Include Zermatt in 10 night itinerary?

Hi,

I'd go for the 2 nights in Zermatt. Gives you 1/2 a day, a full day, and a morning. While we love Wengen (our favorite place in Switzerland), maybe do 4 nights and 3 in Zermatt?

Paul

Excellent advice from Paul. We liked Zermatt a lot and staying one more night means a better chance of seeing "The" mountain. Spiez is cute situated as it is on the lake, but not as charming as Zermatt, IMO. One of the special things about Zermatt is that it is car-free, and the mountaineering museum is worthwhile.

You have 2 days to deal with here.

My question is why do you want to go to Zermatt?

I read that your husband has his heart set on seeing the Matterhorn. If that is the only reason then go to Zermatt--you pretty much HAVE to go there to see the Matterhorn. If seeing the Matterhorn isn't THAT important (sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't) then skip Zermatt. To rehash from previous posts, it is crowded (often shoulder to shoulder), like Bourbon Street but without the nasty alleyway smells/puddles, and more similar to a Disney experience than an afternoon in the Alps--in my opinion :) Probably better beer, though.

Saas Fee next door is a lot slower and just as beautiful, Engelberg in central Switzerland below Luzern is in a beautiful valley where you have great access to both ridges (two SAC huts easily accessed above/near Engelberg), Grindelwald is smaller than Zermatt and is in a great valley, or Wengen (sort of) next door.

I have been to Zermatt many times and love it. It can be busy at certain times with skiers and their equipment, but the Matterhorn is here and it's worthwhile to see.
Lugano is a lovely area and worthwhile to visit as well.

Each time I have been it was busy and no skiers or other type of equipment in site. I have been in June, July, and September. Shoulder to shoulder each time and all tourists who looked like they had no plans to leave the city.

I also saw that someone called Zermatt 'quaint'. I have never thought about Zermatt as quaint. Zermatt is, in fact, the opposite of quaint. If it wasn't so big bursting with people I would call it the largest alpine village in Switzerland, I just can't bring myself to call it a village.

I'll defend Zermatt a little...

Yes, the town is crowded, but only Rickniks visit Alpine towns for the towns themselves... it's the mountains that you come to see. I've spent lots of time all over the Alps, but I've never seen scenary more spectacular than the mountain vistas that unfold before your eyes above Zermatt. However, from the valley in Zermatt, the lower slopes block most of this scenery (expect the peaks of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa). You really have to hike up into the meadows to get the full picture. So, it's much more than just the Matterhorn, as beautiful as that peak might be.

We visited in mid October. It wasn't very busy. We took the Gornergrat trip and walked part of the way down from the top, all the while with the Matterhorn in front of us (plus many other peaks). Talk about a memorable day.

Paul