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Slow Lane Magazine, May 2019
Insights and stories from across Europe and beyond
  • favourite (but oft-forgotten) festivals
  • Nepal's secret valley
  • boutique beauty in Drôme Provençale
  • carving out a future in southern Italy
  • Inntravellers' Tales – our new writing competition
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Zermatt & the Mighty Matterhorn

In the shadow of 4,000-metre peaks
 
Explore the beautiful landscapes that lie beneath the iconic Matterhorn on this self-guided, single-centre walking holiday. Staying in the traffic-free village of Zermatt, in an elegant and traditional hotel, you have access to a wide range of walks as well as a useful network of mountain lifts.
Zermatt & the Mighty Matterhorn. 3 nights
Zermatt & the Mighty Matterhorn. 3 nights
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday in Zermatt

Situated in the south of Switzerland, close to the Italian border, the name Zermatt is synonymous with the Matterhorn. Walkers and mountaineers have long been drawn to the village, eager to tackle the mountains which surround it and whilst our chosen routes are a little less extreme, they will give you memorable views in all directions. This is perfect walking country, where waymarked paths lead past lakes, across meadows and into rockier landscapes high above.
Zermatt is one of the iconic Alpine villages and is delightfully traffic-free. The railway line reaches the heart of the village, from where villagers and tourists travel about by electric vehicles and horse-drawn carriages, preserving the peace and clarity of the mountain air. Upwards from the village is an extensive network of mountain transport; the famous Gornergrat cog railway takes you to 3,089 metres for a superb panorama of 29 peaks over 4,000 metres including the mighty Matterhorn whilst the various cable cars which operate during the summer months give access to some fantastic high-altitude walking routes. Away from the hiking trails there is also a vast range of indoor and outdoor activities or you may prefer to stroll around the peaceful village centre, where the Matterhorn Museum gives an interesting insight into the infamous mountaineering history of the village and surrounding peaks.
 
Gallery
 

Walking & more

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    The best time for flowers is late June and early July.
     
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 1 2 5 9 14 17 20 19 15 11 5 1
    mm 131 117 125 135 150 168 151 173 140 129 143 133
  • An introduction
    With over 400 kilometres of waymarked paths around Zermatt, there is walking suitable for all levels. The network of cable cars (pay locally) gives access to some of the higher level trails and can help to shorten some of our routes should you wish.
  • 7.5km to 22km

    Riffelalp, Blauherd & the lakes (Grade 2: 16.5km, 5hrs; 575m ascent/1150m descent)
    After a ride on the iconic Gornergrat cog railway up to Riffelalp, you explore the lakes to the east of Zermatt below the Findel glacier. Be sure to bring your camera; on a clear day the pyramidal form of the Matterhorn is perfectly reflected in the glassy waters of Stellisee. The descent back to town takes you through ancient hamlets and forest, and passes some of the region's finest mountain restaurants. There is the option of taking the lift from Sunnegga to reduce the descent.

    The Matterhorn Glacier Trail (Grade 2: 17.5km, 5hrs; 370m ascent/1700m descent)
    At nearly 3,000 metres, the Trockener Steg lift station to the south of Zermatt is the starting point of the Matterhorn glacier trail, which takes its name from the glaciers which sweep down from the Italian border. Following this, you head through the rocky moonscape beneath the Matterhorn's impressive east face (passing close enough to the mountain to see climbers coming down from the summit) before descending to Schwarzsee ('Black Lake'). You could descend from here by gondola, but to do so would be to miss out on the beautiful larch forest and hamlets of the lower slopes.

    Höhbalmen & Zmutt (Grade 3: 22km, 7hrs; 1300m ascent/descent)
    This rewarding walk climbs north-west of Zermatt – away from the pistes – and follows a high, remote trail with exceptional views of the north face of the Matterhorn. It descends back to Zermatt along the Zmutt River, passing through ancient hamlets. This is a long day, with no option of using lifts to reduce the ascent or descent, but there is an excellent mountain restaurant along the way where you can refuel.

    Blatten circuit (Grade 1: 7.5km/2hrs; 280m ascent/descent)
    This low-level, circular walk from the south end of Zermatt up to the traditional hamlet of Blatten (complete with a highly rated restaurant) is perfect for a relaxed day or in low cloud. Discover historic buildings amid lush pastures, with the option of a short detour into the Gorner Gorge.
    Blatten circuit
    Lakes walk
 

Accommodation

Your accommodation for this break is an elegant and charming hotel situated a few minutes' walk from centre of Zermatt.
Hotel la Ginabelle

Bedrooms

 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

Please enter an amount Please enter a valid amount British Pound Sterling (GBP)
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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 3 nights: 01 June - 13 October 2019

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 June - 10 October £580 £80
    3rd & 4th person discount £0
    Single traveller supplement £0

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: return rail/bus from any Swiss airport. A Swiss Half-Fare Card is also included providing you with half price tickets for trains, bus and boat journeys and up to 50% reduction on private railways and cable cars.

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel la Ginabelle
    'Comfort' with Matterhorn view: 01 Jun - 13 Oct 2019 £14
    Superior with Matterhorn view: 01 Jun - 13 Oct 2019 £22

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Hotel la Ginabelle (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Jun - 13 Oct 2019 £120 £144
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Zürich, Geneva, Bäsel

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Zürich or Geneva. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Zurich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Aberdeen - Zurich (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Zurich Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Bournemouth - Geneva easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Basel easyJet 
    Bristol - Geneva easyJet 
    Bristol - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Basel easyJet 
    Edinburgh - Geneva easyJet 
    Edinburgh - Zurich Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Geneva easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Geneva easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Geneva British Airways,  Swiss 
    London City - Zurich British Airways,  Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Basel easyJet 
    Gatwick - Geneva British Airways,  easyJet,  Swiss 
    Gatwick - Zurich easyJet,  Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Basel British Airways 
    Heathrow - Geneva British Airways,  Swiss 
    Heathrow - Zurich British Airways,  Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Basel easyJet 
    Luton - Geneva easyJet 
    Luton - Zurich easyJet,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Basel easyJet 
    Manchester - Geneva easyJet 
    Manchester - Zurich Swiss 
    Manchester - Zurich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Zurich (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Geneva easyJet 
    Newcastle - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Zurich (via Paris CDG) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Zürich or Geneva. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you. We charge £30 per person for our flight booking service (£50 for India and Nepal). Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Zürich

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Zürich airport to Zermatt (3h40), hotel transfer from station (0h02) included 1400
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    hotel transfer to station (0h02), rail Zermatt to Zürich airport (3h40) included 1400

    Connecting travel options - flying via Geneva

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Geneva airport to Zermatt (3h55), hotel transfer from station (0h02) included 1430
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    hotel transfer to station (0h02), rail Zermatt to Geneva airport (3h55) included 1330

    Connecting travel options - flying via Basel

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    coach Basel airport to Basel SBB (0h20), rail Basel SBB to Zermatt (3h20), hotel transfer from station (0h02) included 1330
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    hotel transfer to station (0h02), rail Zermatt to Basel SBB (3h20), coach Basel SBB to Basel airport (0h20) included 1430
What is included
  • 3 nights
  • 1 dinner
    3 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • return rail travel from any Swiss airport
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 7 reviews
  • Mrs M Meiklejohn
    Edinburgh
    16 June 2019

    This was our first visit to Zermatt which genuinely does sit in the shadow of the Matterhorn. The mountain is mesmerising from valley level, and still impressive when seen amongst its peers from the vantage points of Gornergrat and the Klein Matterhorn.

    The Gornergrat railway was wonderful. We travelled to the top for spectacular views before descending to Riffelalp to start the Lakes walk. 

    We really enjoyed our meal at 1818 restaurant. Please note that it too is closed on Mondays although your notes do not say so [now updated]

  • Mr P Gibbins
    Plymouth
    16 June 2019

    Def recommend this location for a short walking break! Plenty of routes and options to shorten distance if needed. This was our second visit to Switzerland, so familiar with the efficient sign posting and estimated times to complete the stated distance. Zermatt is very picturesque, but busy with many visitors. It's also expensive, so plan for a little extra on expenses for Coffee and Lunches! A visit to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is a must, get on the first lift up to avoid the queues; a very pleasant way to spend a morning.

  • Miss L Osterkloft
    Malta
    06 September 2018

    The hotel was in a very central location and the amenities were great, especially the pool area. It was a great place to relax after spending the day in the mountians. The hiking routes were absolutely stunning, great views and well waymarked. I only used the route walking notes and the waymarked signs, there was not really a need for navigating using the map. For me the biggest highlight was the glacier trail beneath the Matterhorn. Walking so close to the mighty mountain really took my breath away. 

  • Anon
    02 September 2018

    The chosen walks were fantastic as were the suggested alternatives. Suggestions for places to eat were all great. We were particularly impressed with with the information provided. 

  • Ms L Tilson
    USA
    01 September 2018

    The Hohblamen - Zermatt walk (21.8km) was the absolute highlight of the trip.  It was amazing.  It was long, and tough in parts, but totally worth it.  The other walks were nice, but this one was amazing.  I wish the walk notes had been a bit more detailed in spots, as we got lost and backtracked quite a few times on the Lakes walk.  But overall we had a great time and Switzerland is beyond beautiful.  I highly recommend this vacation.

  • Lynne H.
    01 July 2018

    Excellent holiday and options. Appreciate the pools and spas at hotels - even got used to “naked spas” which fortunately were not crowded!

    In Zermatt The Bubble was rather expensive for what you got ( essentially hamburger meals). 

  • Anon
    08 June 2018

    We had a fantastic mini break, Zermatt is beautiful, and the mountains are awesome, particularly the Matterhorn of course. There are a wide range of walks and other experiences and the scenery is breath-taking. The hotel and staff were superb, the spa is essential after a long day walking.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • We can book a wide range of airlines and routes from the UK. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. For Europe and Morocco, there’s a £30 booking fee per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). For India and Nepal, the booking fee is £50 per person. More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to buy our policy (if you live outside Europe you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK and EU residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Switzerland, but not a visa (if you are travelling after 31 October 2019, see the Brexit question below for more information). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found through the following NHS link: www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/ You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). UK citizens should also obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) by applying at a Post Office or at www.ehic.org.uk. The EHIC allows reciprocal health care but should not be seen as a substitute for travel insurance. EHICs may cease to be valid in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
  • The official languages are German, spoken in the majority of the country; French, spoken in the south-west; Italian, spoken in the south-east; and Romansch, mostly limited to the Engadine valley. The currency is the Franc. Swiss time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • Even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it’s been confirmed that flights will continue as normal and that you won’t need a visa to go on holiday (the limit on stays is 90 days). What you will need if there’s no deal is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival (extra months added because you renewed your passport early do not count) and adequate travel insurance to cover you for accidents and illness in case reciprocal health deals are suspended. If you are driving while on holiday, you will probably need an International Driving Permit (plus a Green Card if you are taking your own car to Europe). More information >
  • The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 7/19/2019 4:23:52 AM