Zermatt

Language

The official language spoken in Zermatt is Swiss-German (German with a very strong dialect). English is widely spoken by most people.

Currency

The currency used in Zermatt is Swiss francs.

Best travel time

Zermatt has four very distinctive seasons, the summers are warm and winters cold. During the winter there is a lot of snowfall making Zermatt an extremely good winter destination. Throughout the year there is frequent sunshine.

Visa requirements

Entering Switzerland you do not need a visa, you will only need a valid passport.

Vaccinations

Other than the standard vaccinations you do not need any other vaccinations.

Traditions and Culture

Zermatt is well known for being a skiing and mountaineering area as it is surrounded by a range of different mountains including the famous Matterhorn. Zermatt is known for being an extremely peaceful area, with very friendly and helpful locals. Zermatt was predominantly an agricultural community until the mid-19th century before it became the famous ski resort it is today. It is tradition during August for all the locals to participate in a large folklore through the village which is called the Folklore Festival.

By bus

Zermatt is a town which is a combustion-engine car-free zone in order to prevent air pollution from obscuring the town’s view of the Matterhorn. Therefore all vehicles in Zermatt are battery driven. Switzerland has an extremely good train service therefore getting around with the train is very convenient. Within Zermatt there is an electric shuttle service provided by hotels which picks visitors up at the Zermatt train station. In Zermatt there are electro buses which rotate around the town and around the skiing areas.

By plane

When going to Zermatt it is recommended to fly to either Basel airport or Geneva airport. Both airports have international flights flying in and out on a daily basis and both also lie 3 hours away from Zermatt. At the airports you will have the option to rent a car at variety of different car rental companies; these should however be booked in advance.

By taxi

Taxis in Zermatt are also electro taxis and can be found at taxi stands or be ordered by the hotel or by calling the central taxi service.

Experience and enjoy

Events/ Lifestyle Due to Zermatt’s unique culture there are many different events occurring throughout the year which also give an insight of the lifestyle lead by the local inhabitants. Amongst these events some are: - Raiffeisen Open Zermatt which is the International tennis championships - Bump Bash Classic - Matterhorn Eagle Cup - Folklore Festival

Sights

There are many things to see and do when visiting Zermatt. It is one of the most famous skiing resorts in Switzerland and enables one to experience a unique culture. When in Zermatt it is highly recommended to go to the top of the Matterhorn as the view on the mountain peak is spectacular. Other sights to see include the Gornergrat, Matterhorn Museum, Glacier Paradise (Klein Matterhorn), Gorner gorge and Village of Findeln.

Food

In Zermatt the local food is typical Swiss food which includes specialties such as “Rösti”, “cheese Fondue”, “gratin”, “Raclette” and a dish with a variety of different cheese sorts.