RTW 2013 | Zermatt

the zermatt mascot

Zermatt is a small ski and mountaineering town hidden in the Alps at the foot of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, the most famous being the Matterhorn. This town is entirely car free, and the only vehicles on the road are electric vehicles that resemble sturdier custodian carts with roofs. It seems that the entire town is geared toward tourists, whether they’re there to hike or ski.

The town is quaint, and has a more rustic feel than the ritzy St. Moritz that I just left earlier that day. Nevertheless, the street was lined with fancy boutiques, as most people walking around were tourists. The town also has a local train, the Gornergrat Bahn, that goes to the nearby Gornergrat peak, which has a hotel and is an excellent place to see the Matterhorn.

first sighting of the matterhorn - late afternoon

Since I arrived in the afternoon, I explored Zermatt a bit, had a tasty meal of local lamb and potatoes au gratin before settling in and preparing for the next morning, where I would head up to Gornergrat for a view of the Matterhorn in the early morning. I ended up going to sleep early, and woke up just in time to catch the 8am train up. There were only a few people on the train, and it chugged along, ascending the mountain at a brisk pace. Since Gornergrat was a bit away from Zermatt, it also allowed you to see the Matterhorn from a different angle, which was pretty cool.

At the top, the hotel allowed you to use their facilities such as observation deck and so forth, and I was able to snap some good shots of the Matterhorn from their deck. I also enjoyed a tasty cappuccino from while staring at the peak in utter amazement.

The way down was also interesting, as the peak is now covered in sunlight, and every glace at the Matterhorn seemed a bit different. By the time I got back down, it was time to pack and catch the train to Montreux.