Zermatt and the Matterhorn

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Straddling the border of Switzerland and Italy, with a summit reaching 14,692 feet high, rests the most easily recognized feature in all of the Alps – the Matterhorn. Our travels to this monumental alpine peak would prove to be a journey Rebecca and I would not soon forget!

Big John braves the cold outside a Swiss train depot.

We set out on our snowy road trip from Lucerne, Switzerland with a distance of 110 miles to cover before reaching our final destination.

This rental car, a Citroen, would be our trusty little vehicle carrying us over the Alps.

Okay, I’ll admit it didn’t look very dependable with all the ice and snow we were to encounter. Luckily, the car had a set of tire chains in the trunk and I managed to keep it on the road.

When we had traveled as far as the roads would take us, we put our car on train tracks and were shuttled the rest of the way.

A Swiss winter scene from the warmth of our train.

A vintage poster of Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

Lying just below the Matterhorn is the mountain resort village of Zermatt. Renowned for its skiing, and hiking, this small Swiss municipality forbids all automobiles with the exception of electric trams and taxis.

A horse-drawn carriage pulls tourists through Zermatt’s charming streets.

Zermatt is all about “going green” with this box-shaped electric taxi.

She said he was just a penpal. Should I be worried?

With temperatures bordering on freezing, there weren’t too many people enjoying this outdoor dining experience.

Rebecca loved all the shop’s window dressings.

With its border so close to Italy, Zermatt boasts some delicious italian eateries.

If skiing and hiking isn’t your thing, Zermatt has some fabulous shopping options!

 

She had no idea there was a real-life yeti only inches away!

One of my favorite things about this town was how many of the houses and businesses seemed to be built right on top of one another.

 

Although Christmas had came and went, Zermatt still had a very festive feel to it.

Rebecca is on her way to visit Heidi and the grandfather.

We couldn’t help but fall in love with these old Swiss cottages.

The Gemeindehaus Zermatt is the town’s city hall.

Although my yodeling still needs some work, I’ve been known to play a mean horn!

The Matterhorn casts it shadow over the quaint Swiss village.

Why is it that everything in Switzerland makes me crave chocolate?

If I’m going to hike this mountain, I need a proper pair of snowshoes!

These fascinating Valais log buildings are made from the surrounding larch wood and remain a significant part of Zermatt’s agricultural history.

 

The Weisshorn Hotel and Restaurant are one of many cozy accomodations inside this Alpine town.

There are four churches in Zermatt with 80% of the population identifying as Catholic.

…and I was hoping to see a little snow!

I remember my dad took me to this mountain as a kid, only back then it was in California.

I don’t know if they do any fiddlin’ in Switzerland, but if they do…. boy, can the guy living here really fiddle!

They say some of the finest goats hail from these parts.

Zermatt skiiers are fortunate enough to enjoy their winter sport 365 days a year.

I sent a proposal to city council that this bistro find a proper name!

My lil’ Swiss Miss enjoyed the goat herders adorning this wall.

You absolutely can’t go wrong with a pepperoni and cheese pretzel sandwich!

A parting shot at the Matterhorn as it fades into the sunset.

I hope you enjoyed seeing our travels to Zermatt and the Matterhorn. Thank you for visiting Big John’s Adventures in Travel and please check back again soon for more exciting adventures. Don’t forget to leave a comment so I know you were here and share some love on social media.

 

Happy travels,

Big John

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