Zermatt Region

In the Nikolai valley, on the Italian border of the canton of Valais in western Switzerland, lies Zermatt, the car-free village at the foot of the Matterhorn.

For our visitors from abroad, Zermatt is typically Swiss: high up in the Alps, stylish and traditional. Almost a third of all the 4000 m peaks in the Alps are ranged around the village, which has been sought out by climbers from all over the world ever since the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. The village's hotels and restaurants are world-famous.

The skiing area is not only the highest in the Alps, it is regarded as one of the best equipped in the world, allowing visitors to enjoy thrilling sporting adventures in the steepest holiday resort in the world – 365 days a year. The many mountain railways take you to the starting points for countless activities – hiking, year-round skiing and much, much more.

The climate here is remarkably good: with 300 days of sunshine a year, there is less precipitation here than anywhere else in Switzerland. The air in Zermatt is clear, dry and clean, because there are no vehicles with combustion engines in the village, only electric-powered ones – and that has been the case since 1947. Everything is different in Zermatt.