermatt, here you’ll find the highlights from our trip. Happy travels, friends!
Getting to Zermatt
Ronnie and I always prefer to travel by car when we can. We love the flexibility of being able to change our plans or direction at the drop of a hat, pull over if we see something interesting at the side of the road, play our music absurdly loud when a banger comes on, among other things.
When preparing for our trip to Switzerland, we knew we’d be flying into Zurich, so I reached out to a friend who’d been multiple times, to let her know that we’d planned to rent a car and travel south to Zermatt and then further south to the Swiss-Italian border. She strongly advised against doing so, informing us that Zermatt doesn’t allow auto traffic. I’m glad I reached out prior to our travel, because her advice actually changed our trip plans quite a bit - although that is a story for a different time.
So we traveled by train, and it was fabulous. Here’s what you need to know:
If you fly into Zurich, you can easily take the train from Zurich Airport to Zurich’s main downtown train station, it’s easy to navigate, quite clean, and most locals speak English and are willing to help.
When you arrive at Zurich train station, there is a tourist area where government employees are on staff to help you plan all of your train travel around the country. Like the DMV, but far better, you take a number based on the language you speak, wait to be called to the counter that speaks your language, lettig the helpful employee know where you’d like to go, when you’d like to go, how fancy you want to travel (the trains have first class cars which rock!) and he/she/they will help you organize your entire itinerary.
We traveled both south — to Zermatt, and north — to Germany, thanks to our helpful travel planner.
The train from Zurich to Zermatt leaves many times each day, although I’d recommend taking the early train — we left around 9AM local time — as it allows for any delays to not affect your time in Zermatt. That said, the Swiss are notorious for keeping an exact schedule, so if your train is taking off at 9AM, be on that train by no later than 8:58AM — not kidding.
Eat
Our most notable meals while staying in Zermatt, were indeed ALSO at the Cervo — despite our best attempts to explore, try other restaurants and eat like locals, the Cervo just topped the charts.
For breakfast: The Bazaar at the Cervo had the most fabulous breakfast, with endless cheeses and spreads, fresh bread and juice, plus a stunning Moroccan ambiance.
For an afternoon snack while exploring: Head to Stefanie’s Creperie. Enter down a set of about three stairs off the main walkway in Zermatt not too far from the Moncler store, or better yet, knock on the window and wait to be greeted by Stefanie herself. She serves up sweet and savory crepes, made while you perch on the sidewalk nearby. You’ll spend about $7 USD per crepe, but your belly will be full enough for whatever adventures lie ahead.
For dinner: Head back to Hotel Cervo for your reservation at Madre Nostra where you can enjoy sunset views and homemade deliciousness. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but the gnocchi di ricotta was a stand out for us!
Stay
Whenever we travel, we try to seek out the most unique stays available, even if just for a night. We stayed at the Cervo Mountain Resort and it was the best decision we could have possibly made!
Upon arrival, we were picked up at the train station by the most adorable electric car and driver, who eagerly helped us with our luggage and took us up the mountain the resort.
At check-in, we were offered both Champagne and ice water, which were much appreciated after a few hours of travel. We were escorted to our room, which was in one of the many buildings that make up the resort. Our room had a fabulous view of the Matterhorn and was stocked with everything from a housemade nut mix to wine, beer, and fabulous, complimentary, toiletry products.
The bed was cozy, the linens were spectacular and there were plenty of blankets lying around the room to grab when we went out on our patio to enjoy the sounds of nature and the unobstructed view of the magnificent Matterhorn.
The Resort also has multiple restaurants on site (see above), a spa, workout facilities, everything you need to prepare and decompress if you are traveling in the winter for Ski/Snowboard adventures and so much more.
The staff is wonderful and all of them speak English.
The cherry on top? There is an elevator that takes you up and down through the mountain dropping you off right in downtown / the busiest pedestrian area of Zermatt. It doesn’t get better than this!
Workout
There’s no need to book a workout while you are in Zermatt, no matter the season. The natural incline of the terrain will give your booty all that it needs.
If you are looking for some fun in the sun during summer, take the funicular at the bottom of the Cervo Resort Mountain Elevator up the mountain. Here you will find endless hiking trails, mountain biking trails, and a few restaurants and bars in case you get hungry. The same is true if you go during the winter, but you’ll trade hiking and biking for skiing, snowboarding, and other cold-weather outdoor adventures.
Play
There is so much to do in this relatively small mountain town, that said, here are a few ideas for your travels.
Explore downtown on foot! Again, there is no auto traffic in Zermatt, so you should come prepared for lots of walking. While there are inclines and declines, for the most part it’s an easy walk around the pedestrian areas - there are lots of shops to explore, everything from pricey luxury retailers like Moncler, to inexpensive souvenier stores to grab a mug that says “The Matterhorn!” for one of your people back home, if that’s your think. There are also tons of outdoor stores with inventory including Patagonia, North Face, Cotopaxi and more!
Spend a day at the Cervo Spa! Upon check-in (or prior to your travels), book your time at the Spa at the Cervo. It’s relatively small, but worth every minute. Services include standard American spa treatments, but you don’t have to get a treatment to enjoy — the spa includes a warm, outdoor pool, multiple yurts and a relaxation area that you will literally write home about.
Go up the mountain! As explained above, there are lots of outdoor adventures to be had if you are the type to travel with your hiking shoes or skis. That said, even if you are just looking for a fabulous spot to enjoy an Aperol Spritz in Zermatt, it’s worth going up the mountain to the bar at the top of the Funicular.
Safe Travels
I hope that this itinerary helps you plan your travel to Zermatt. We truly enjoyed every last minute of our time there and are eager to return during the winter months to enjoy the mountains on skis. Take care and let me know what you think!
