Go to the Home page

About Zermatt | Winter | Summer | Accommodation | Getting There
Help me plan a vacation from the USA /Canada  |  What's New


  
  
Related pages:

   The Walking Guide
   Walking Guide Map

   Map of the surrounding
       mountains

Photos from this walk:

The main train station of Zermatt - 157 KB

Jewellers on the Bahnhofstrasse - 80 KB

Al fresco dining on the main street - 77 KB

The Bahnhofstrasse in the evening (summer) - 96 KB

A snowy Bahnhofstrasse

Evening falls over the colourful main street of Zermatt

The main street from the church - 162 KB

Spring (april) in 'Old Zermatt'

A typical classic view from Zermatt (summer) - 123 KB

The center of town

Flags by the church - 91 KB

Morning by the river in Zermatt - 94 KB

Edelweiss restaurant - 1000 feet above Zermatt - 121 KB

An old alley in Zermatt - 166 KB

Matterhorn from Zermatt - 73 KB

 

 

ski-zermatt.com

 

 

   

The Walking Guide
Around Zermatt

Description: This short walk gives a solid introduction to the main features and attractions of the village of Zermatt. Discover the best sports shops, supermarkets, bars, nightclubs and viewpoints in one pleasant stroll. This walk offers plenty of postcard quality vistas to the Matterhorn on a fine day.
Time required
: About 20 minutes total  (All pretty much flat)
Difficulty: *  Gentle            Popularity: ***** Very Popular
Begins at:
Zermatt railway station (1605m altitude)                Ends at: Bahnhofstrasse (1607m)                Goes via: Church square (1620m), Steinmatte 

Track Notes: 
This is a nice walk day or night. Walk open all year.
Although Zermatt is surrounded by mountains, the only 4000m peak visible from most of the village is the Matterhorn itself, sitting spectacularly at the head of the valley.
Variants:
Be sure to have a look at old Zermatt. Explore any little cobbled alley which captures your attention.

The walk begins and ends at the main train station of Zermatt (known as 'Bahnhof' in German). 

There are horses and sleighs, electric taxis, and most of the year this square is a hive of activity. On the square itself is the Tourist Office, which is useful for posters and free maps of the village. Nearby the Tourist Office is Fotofast - a good photo shop. Just across the main street from the railway station restaurant is the valley station of the Gornergrat mountain railway (in German 'Gornergratbahn'). It is certainly worth a visit to Gornergrat while in Zermatt. Also across the main street is the 'Viktoria CO-OP' center, which features one of Zermatt's biggest and best supermarkets - the 'CO-OP'.

The main street of Zermatt is known to locals as the Bahnhofstrasse. It runs from the railway station 500 metres south to the main church square of Zermatt. 

So walk south up the very gentle incline of the main street, past banks, bakeries, jewellers, and sport shops. A rather inconspicuous McDonalds is on the right, not far from the station. Continue straight on through a three way intersection to the Pollux hotel. Downstairs below the Pollux lies the T-bar nightclub. Walk past the attractive old Walliserhof and Walliserkanne restaurants on your right.

Immediately after the Walliserkanne, on the left is the very popular WEGA souvenir shop, which features an excellent bookshop downstairs. Opposite the WEGA is the post office centre. The post office itself is back a block from the main street. Look for the yellow "Die Post" signs.

Moving back up the main street, a few metres further on is the new Snow and Alpine Center. Visit there for mountain guides, and bookings of ski lessons. It is possible to buy multi day lift/ski passes at the center, although you can also get these at any of the lift stations themselves.

Just behind the Snow and Alpine Center is Zermatt's museum - an interesting collection of Zermatt and Matterhorn memorabilia. 

Opposite the Snow and Alpine Center is the famous Hotel Mont Cervin.  Continuing on a few yards beyond the Snow and Alpine Center is a delightful little creperie, low on the right. 

Walk through a small twist in the road, and on to the Hotel Post complex on the left , and opposite on the right - Grampi's Pub (photo). The Hotel Post is one of Zermatt's most famous establishments offering a multitude of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and now internet access in the street side Brown Cow bar. Grampis is a very popular pub and nightclub for young people. 

Continue up the main street to the historic Hotel Monte Rosa, where the first climbers of the Matterhorn stayed. Opposite the Monte Rosa are the luxurious grounds of the Hotel Zermatterhof. Just beyond the Hotel Monte Rosa is the local library (in German 'Gemeinde Bibliothek'), situated in a charming old building. It features an excellent range of books on the Alps, including a small English section.

Walking along a few more metres one comes to the main church and square of Zermatt, surrounded by some of Zermatt's oldest wooden buildings. The cobbled main square is focal point for local events and is a good place to sit down and watch the world go by - and gaze at the beauty of the Matterhorn (photo). Across the main square is the large Gemeindehaus - or local council building.  Walk past the council building to the Weisshorn restaurant/cafe/hotel and the Cafe du Pont (photo left). These are two of the cheapest restaurants in Zermatt, in very pleasant locations by the gushing waters of the Triftbach (Trift brook). Just by the Triftbach itself are public telephones and toilets.

If one was to continue walking south past the Cafe du Pont towards the Matterhorn, the 'main street' narrows and climbs a small hill, before descending to meet the river, near the Matterhorn lifts.

But at the Cafe du Pont, turn around to look back towards the church square, Zermatt's third largest supermarket is on your right, marked with the sign "Lebensmittel, Frischprodukte". Walk back to the church square, and turn right down the 'Kirchstrasse' (church street), by the Marmot statue/fountain. Walk downhill past the steeple end of the church (photo left) where there is also a nice little park with benches for relaxing. 

Continue downhill over the Triftbach which has run behind the church, to the climber's graveyard on your left, and opposite it - the trendy 'Pipe' bar, which also has public internet access. Just beyond this is ROC Sport on the right. Nb. 10% discount at Roc Sport  Walk on to the bridge over Zermatt's river (the 'Mattervispa'), where there is a fine view to the Matterhorn (photo left). 

Continue on past the 'Old Zermatt' bar and grill, past Slalom Sport to a busy four way intersection. The 'Papperla Pub' is a feature on one corner - it is one of Zermatt's top après ski pubs. The intersection is an important one on this east side of the river. A signpost points to a multitude of destinations. The area surrounding the intersection is known as 'Steinmatte'. 

One of Zermatt's best (and most down to earth) bars serves the tastiest pizza in town. The 'North Wall Bar' is well known to Zermatt regulars and is very popular with English speakers. It is a friendly place, and a good place to meet prospective skiing or climbing partners. Open every evening from about 6.30pm to midnight (in main winter & summer seasons), you can find it by turning right (south) at the Papperla intersection and walking a hundred metres or so.

Back at the four way intersection, continue the Zermatt circuit by walking around the Papperla Pub - heading north and keeping the pub on your left. Pass the Hotel Astoria and walk down this quieter street. Walk by a couple of less glamorous ski and sport shops, and past some gardens. Over the gardens to your left you get a fine view up towards the restaurant Edelweiss - perched on its cliffs a thousand feet above Zermatt (photo). Higher up and behind the Edelweiss and the narrow Trift valley is a fine view to the peak of the Wellenkuppe (3903m).

Continue downhill past the charming old chalets Franzen and Maria until the road turns left and downhill to a busy intersection by the river. On the right corner is the Hotel Parnass, on the other is the 'Biner' bakery and tea rooms. Walk over the bridge to stand between the restaurant Le Mazot and Hotel Excelsior. Walk uphill on the main road between them and on until passing the fine old Chalet Adler on the right. In clear weather, from here one can look high up to the right to the rocky rounded summit of the Unter Rothorn (3100m). Unter Rothorn is the high point of one of Zermatt's winter ski areas, and also the starting point for one of our hikes.

Continue uphill past the 'PAM Super Discount' supermarket and walk straight on to the big orange 'M's of Migros. Along with the Co-Op by the station, Migros is the largest and cheapest supermarket in Zermatt (and Switzerland for that matter). Migros also features a surprisingly well-stocked department store downstairs. 

Just beyond Migros on the right are the stadium tennis courts (summer)/ice skating rink (winter). Opposite the courts is the very fashionable cinema and bar 'Vernissage'. The Vernissage was very creatively designed and decorated by a local artist, and I recommend catching a movie there for another unique Zermatt experience. Next to the Vernissage is one of Zermatt's best sport shops: Julen Sport & Mode (fashion) Nb. 10% discount at Julen Sport.

Continue on past 'Zap Books and Stationary' back to the intersection with the main street or Bahnhofstrasse. The Hornli Tea Rooms are straight ahead. The Pollux and Walliserkanne are to your left.  To your right is McDonalds and just beyond McDonalds is the railway station where we started. 

That's it!  You now know the main shopping and nightlife areas of Zermatt.

[ top of page ]