If you’re new to wintersports like skiing and snowboarding, then, chances are, you’ll probably go to resorts in France, Austria, or Bulgaria. There, you’ll find a sufficient challenge without emptying your bank account. But as you keep skiing and snowboarding and grow more confident, as well as more interested in the best resorts around the world, you’ll hear the same name time and time again.
Zermatt. This mythical, otherworldly paradise sits atop the Swiss Alps, only accessible by train, and welcomes millions of visitors every year who each want to catch a glimpse of the Matterhorn. But it isn’t a place I would recommend to beginners – and no, not just because of the hefty price tag. The resort isn’t exactly beginner-friendly; it’s packed full of advanced slopes and is susceptible to extreme weather, so I’d recommend becoming confident on red runs before tackling a single blue at Zermatt. If you’re travelling with your kids, then they should be ok, as long as they are at intermediate level or above.
If you’re reading this, then you’re probably keen to visit Zermatt. As someone who’s been there over half a dozen times and stayed there for a season, I believe I’m somewhat qualified to give you the lay of the land. So without any further ado, let’s jump in.
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The Town
The town of Zermatt has its own unique character. The Vispa, a clear blue river, runs through the spine of the town, and on the roads, you won’t find any cars or buses. Instead, Zermatt has long been committed to using only its very own specially manufactured compact electric street cars and buses. Since they’re electric, they can often creep up on you, so always keep an eye out!
When you get off the train, you’ll immediately find yourself face-to-face with Zermatt’s bustling high street, aptly named Bahnhofstrasse. The pedestrianised street is lined with classic wooden chalets that are now home to luxury boutiques, watch shops, and alpine eateries.
Different Ski Areas
Since Zermatt is home to 147 runs, it’ll take some time to take you through them one by one, so instead, I’ve organised the skiing into a few distinct areas of the resort.
Blauherd, Rothorn, and Sunnega
It’s not that difficult; just take the funicular, get a chair lift, and then squeeze inside a cable car to get all the way to the top of Rothorn. On this side of the resort, you’ll have access to a variety of different runs that’ll take you along wide open straights and around tight chicanes through trees. The standouts for me here are on Blauherd: both red 9 and black 8 offer challenging routes down, packed with exciting twists, turns, and steep slopes. If you’re looking for a way to ski all the way down, then reds 1 and 2 are both ski outs that can get you back to the town – just bear in mind that these can get slushy very quickly, so be careful if you’re skiing them late in the afternoon.
Gornergrat, Gifthittli, and Riffelberg
Anyone who’s craving that authentic Swiss rail experience will inevitably find themselves on a train to the Gornergrat. And the good news is that it only gets better. The runs from Gifthittli are endlessly reskiable and have become a favourite of mine – especially during afternoons, when the conditions in areas lower down tend to decline. The outer runs in particular – blue 38 and red 35 – are a lot of fun.
After those runs, it’s all too easy to be swept up in the momentum of the run and continue your descent past Riffelberg and all the way down to Furi.
Furggsattel, Schwarzsee, and Furi
After a marathon 1-hour gondola and a 15-minute gondola, you’ll be rewarded with the breathtaking views and million-mile-an-hour winds of Trockener Steg. Once you’ve skied down the wide-open, highway-style red 72, you can choose from a handful of reds (63-65) to sweep down before taking on the notorious black 62 – one of the best runs in the entire resort. It’s packed with everything, from shoelace-style mountain roads to intense downhill slopes.
Cervinia
If you have a Matterhorn Ski Paradise lift pass, you’ll also have access to the nation of Italy – or, well, a small slice of it at least. Cervinia is full of red runs that, in my opinion, lack the drama of their Swiss counterparts, though they are still good runs in their own right! Either way, Cervinia is definitely worth a day of your trip, especially for the food.
Klein Matterhorn
We all know the Matterhorn, but there aren’t as many of us who know of its little brother, Klein Matterhorn – aptly named, for its size and striking resemblance to one of the most famous mountains in the world. And good news! You can actually catch a cable car that’ll take you all the way to a station built inside the mountain itself. You can ski right from the top of the mountain on either red 85 or blue 86, on a long, marathon-length string of runs that can take you all the way down to Furi.
Gear
If you’re skiing or snowboarding, aside from having your own skis and poles or board, I’d also say that a thick, windproof coat is vital to keep you warm in the cold. A helmet is also essential in this day and age, especially if you want to push yourself safely. Skiing is dangerous; it’s an extreme sport, so it’s no surprise that multiple injury claims are probably filed every month in Zermatt alone.