Following a recent work trip to Barcelona, Spain, my coworker and I headed off for a few days of skiing in the Swiss Alps.

View of the Swiss Alps from the top of Zermatt

Getting There

Train travel in Europe is so easy and Switzerland doesn’t disappoint. From our flight to Geneva, we boarded a train in the airport that took us straight to Zermatt (well with a transfer in Visp). The total train journey is about 4 hours from Geneva Airport and about 3.5 hours if you fly into Zurich. There are no cars allowed in Zermatt, but the town is small enough to walk through. The train empties right in the center of town so you can easily walk to your hotel. Or, if you have a lot of luggage, most hotels will pick you up via shuttle or horse-drawn carriage.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Alpenhotel Fleurs de Zermatt, a beautiful hotel very conveniently located to the center of town. The rooms at this boutique hotel were extremely clean and comfortable, with every amenity you could want. Including a private balcony, robes and slippers, rain shower and tub. The staff at the hotel was also incredibly helpful with suggesting ski rental places and making restaurant reservations for us. And last but not least, they have a fabulous spa complete with indoor/outdoor pool, steam room, and sauna which is excellent after a long day of skiing (Side note: definitely try the warm vegetable bullion in the spa – it’s amazing).

Skiing in Zermatt

Skiing

Zermatt is a big mountain with amazing views of the Mattherhorn. Different from the US, the trails are numbered rather than named, and range from blue to red to black, in terms of difficulty (rather than green to blue to black in North America). The first day, we took gondolas (and a funicular) up to the tippy top of the mountain (over 12,000 feet). We then skied down 12.4 miles into Valtournenche, Italy on the 2nd longest ski run in the world, breaking for a delicious lunch of pasta and wine at Foyer des Guides. The second day, we stopped for cheese fondue and gluhwein at Iglu-dorf, a literal igloo village in the middle of the mountain complete with live music.

Where to Eat

• Unique Hotel Post – An eclectic spot with casual bar fare or fine Italian dining. Also has several bars and rooms for live music and dancing.
• Molino – Slightly upscale Italian if you’re in the mood for artisanal pizzas.
• Chez Gaby – Traditional swiss fare with a focus on grilled meats – absolutely delicious. And don’t miss the chocolate fondue.
• Laderach – Don’t miss this delicious chocolate shop on the main street – Bahnhofplatz. A great place to buy some edible souvenirs.

The Matterhorn