Ski holidays in Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt sits at the foot of the Matterhorn, one of the world's most iconic mountains, and is one of Europe's most exclusive ski resorts. The village, at 1,620 metres, is car-free, giving it a uniquely calm atmosphere where electric vehicles and horse-drawn carriages ferry you between hotels and lifts. A ski holiday in Zermatt combines spectacular scenery with world-class skiing that few other destinations can match.

The ski area stretches from the village all the way up to 3,883 metres at Matterhorn glacier paradise, the highest lift station in the Alps. Here you can ski year-round on the glacier, and the combined Matterhorn ski paradise piste network covers 360 km across three linked areas: Sunnegga-Rothorn, Gornergrat and Matterhorn glacier paradise. For those keen to explore further, the lift system takes you across the border to Cervinia in Italy.

The village of Zermatt has a charm that blends traditional Valais architecture with luxury hotels, gourmet restaurants and exclusive shops. Bahnhofstrasse is the resort's main artery, home to everything from Swiss watch shops to cosy fondue restaurants. The après-ski scene is lively, with classic spots such as Papperla Pub and Hennu Stall keeping things going late into the evening.

Prices in Zermatt are among the highest in the Alps, but the unique experience of skiing with the Matterhorn's silhouette as your constant companion is hard to put a price on. Snow reliability is excellent thanks to the resort's extremely high altitude, and the season runs from November to May, with glacier skiing available in summer too.

5 tips about Zermatt

1. Beginners in Sunnegga The Sunnegga-Rothorn area has sunny, open pistes that are perfect for beginners and families, while giving you an unobstructed view of the Matterhorn.
2. Acclimatise on your first day With peaks reaching up to 3,883 metres, the altitude can take its toll on your first day, so it's worth planning a gentler day's skiing in the village at 1,620 metres before heading up to the glacier.
3. Pop across to Italy Your lift pass lets you travel via Matterhorn glacier paradise all the way over to Cervinia on the Italian side, an excursion that's rather out of the ordinary.
4. Travel outside peak season Zermatt is one of the most expensive resorts in the Alps, so steer clear of the Christmas and half-term weeks and opt for January or the latter part of the season instead for better prices on accommodation and a lift pass.
5. Try a Walliser fondue Make the most of the chance to sample local fondue or raclette, a Walliser speciality served in plenty of places around the village after a day on the pistes.

Pistes and lifts in Zermatt

Zermatt's 360 km of pistes in the Matterhorn ski paradise are spread across three main areas. Sunnegga-Rothorn offers sunny slopes with fantastic views towards the Matterhorn and suits both families and more advanced skiers. The Gornergrat area has longer runs, ranging from wide cruising pistes to more challenging sections. Matterhorn glacier paradise reaches all the way up to 3,883 metres, ensureing snow and the chance to ski across to Cervinia in Italy. The black runs from Stockhorn and Schwarzsee are among the most demanding in the Alps.

Piste map for Zermatt

Download the piste map See all piste maps

The map downloads as an image file. On your iPhone it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the bottom of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your iPad it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the top right of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your phone it lands in the Downloads folder. Tap the download notification that appears to open the map straight away.The file lands in the Downloads folder. You can also look for the icon at the top right of the screen and open the map from there.

Snow reliability in Zermatt

Zermatt's ski area stretches from the village at 1,620 metres right up to 3,883 metres at Matterhorn glacier paradise, the highest lift-served point in the Alps. The huge vertical range and the glacier terrain make snow cover extremely reliable throughout the season.

The season normally runs from November to May and, thanks to the glacier, skiing is even possible during the summer months. Its exceptionally high altitude makes Zermatt one of the most snow-sure resorts in the Alps.

Best time to travel to Zermatt

For the best snow conditions and lower prices, January and February are ideal. March brings longer days and sunny skiing higher up the mountain. If you fancy glacier skiing, the summer months from June to September are an option, although the choice of pistes is then limited. Peak season, with the highest prices, falls over Christmas and New Year as well as the February half-term weeks.

Will there be lift queues in Zermatt?

The lift system around Zermatt carries 96,074 people an hour across 51 lifts. 37 of the 51 lifts are gondolas, cable cars or high-speed chairlifts, the kind that clear a queue quickly. The fastest lifts carry up to 3,400 people an hour, for example Gifthittli. That is roughly the same capacity per kilometre of piste as an average resort on this site, so queues only build when it is really busy. The queue you actually notice is almost always down in the valley between eight and half past nine. If you are on the lift before eight you avoid it.

When is Zermatt busiest?

How busy the slopes get is not decided by the English half term but by when the local families and the neighbouring countries are on holiday. These are the weeks that fill Zermatt in the 2026/2027 season.

• Switzerland: The Swiss Sportferien vary from canton to canton, and sometimes between municipalities in the same canton. They are spread from late January to early March, which makes the pressure more even than in the neighbouring countries.
• Germany: Germans are the largest foreign group in the Alps and their winter holidays are spread across early February.
  1 to 6 February: Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia
  8 to 12 February: Bavaria and Saarland
  8 to 19 February: Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• England: The English February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027 for most councils, with a few areas breaking up a week earlier. The Easter holidays run from 26 March to 9 April.
  8 to 12 February: half term in a few council areas, for example Hull
  15 to 19 February: half term in most of England, including London, the Midlands and the North
  26 March to 9 April: Easter holidays for most English schools
• Easter holidays: Easter 2027 is early, on 28 March. Austria and Germany take their holidays around the weekend, while the French holidays fall after Easter, in April.
  20 to 29 March: the whole of Austria, all states at the same time
  22 March to 3 April: most German states, including Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia
  3 April to 3 May: the French zones, which fall after Easter 2027 and only affect the highest resorts
• Long weekends: Long weekends fill the slopes with day visitors from the nearest cities, even when no schools are on holiday.
  26 December to 3 January: Christmas and New Year, the most expensive period of the year
  6 January: Epiphany, a public holiday in Austria, Italy and parts of Switzerland
  27 to 29 March: the Easter weekend. Easter Monday is a public holiday across the Alps, but Good Friday is a working day in Austria, Italy and France
  1 to 2 May: May Day, a public holiday across the Alps

Because the cantons spread their holidays out, the pressure is more even here than in the neighbouring countries. Mid-January and March are still the quietest weeks.

Snow right now. There is no snow cover in the valley or at the top right now. The figures are modelled by Open-Meteo, not measured by the lift company, and were fetched 14 October 2026 at 04:26.

The lift pass included. The stay comes with the Zermatt lift pass, which covers 200 km of piste. The pass is worth around €750.

How to get to Zermatt

Last-minute deals in Zermatt

Last-minute offers, that is late dates the operator still wants to fill, appear from January onwards. Once the season is under way we will show them here on this page.

Zermatt is suitable for

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Frequently asked questions about Zermatt