48 Hours in Zermatt

The winner for most picturesque ski area in Switzerland definitely goes to Zermatt! After enjoying a late season ski weekend in Zermatt last year, we couldn’t resist going back again this year. Gorgeous views of the iconic Matterhorn, delicious Swiss mountain food, skiing of all levels, and an adorable town, beckon many people to Zermatt each year.

This year we decided to save a bit of money and stay in Tasch versus Zermatt. Tasch is just an 11 minute train ride from Zermatt which means that as long as pay attention to the train schedule, it’s a great way to save money. Our hotel, the Swiss Budget Alpenhotel, was perfect for our weekend needs – working hi-speed wireless internet, a full breakfast each morning and just across the street from the train station. It was quite basic, but when your goal is to ski each day, you don’t need much more.

 

We were on the lifts earlier than usual, leaving the hotel by 9am each morning. We stayed on the Swiss side this year, versus getting lost in Italy again. We really enjoyed skiing around Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, Sunnegga. It’s hard not to enjoy skiing when the weather report is 100% wrong. We went expecting overcast, snowy weather but instead had another weekend of Spring skiing – temperature in the 40s, blue sky, white snow and sunshine both days!

After a long day of skiing, we stopped at Chez Vrony for a late, afternoon lunch.  Our friends Lauren and Ryan have raved about this restaurant for years, claiming that it is the best ski lunch they’ve had in Europe. Only accessible via ski slopes, this mountain gem did not disappoint!  

We enjoyed a glass of wine on the balcony, before the fading sun and cooler temps forced us to move inside.

Our entire group was amazed by the food, enjoying a taste of everything from their menu. Bo and I shared our meals, so I was able to enjoy some of the Bloody Mary soup and the fish stew to start. For our main course, we shared their take on the meatloaf as well as the lunch winner, the lamb curry.

 

We skied for another hour or so before enjoying a glass of wine at what has to be the coolest mountain side shack I’ve seen. You want me to sit in a lounge chair, prop my feet up, enjoy the sunset and sip champagne? Yes please! The Champagne Bar is a great spot to pause on your way down the Sunnegga side of the mountain.

After our glass of champagne and some fabulous skier watching we headed down the mountain for après ski at Papperla Pub. At 4pm each day this spot serves its signature mulled wine and cocktails on the outside terrace and inside. At 6pm the live band take the stage, playing covers and requests from the crowd.

Our final stop of the evening was Restaurant Julen where our group had the chance to sample Swiss German cuisine in a cozy, warm atmosphere. This was our second time dining at Restaurant Julen and it was just as wonderful as we remembered. The lamb shank and rack of lamb were the winners, in our opinion, as the food was so delicious everyone thought their entree was the best.  On the side of our lamb entrees, we enjoyed cheese, in the form of raclette, as no good Swiss mountain dinner isn’t complete without a little bit of cheese.

 

If you have the opportunity to ski in Switzerland, do your best to make it over to Zermatt. The views, food and character will deliver the ski experience you’ve always imagined.