Why National Parks Matter

Posted by Norie Quintos of National Geographic Traveler in Beyond the Guidebook on April 17, 2015

The village of Zermatt lies in the shadow of one of the most famous peaks in the world: the Matterhorn. (Photograph by Jon Arnold Images Ltd/Alamy)

When you’re celebrating your tenth wedding anniversary, not every destination will do.

Nat Geo’s director of digital marketing, Jennifer Wallace, and her husband were looking for “a truly amazing spring skiing destination.” They found it in Zermatt, Switzerland—coincidentally, one of National Geographic Traveler’s picks for Best Trips of 2015!

Here are a few highlights from her trip, in her own words:

Biggest selling point: A 3.5-hour train ride whisked us from the airport in Zurich to Zermatt. Of all the countries we’ve visited, Switzerland may be the most accessible—even with ski bags in tow.

Swiss trains are clean, relatively spacious, and punctual (to the minute!)—but it’s what’s on the other side of the window that stands out as their biggest asset. The Glacier Express, which we boarded for the final leg into Zermatt, seemed to climb ever higher as it glided through the majestic Alps.

Accessible all year round, Gornergrat summit has been one of Switzerland’s most popular tourist destinations since the railway opened in 1898. (Photograph by tobrouk, Flickr)

The scenic beauty didn’t end there. Once we got strapped into our ski boots, we hopped on the highest open-air railway in Europe and were treated to unbelievable views of theMatterhorn on the 25-minute ride to Gornergrat summit.

Standout culinary experience: Follow our lead and take advantage of the special gondola that departs Zermatt on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for a handful of mid-mountain eateries near the Furi station. We dined at Bergrestaurant Simi, diving into cheese fondue and lamb chops.

After dinner, many restaurants are happy to lend patrons a toboggan for the return trip to the village. You can also opt to work off your meal on the hour-long walk back down the mountain, which is exhilarating on a cold starry night. Regardless, bring a headlamp; it’s incredibly dark out there, even with the stars.

Favorite local quirk: There are no cars in Zermatt, which keeps its charming central village clean and quiet. Most people walk everywhere and many of the locals ride bicycles to get to and from work, school, and, of course, the slopes (bikes equipped with ski racks are a common sight).

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