Every perfect day in Zermatt begins with incredible views of the Matterhorn. At least that is what we’ve experienced while visiting this iconic Swiss city. Each morning, as we left our hotel, we couldn’t believe the beautiful alpine glow that enveloped the mountain perfectly.

Our goal in visiting Zermatt for this itinerary was to collect as many breathtaking views as possible. So we headed to all of the best places we could find in the short amount of time we had in the city.

We flew into Geneva Airport before taking the train to Zermatt and heading to our Hotel. After dropping off our bags, we immediately began our exploration of the city, stopping in shops, grabbing a beverage, and sampling some Swiss chocolate.

In this complete guide, I will share everything you need to create your best 3-day itinerary for Zermatt, focused on hitting the trails for the best views. If that sounds good to you, let’s get into it!

Just a heads up! This post contains affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission on purchases made through this site. Thanks for your support!

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Zermatt Itinerary for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Map of the Sites

Zermatt is a highly walkable city. In fact, no cars are allowed within city limits, which means you will either be walking, taking an electric taxi, or taking a gondola to get around.

To make things easier to visualize, I created a map of Zermatt with everything mentioned in this itinerary.

You can save the Google map directly to your app so you can reference it during your trip. Just make sure to “Download” the map of Zermatt offline in Google Maps before you leave so you can access it without cell service.

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Day 1: Hiking and City Tour

Grüezi und willkommen zu Zermatt, Switzerland! This is a packed three-day itinerary for Zermatt with some additional itinerary options for a half-day at the beginning or end of your trip.

We got in the night before, so we had a full day for this day’s itinerary. Depending on when you get into town, you may want to switch things up a little bit.

Morning: 5 Lakes Trail

To start your first full day in Zermatt, hit the ground running with an early morning. You can enjoy a cup of coffee at Cup’s Italian Coffee House or grab a quick cup of coffee at Migros SuperMarkt along with fresh pastries and snacks for your hike.

The Five Lakes Trail (5-Seenweg) is arguably one of the most popular trails in Zermatt. This trail offers exceptional views of the iconic Matterhorn while hiking to five different lakes: Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee, and Leisee. You can swim in Grünsee and Leisee, so pack a swimsuit!

To get to the trail, you’ll want to take the Zermatt Cable Car to Snugga, then to Blauherd. You can start the trail at either Snugga or Blauherd. If you start the trail at Snugga, you’ll be hiking uphill more than down, but you can take the Mountain Carts from Blauherd back down to Snugga. Otherwise, I would suggest starting at Blauherd and hiking down to Snugga.

There are lots of different trails in this area, so try to have a downloaded map of the region. I used my AllTrails Premium account to download the entire region of Zermatt, and it worked great!

We hiked the Five Lakes Trail from Blauherd to Snugga and had some Aperol Spritz at the Buffet Bar Sunnegga before heading back down to Zermatt. There is hot-to-order food at the Buffet Bar Sunnegga, or you can eat a packed lunch.

Afternoon: Strolling Through Zermatt

After getting back to Zermatt, take the afternoon to get situated with the city and do some shopping. Downtown Zermatt has plenty of outdoor gear stores, Swiss watch shops, and places to eat. You can spend the afternoon hopping from store to store while drinking a Spritz in between.

We stopped at Hexenbar for a drink on their outdoor seating. Hans, the bartender, was incredibly friendly and even bid us to stay a little longer so we would have prime seats for the Goat Parade around 4 PM.

Twice a day, a herd of 70 blackneck goats walks through the city of Zermatt. You’ll want to have a front-row view of this adorable herd, but watch your feet. They leave behind a mess!

Want a more personal experience with the Zermatt Goats? You can book a Meet a Goat experience, where you will learn how to take care of these adorable ungulates, along with a photo experience and lunch. Leave Zermatt as an experienced goatherder. Learn more here!

Evening: Gorner Gorge Trail

In the evening, grab dinner at Schweizerhof Terrace for an elevated patio experience or get something quick and casual at Pavillon.

Then it is time for one of the best trails in the city of Zermatt, Gorner Gorge. This boardwalk trail takes you into the cavern shaped by glacier runoff. The trail costs 5.50 CHF for adults, which you can pay for in cash or by card at the entrance.

If you follow the trail via AllTrails, you will be completing the trail backwards, which is fine; you’ll just need to pay at the end. The trail does close frequently when there is bad weather, as flash floods can become dangerous in the schute.

This trail is a MUST regardless of how much time you’re spending in Zermatt. It is walking distance to town, short, child-friendly, and gorgeous. I cannot recommend this trail enough.

Have an early night, because the next day will be a challenge!

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Day 2: Glacier Paradise and Hornlihute

Today, you will be experiencing Matterhorn up close and personal by taking a gondola to the highest mountain station in Europe! You will see three different countries, complete the highest alpine crossing via cable car, and view 38 4,000-meter peaks.

For this day on the trail, you will want to pack plenty of snacks, sunscreen, and water. You’ll also want to complete this day’s itinerary with good weather on a clear day to make the most out of the breathtaking views.

Morning: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

Begin your busy day at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Transit Center to get to the highest cable car station . To have time for everything in today’s itinerary without having to worry about missing the last cable car back to Zermatt, you will want to start as early as possible.

The first cable up to Glacier Paradise leaves at 8 AM. Purchase the following cable car tickets: one from Zermatt to Glacier Paradise, Glacier Paradise to Trockener Steg, and Schwarzsee to Zermatt. If you purchase a Peak Pass, you will have unlimited access to all cable cars. Do the math to see if the sticker price is worth it for your itinerary.

When you get to Glacier Paradise after a series of cable cars, take some time to explore on the viewing platform. You can go to the cinema or ice palace, but try to limit your time to two hours; otherwise, you might run out of time for the hikes.

The Glacier Paradise area is where the summer ski slopes are located!

Take the Glace Paradise cable car to Trockener Steg. Here you will begin the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. This incredible trail takes you through the stunning landscape surrounding the base of the Matterhorn.

Here are the trail stats:

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance: 6.6 km/4.1 miles
• Elevation Gain: 174 m/570 feet
• Elevation Loss: 515 m/1,689 feet
• Time: 2 hours
• Starting Point: Trockener Steg
• Ending Point: Schwarzsee

Hike from the Trockener Steg Cable Car down to Theodulsee Lake to begin the trail. You will follow the trail sign for the Glacier Trail or Schwarzsee. As you hike past tarns, rock formations, and epic mountain views, be on the lookout for informational plackards along the trail!

If you stay on schedule, you should get to the Glacier Trail and Hornlihut Intersection around 11:30 AM.

Afternoon: Hornlihut Trail

When you get to the intersection of the Glacier Trail and Hornlihutte Trail (at Hirli), you are going to follow the Hornlihutte Trail up to the iconic starting point for the Matterhorn Summit.

This part of your day is going to be challenging as you begin to climb up to 3,260 meters.

Here are the trail stats up to the hut:

• Difficulty: Hard
• Distance: 4.3 km/ 2.6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 693 m/ 2,275 feet
• Elevation Loss: 13 m/ 45 feet
• Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Starting Point: Hirli
• Ending Point: Hornlihut

Begin your ascent up to the hut where you will almost immediately encounter the first of many grate walks. There are metal grates along the trail that you will need to walk across, as well as steep stairs. If you have a fear of heights, this trail might not be for you.

Follow a series of steep switchbacks until you reach a bench near the ridgeline. This will give you a short reprieve from the elevation gain because you come across the next series of steep switchbacks of stairs. Along the trail, you will see sections with ropes and chains for you to hold onto.

I found that many people observed the trail etiquette of giving uphill hikers the right-of-way, but as you near the top, many uphill hikers will take the short reprieve of letting downhill hikers go first.

As you near the last set of switchbacks, the switchbacks get extremely short and steep, but with the view of Hornlihutte, it is slightly easier to push yourself to get to the end point.

At the Hut, you can grab a piece of cake and a cold beverage while you take in the incredible views around you. My partner and I shared a brownie and each had a 0% alcohol Lemon Radler. The cake was delicious, and the radler was refreshing.

Keep in mind that the last cable car out of Schwarzee is at 5 PM, and it will take two hours to get there from Hornlihut.

We finished our stop at Hornlihute around 2:30 PM and made it to Schwarzsee at 4 PM.

Once you hike down to Hirli, you will meet back up with the Glacier Trail until you reach Schwarzsee.

Before getting onto the cable car, make sure to grab the iconic photo at the Zermatt sign.

Don’t Forget! By purchasing the Swiss Half Fare Card, you can save 50% off on all Gondolas.

Evening: Post-Hike Beers and Burgers

Back in town, you’ll want to eat some good food to recover from your hard day on the trail. There are plenty of places to eat in Zermatt, but nothing tastes as delicious as a big, juicy burger after a strenuous hike.

Head to Brown Cow Pub for a delicious burger and beer. The Brown Cow Pub is located on the main street in downtown Zermatt, and they offer patio seating for people just looking for a drink.

We had a burger with fries and a hot dog with two large beers. However, after seeing the large plate of nachos that they served, I wish we had gotten the nachos as well!

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Day 3: Iconic Trails, Fluffy Sheep, and Beautiful Views

Today is a day for adrenaline junkies and view chasers! We’re going to start with the last of the iconic views in Zermatt and end with incredible views of Zermatt from the sky.

If you purchased a Half-Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass, that will again come in handy today as we take the incredible Gornergrat Trail.

Morning: Gornergrat Railway

Begin your day by heading to the Railway station in Zermatt Town Square. Here you will purchase a train ticket for the Gornergrat Railway. Find the timetable here.

There are multiple stops along the route up to the highest cogway in Europe, so pay close attention to when you need to get off the train and reboard.

The train in and of itself is an incredible experience. Pay close attention, you might be able to see the sheep from the train. Don’t worry if you miss them because you’ll find them later.

Late Morning: Rifflesee & Sheep Tracking

Depart the Gornergrat Railway at Rotenboden for the Rifflesee Lake Trail. This trail is a short walk from the Rotenboden Station at just under a quarter-mile.

If you want a longer hike, you can hike to Riffelsee from the Riffelberg Station. Hiking to Riffelsee from Riffelberg is about 1.8 miles, one-way. Along this longer route, you will see some incredible photo spots of the Matterhorn.

For some extra adventure, you can track the Black Nosed Sheep using their GPS Tracking App. To find these sheep, you will need to watch a short informational video on how to interact with the sheep appropriately. After watching the video, a map will be shared with you that you can use to find the sheep between Riffelberg and Rotenboden.

After taking your time exploring Riffelsee, you’ll get back on the Gornergrat Rail.

Afternoon: Iconic Views

Take the Gornergrat Rail to the Gornergrat Bahn Bergstation. This is the furthest the trail can go at 3,089 meters!

At the station, you can grab a late lunch at their dinner before heading to the “Golden Spot”. This is a popular spot for taking photos of the area!

Head over to the 360 Loop Gornergrat trail to see some incredible views, including Switzerland’s Highest Peak – the Dufourspitze. This trail is 0.3 miles and shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to complete!

Afterwards, head up to the Gornergrat Viewing Platform. If you opt out of doing the Glacier-Paredise viewing platform, this one is a must!

When you’re done exploring the area, take the train back down into Zermatt!

Evening: Dinner and Dessert

On your last night in Zermatt, you truly have some incredible restaurants to choose from. You can keep things simple or indulge in some incredible restaurants like one of Zermatt’s Michelin Star Restaurants.

For a set menu, visit Brasserie Uno. A contemporary style menu, you’ll find this intimate experience well worth the 3.5 hour dining time as you relax in the cozy atmosphere, watching Luis Romo cook incredible meals.

For more casual dining, Grampi’s is the spot. This Italian restaurant has some of my favorite wood-fired pizza. Plus, they’re open late, which is perfect when trying to find a place to eat after getting off the mountain.

You can’t visit Switzerland without eating some Swiss Chocolate. Grab some delicacies at Läderach for dessert.

Optional: Zermatt Views at Night

Before leaving Zermatt, you must make your way to the best viewpoint of the city! Located on Mürini Hill, you will see some incredible views of Zermatt with the Matterhorn in the background.

This viewpoint is likened to Valaris from A Court of Thorns and Roses or How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The viewpoint is a 15-minute walk from the city center. Head towards the Sunnegga funicular entrance until you cross the river, before heading up Wiestistrasse road. At the top of the road, turn left towards the stairs that say “Mürini”. Once you’ve made it to the metal steps, you’re almost there!

If you can time it with sunset, you’ll be greeted with an incredible alpine glow on the Matterhorn in contrast with the glowing lights of the city.

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Other Things to Know for Your Zermatt Itinerary

Going to Zermatt in the Summer is a magical experience, but it does require some extra planning, especially if you want to keep costs down. As one of the most expensive countries to travel to, Switzerland in general needs some forethought, as costs add up quickly, especially when traveling on a whim.

This section covers the best places to stay in Zermatt, how to get there, and available travel passes.

As always, if you have a question about your trip to Zermatt, feel free to leave your question in the comments.

Where to Stay in Zermatt

When it comes to hotels in Zermatt, you can keep things relatively affordable or splurge. Regardless of the choice you make, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a BAD hotel in Zermatt. Most hotels have a positive rating even when opting for a two-star (**) option.

What is nice about visiting Zermatt is that all of the star ratings are readily available. When I first stayed in Zermatt, my partner and I knew we wouldn’t be spending too much time at our hotel, so we opted with Annex Antika, a two-star hotel with a high rating and free breakfast.

Annex Antika

Annex Antika is the more affordable hotel in partnership with the Antika Hotel. It is a small, private building along the river that shares the facilities of the main hotel. The rooms were clean and comfortable with free breakfast at Antika Hotel.

I loved staying here because of the close proximity to the main strip in Zermatt and the central location to the various activities we did in town.

Check out Annex Antika Here!

BaseCamp Hotel

I would recommend the BaseCamp Hotel for anyone visiting Zermatt in the winter months. It is still a great option for summer travel, but this hotel truly shines when it comes to the amenities for winter travel.

The on-site sauna is perfect after a day on the slopes, and the available boot driers and ski rooms mean you’ll be ready for your next day shredding down the slopes in Zermatt.

Check Available Dates for BaseCamp Hotel Here!

Hotel Bellerive

Zermatt is not lacking in luxury hotels; however, there is one that I believe truly shines, and that is Hotel Bellerive. This hotel has incredible views of the Matterhorn, exquisite suites, and top-tier hospitality.

This hotel truly shines with its suite views, so if you have the opportunity to book a south-facing room, that is the move. The morning alpine glow on the Matterhorn is one of the best.

Book a balcony at the Bellerive Hotel.

Getting to Zermatt

Zermatt is a car-free city, which means that while everything is walkable, any vehicle you have will need to be left outside the city.

The most common way to get into town is by train. All passenger trains are routed through Visp, where you will get on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn for the final transfer into Zermatt. For finding train tickets in Switzerland, I recommend downloading the SBB App.

For a more scenic journey through the Swiss Alps, you can also take the Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt.

If you’re stopping in Zermatt as part of a European road trip, you can park your vehicle in Täsch and take the train the rest of the way into Zermatt.

Getting Around Zermatt

Since Zermatt is a car-free village, most people either walk or ride their bike around Zermatt once in the city. However, there are some Taxi Services in Zermatt that can be helpful, especially for getting your luggage to your hotel.

Find Taxi Services here!

To get up to the mountains, you can take several different cable cars from the city. Cable cars run year-round and typically start at 8 AM and stop around 6 PM. Don’t miss the last car down to the city or you will have a long, steep walk back down!

Travel Passes

Planning out the details of your trip to Zermatt can be very cost-effective, especially with the available passes.

If you can, determine every train and cable car you will be taking on your trip, and calculate the cost of each of those transfers with the price individually and with the available travel passes. This will save you the most money in the long run.

Swiss Half Fare Card

The Swiss Half Fare Card is precisely as you would imagine. The Half Fare Card lasts for a single month period, so when you purchase it, you have a month of discounts.

• Half-price tickets for public transportation via train and bus
• Discounts on Cable Cars and Mountain Excursions

I used the Half Fare Card for the itinerary above and it saved me $100s of dollars on trains and cable cars.

Purchase the Half Fare Card Here!

Swiss Travel Pass

For visitors to Switzerland who plan on taking plenty of train rides and cable cars, you might want to consider the Swiss Travel Pass. While it is a more expensive option, there are more available travel perks.

• Unlimited travel via boat, bus, or trail.
• Up to 50% off mountain excursions and cable cars
• Free entry into 500+ museums across the country
• Free travel on panoramic trails like the Bernina Express and Glacier Express

Choose the number of days you will be using the pass, either consecutively or with the FLEX option.

Check out the Swiss Travel Pass Here!

Peak Pass

In addition to either the Half Fare or Swiss Travel Pass, you can additionally purchase the Peak Pass. The Peak Pass is used for people planning on taking cable car lifts around Zermatt.

With the Peak Pass, you will have unlimited travel on the following lifts:

• Zermatt – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
• Zermatt – Blauherd
• Zermatt – Gornergrat
• Furi – Riffelberg

Additionally, you will have unlimited travel on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn between Zermatt, Täscho, and Randa, among some other perks.

Check out the Peak Pass!

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Pack It Up

Zermatt, Switzerland, is an incredible city for summer adventures, aperol spritz, and relaxing days at the spa.

Three days is an incredible amount of time to spend in this beautiful city, but if you have more time, you can’t go wrong with just a few more days to spend lounging or even doing some summer skiing.

On our last trip to Zermatt, it was just before we headed out on the TMB, and it was the best opportunity to aclimatize and get a few warm-up miles in before heading to Chamonix, France, to begin the trail.

Have questions about planning your trip to Zermatt? Let me know in the comments!