So tell me about it...
Zermatt, with its wind-protected southern location, embraces three skiing areas which enjoy superb snow conditions and the longest skiing season in the Alps. The 313 km of ski runs include slopes ranging from the simplest to the most challenging. Easy access is provided by an extensive network of 58 transport facilities, with high-capacity cableways, mountain railways and ski-lifts (incl. Cervinia, Italy) capable of conveying up to 89776 passengers an hour.
With great views of the ever-dominant, the most beautiful mountain in the world, the Matterhorn, you can ski at the Rothorn paradise (3103m), the Gornergrat (3089m), or up on the glacier area which is the Klein Matterhorn (3883m). Snow covered trails from November until April ensure that you will enjoy great skiing and long, long runs back to Zermatt - the longest being from Klein Matterhorn at 14 kilometres with a vertical drop of 2.200 metres!
If you're looking for off-piste skiing you'll find lots of it here as well. There are plenty of large and rarely skied areas with blankets of white powder gold awaiting your challenge, but please be advised to ski off-piste only with a local ski guide - skiing in an avalanche is not a lot of fun!
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Entertainment
Zermatt is one of the world's best choices for après skiers, the party hardly stops between the lifts closing and opening again the next morning. In fact you can stagger straight from one of the late night spots to make a special trip up the mountain to see the sun rise on the Matterhorn. There are more than 40 bars to choose from, including no fewer than five in the lively and central Hotel Post.
Gourmet & nightlife
Most of the restaurants in the villages are located on the main street, which is called the Bahnhofstrasse. And almost every hotel has a restaurant that is open to the public. All year round, Zermatt offers great dining for all ranges of taste and budget. For top-quality, high-price dining, restaurants like Enzo and Le Mazot offer the whole package with a great atmosphere, unique décor, and good food.
If you are looking for good-value, Café du Pont has great pasta, rösti, and fondue.For local specialties and live Swiss music, try the Whymperstube or the Schwyzer Stübli. Try Chi-Ba-Bou located in the Hotel Ambassador for a restaurant with a good reputation for fondue.
Extras
For those who enjoy activities outside the town has six indoor swimming pools at various hotels, most can be used by non-guests for a small fee. There are also 17 saunas, a salt-water swimming pool, two ice skating rinks curling rinks, ice hockey, ice climbing, dart, bowling, tobogganing, Gorge Adventure, covered tennis and squash courts, indoor golfing, 28 miles of marked walking trails, helicopter rides, hang-gliding and cross-country ski circuits. There are also many art and cultural exhibitions.
Beginners
The wide-open runs of the Sunnegga and Trokenersteg provide the ideal terrain for beginners, while the slopes of the Gornergrat, reached after a spectacular cog-wheel train journey, should be easily manageable after a few lessons from the expert ski school.
Intermediates
Zermatt is a true intermediate's paradise with a tremendous variety of runs available including scenic descents through trees and long red runs. Take the cable car to the Rothorn paradise where there are several challenging red runs and one that will take you all the way back to Zermatt. Choose a sunny day to ski over to Cervinia (included on area lift pass) and try the 14kms run from the Plateau Rosa.
Experts
Every good skier should experience the challenging black runs, fantastic off-piste and guaranteed snow. Try the Trifti - one of Europe's longest and most difficult mogul slopes. Other highlights include the gun-barrel Tiefbach descent and the Schwarzsee, Stockhorn and Matterhorn glacier paradise areas.
Snowboarders
Hook up with a guide and get the most out of the powder bowls and couloirs that Zermatt has to offer. For the even more daring, heli-boarding is popular here. There is the Gravity Park for those who fancy a jump with tables, halfpipe, quarter and bumps and beginners are not left out with some long, mellow runs high on the mountain.
