Zermatt Itinerary: 3 Days in the Swiss Alps

The stunning town of Zermatt in the Swiss Alps lies at the foot of the Matterhorn and is a popular tourist destination for hikers and skiers.

3 days are enough to see this beautiful hamlet and experience all its scenic locales.

From Geneva, we took a train to Zermatt. It takes about 3 to 4 hours through the scenic countryside. As I've mentioned in all my Switzerland blogs, trains are a blessing in Switzerland and the most convenient way of travel.

First glimpse of Matterhorn from the balcony of our apartment in Zermatt

Gornergrat Bahn and Matterhorn

We quickly checked into our Airbnb and set out to see the top attraction in Zermatt, the Matterhorn.

A cogwheel train called Gornergrat Bahn starts from Zermatt to Gornergrat train station at the top at an altitude of 3100 meters above sea level.

The views along this journey are breathtakingly beautiful as the train slithers through snow-covered mountain sides.

The sight of the Matterhorn from the train elicits gasps from tourists in awe of the pyramid-shaped peak.

My Tips for your visit to Matterhorn

Like all other attractions in Switzerland, the Gornergrat railway can get very busy, so it's a good idea to have advance bookings, but only after checking the weather forecast for your day of travel.

We had not made any bookings because we had 3 full days in Zermatt and wanted to ensure that the day of our travel was sunny. Luckily for us, the day we arrived was bright and sunny.

A few things to know about the Gornergrat Bahn are...

• If you have the Swiss Travel Pass, you will get a 50% discount on tickets. We had purchased the Swiss Family Card, so our younger son, aged 9, could travel free.

  
  

• The train ride to Gornergrat runs on a schedule every 25 minutes, and it takes about 35 minutes through stunning mountain scenery. Sit on the right side of the train to get the best views.

• The train passes through 4 scenic stations. With a Gornergrat ticket, you can easily get off at any station and then get on to continue your journey.

  
  

• Please check the official website of the Gornergrat Bahn before making bookings to check the latest prices and offers https://www.gornergrat.ch/en/the 

  
  

• A Gornergrat Bahn ticket gives you access to many fun things, like unlimited rides on the Gornergrat Bahn, unlimited rides on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, admission to the Klein Matterhorn Glacier Palace, among others.

  A Gornergrat ticket will also give you free access to the E-Bus service within the town of Zermatt.

  
  

• Remember to carry your sunglasses; the glare from the sun's rays falling on pristine white snow has a blinding effect on the eyes.

Sunnegga Paradise

On Day 2, we went to Sunnegga, also called the 'Sunny Side of Zermatt', an open terrace offering splendid views of the Matterhorn.

Sunnegga Paradise is a ski area and part of the Zermatt Ski Resort.

A funicular runs from the Zermatt station called Sunnegga Blauherd Rothorn Funicular, and in just about 5 minutes, you reach Sunnegga. If you have the Swiss Travel Pass, then you get a 50% discount on this funicular.

One can go further to Blauherd with a gondola from here and even higher to Rothorn with a cable car. There are hiking trails all around.

My Tips for Sunnegga Paradise

If you are travelling as a family with kids, then Sunnegga is a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon in the scenic background of the Matterhorn.

There are loads of fun activities for kids like kick biking, a play area and wooden rafting on Leisee Lake Adventure Playground.

One can easily spend about 2 to 3 hours here. You can walk back to Zermatt, it's downhill and takes about an hour. We took the funicular on the way back, too, since our kids were too tired to walk back. You could also hire a mountain bike on your way down from Sunnegga.

Zermatt Town

On day 3 in Zermatt, we decided to see this idyllic town on foot. Walking around Zermatt is an absolute pleasure since it is a car-free zone.

One can also use horse carts serving as taxis to move around.

The entire town is located around 'Bahnhofstrasse', a pedestrian main road bustling with shops and restaurants.

The typical Swiss wooden chalets with large wooden windows lend an old-world charm to this hamlet.

We spent the day strolling through the village to see traditional barns and later explored the Matterhorn Museum. Entry to the museum is included in the Swiss Travel Pass.

Zermatt was the starting point of our 15-day trip to Switzerland after 2 days in Geneva, so we kept it relaxed so as not to tire out our kids for the many adventure-filled days ahead.

Our next destination was Lucerne. We spent 8 days here and made 6 daytrips to many beautiful mountain peaks.