If you’ve skied Zermatt in the winter, then you will be familiar with quite a lot in a summer visit, but there are a number of differences worth knowing too.
Quite different to the winter season, during the summer months up on the mountain is generally pretty quiet (especially if you venture beyond the easy access spots of Sunnegga, Gorngergrat and Klein Matterhorn) and the village is busier than you might expect.
The mountain is a different place in summer
In winter you’re moving fast, covering ground, following the piste map or your instructor. In summer you slow down and have a chance to really soak in the views and fresh mountain air. Hiking and bike trails take you through terrain you’ve skied before but now you can see the lakes, rivers, wildflower meadows, bare glaciers and more.
Almost all of the lift system runs through summer, which means you can get right up in the mountains and head out on one of the trails to explore.
There are over 400km of hiking trails around Zermatt, something for everyone from a relaxed stroll around a picturesque lake or children’s play area to challenging hiking and mountaineering routes. Mountain biking is also popular in Zermatt, with 100km of single track and flow trails. You can rent bikes in town and access the lift system to bike with one of the most spectacular backdrops you can imagine.
Bustling village
In the summer months, Zermatt village is buzzing. The Bahnhofstrasse (main street) is packed with tourists enjoying the weather and soaking up the charm of the town. Plenty of the restaurants in town have large sunny terraces, perfect for a lunch spot or a cool afternoon glass of something in the sun. Its also not uncommon to spot an Alphorn group playing traditional music in either the station square or the church square. Town is has a good vibe with visitors busy snapping photos of abundant window boxes, traditional architecture, impressive local vegetable patches, and of course the Matterhorn.
Almost all of the lift system runs through summer, which means you can get right up in the mountains and head out on one of the trails to explore.
There are over 400km of hiking trails around Zermatt, something for everyone from a relaxed stroll around a picturesque lake or children’s play area to challenging hiking and mountaineering routes. Mountain biking is also popular in Zermatt, with 100km of single track and flow trails. You can rent bikes in town and access the lift system to bike with one of the most spectacular backdrops you can imagine.
You can still ski
The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise summer ski area is right up at Klein Matterhorn, at 3,883m. Skiing Zermatt in the summer is certainly not comparable to the winter, the summer ski area is only a fraction of the full area, it takes a long time to get up there and the snow is firm (even icy) first thing and then deep slush when it closes at 1pm. Most of the skiers in the summer are either national and international race teams training (keep your eyes peeled for athletes you might have seen in Alpine World Cup or Olympic races), or those looking for a summer skiing experience. However, many who visit Zermatt in the summer feel like giving skiing a go is part of their to do list, and skiing with the Matterhorn and high alpine back drop never disappoints
The bottom line
If you’re a ski regular who’s never been to Zermatt in summer, it will exceed your expectations. And you will quickly realise there is more to do than you can squeeze into your trip, so you will have to start planning your visit for next year.