On this trip through Central Europe, we headed from Switzerland to Austria!
After traveling from Zurich, we finally arrived at our long-awaited destination: Zermatt! ✨
When you think of Zermatt, you think of the Matterhorn! 🏔️
It’s a mountain I’ve dreamed of seeing and have viewed countless times in photos and videos, but seeing it in person was overwhelming—its scale and presence were even more powerful than I imagined.
This time, we stayed for 3 days and 2 nights with a family of six!
From the magnificent Alpine scenery and charming streets to Swiss specialties like cheese fondue, we fully enjoyed the unique charms of Zermatt.
In this post, I’ll take you through the first day of our Zermatt trip! ✨
📍 Our 3-Day/2-Night Zermatt Itinerary
🚃 Day 1: Travel from Zurich to Zermatt
🏨 Check into the apartment hotel
🚶 Stroll through the streets of Zermatt
🧀 Dinner with authentic cheese fondue
🏔️ Day 2: Gornergrat Railway
🥾 Mini-hike with Matterhorn views
🚶 Explore Zermatt town
✈️ Day 3: Depart for Austria after breakfast
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🚃 From Zurich to Zermatt by Train!
We headed to Zermatt from Zurich by train.
On the way, we took an express train to Visp station and then transferred to a train bound for Zermatt.
The journey takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes!
It’s quite a long ride, but the views from the window are absolutely stunning!
A train trip through the majestic nature typical of Switzerland, looking out at the towns along the way, is the absolute best.
Since we kept seeing beautiful landscapes that we rarely get to see, the long travel time felt like it passed in the blink of an eye. 😊
By the way, we used reserved seats on the express train from Zurich to Visp.
There were surprisingly many passengers, so if you’re traveling in a group like a family, booking seats ahead of time gives you peace of mind.
Swiss trains are clean and comfortable inside!
It was a wonderful journey where the travel time itself felt like part of the sightseeing. ✨
🏔️ Finally Arrived in Long-Awaited Zermatt!
The first thing that shocked me when we arrived in Zermatt was the view!
We were surrounded by majestic mountains as far as the eye could see, with a beautiful village full of history spreading out before us.
And above all, the Matterhorn caught our eyes!
We finally got to see the real thing! ✨
Zermatt is also famous for being a car-free town where gasoline vehicles are banned.
Because of that, the town is very quiet and the air is incredibly fresh.
The beautiful mountains, European-style buildings, nature, and townscape are in perfect harmony; just walking around makes you feel happy.
Right after arriving, I couldn't help but walk around checking out souvenir shops in front of the station and taking photos with the townscape in the background (lol).
🍔 First, Refueling at a Swiss McDonald’s!
Since it was still too early to check into our hotel after arriving in Zermatt, we decided to get some food first!
We were starving, so we headed to a Swiss McDonald’s. 🍔
For a total of six people—4 adults and 2 children—we ordered burger sets and other items.
Then... the bill came to about 14,000 yen! 😳
Paying that much at McDonald’s—that’s Switzerland for you!
I was once again shocked by the high cost of living (lol).
However, when we actually ate, the burgers were huge and very delicious!
They were hearty and satisfying, quite different from McDonald’s in Japan.
Visiting a McDonald’s in a foreign country is one of the fun things about traveling abroad. 😊
🚶 Strolling Through a Beautiful Town Surrounded by the Alps!
Now that our stomachs were full, it was time to explore the streets of Zermatt!
The apartment hotel we’re staying at this time is on the mountain side, but the reception is in the center of town.
We finished check-in first to leave our luggage and then went for a walk!
In Zermatt, every corner you turn is a picture-perfect street.
There are many attractive spots, like wonderful tennis courts that make you think how great it would feel to play there, and cafes where you can spend time looking at the Alpine scenery.
Furthermore, when you look up at the sky, you can see people coming down by paraglider!
There are also drinking fountains in town where you can drink Alpine spring water, letting you feel the richness of nature.
We also visited the bridge known as the "Japanese Bridge" (Kirchbrücke).
It’s called that because many Japanese tourists and photography enthusiasts gather there.
The view from here was also wonderful; it’s a perfect spot to gaze at the Matterhorn!
Aside from that, we spent some relaxing time eating Lindt chocolate soft-serve ice cream and drinking coffee at a cafe. 🍦☕
Zurich was an urban and sophisticated city, but Zermatt is a mountain resort full of history.
Even within the same country of Switzerland, they have completely different charms!
🏡 Our Accommodation: A Spectacular Apartment with a Full View of the Matterhorn!
One thing I was especially looking forward to on this Zermatt trip was where we were staying!
Here is where we stayed:
🏨 Ferienwohnung Primavista
A total of 6 people—4 adults and 2 kids—stayed at this apartment for 2 nights.
The room size was about 57㎡!
It was plenty of space for six people.
Here is the stay price that everyone is curious about!
💰 About 72,850 yen per room, per night
Zermatt is an area where accommodation prices are quite high.
If you look for a hotel with a view of the Matterhorn, it’s not unusual to find places that cost over 100,000 yen a night.
Given that, I was really happy to find an apartment this size where six people could stay together at this price!
Of course, unlike a general hotel, there are no services like breakfast, but being able to stay in the same room together is a unique charm of an apartment.
And above all, the view from the balcony was shocking!
You can actually see the Matterhorn from the balcony! 🏔️✨
Plus, the balcony is quite spacious!
The majestic Alpine mountains were right in front of us, with the Matterhorn standing tall and proud.
I couldn't find any word for it other than "spectacular"!
It was so beautiful that I found myself gazing at the view from the balcony for over an hour before I knew it.
Seeing it in a photo and seeing it in person is a world of difference!
Enjoying this view while drinking a beer we bought at a supermarket on the way was truly a luxury. 🍺
And surprisingly, the children were the same!
Usually, they rarely stay still, but this time they spent a long time looking at the Matterhorn scenery.
The view must have been moving enough even for children to appreciate. 😊
By the way, it’s about a 10-minute walk uphill from the station.
There are stairs along the way, so it’s a bit tough if you have a lot of luggage.
However, even taking that into account, I was extremely satisfied with this view and the staying environment!
Personally, if you’re staying in Zermatt, I really want you to choose a room with a Matterhorn view.
🧀 Enjoying Authentic Cheese Fondue in Zermatt!
After enjoying the spectacular view at the apartment, we headed back into town!
For dinner that night, we headed to a restaurant we had booked in advance.
Since we came all the way to Switzerland, we wanted to eat authentic cheese fondue!
To fulfill everyone's wish, we chose this restaurant:
🍽️ Walliserstube
It’s a place where you can enjoy the Swiss specialty, cheese fondue. 🧀
Of course, we ordered the cheese fondue!
We also ordered shrimp pasta, Margherita pizza, and more.
Eating cheese fondue in its homeland is, as expected, the best!
We dipped bread, potatoes, sausages, and other items into the rich cheese.
Additionally, we ordered white wine!
It was a Riesling with a bit of sweetness, and that sweetness paired perfectly with the cheese!
The richness of the cheese and the flavor of the wine complemented each other so well that we couldn't stop eating (lol).
The total bill we were curious about was...
💰 About 31,000 yen for 6 people!
We ordered two bottles of water, one glass of white wine, shrimp pasta, Margherita, and a full cheese fondue set (bread, potatoes, sausages, etc.).
Again, I was surprised by the Swiss prices, but I was extremely satisfied with how delicious the food was!
Being able to enjoy not just sightseeing but also local food is the best part of traveling abroad. ✨
On the way back, we also enjoyed the Alpine spring water!
We were able to have an experience unique to Zermatt, surrounded by beautiful mountains.
🌟 If You’re Staying in Zermatt, a Place with a Spectacular Matterhorn View is Recommended!
"Ferienwohnung Primavista," where we stayed this time, was an apartment with a really high level of satisfaction!
The best part is being able to view the Matterhorn from the balcony!
Not just the time spent visiting sightseeing spots, but also being able to enjoy a spectacular view while relaxing at your accommodation is a truly luxurious time.
I compared various hotels, and many accommodations where you can see the Matterhorn are expensive. I think a place where 6 people can stay and enjoy a spectacular view like this time is valuable.
However, since there are slopes and stairs from the station, I recommend considering that point if you have a lot of luggage or want to reduce the burden of moving.
If you are planning a trip to Zermatt, please check out accommodations where you can see the Matterhorn!
There is an emotional impact there that photos alone cannot convey. 😊
✨ Closing Out Day 1 in Zermatt
I was finally able to see the long-awaited Matterhorn right in front of me, and it was a series of moving moments from the very first day of arrival!
Strolling through the beautiful streets, spending a relaxing time at a spectacular apartment, and even enjoying authentic cheese fondue.
I was surprised by Swiss prices many times (lol), but even more wonderful scenery and experiences were waiting for me.
And the real highlight of the Zermatt trip starts from here!
Next time, I will introduce the main event of this trip: the Gornergrat Railway and a mini-hike we enjoyed while gazing at the Matterhorn! 🏔️🇨🇭