Zermatt in the winter time can only be described as a magical winter wonderland. This chocolate box alpine village, under its blanket of snow, is set against the backdrop of the iconic Matterhorn and is a must on anyone’s Swiss itinerary. Children and adults alike will fall under the spell of this charming, fairytale village – visiting Zermatt with kids is a must! The excitement starts with the scenic journey on the narrow-gauge and cog railway from Tasch.
Zermatt with Kids – Activities
There are many activities on and off the slopes that will keep children (and adults!) entertained.
Skiing & Snowboarding
There are 360 kilometres of slopes catering to all levels. You can get a pass that covers both Switzerland and Italy – it can be fun to pop across to the land of pasta and pizza. Switzerland does its bit to encourage children to take up skiing from a young age with free ski passes for the under-9s and half-price passes for the under-16s.
Tip: If you’re hiring skis at the resort, remember that you can get a 10% discount if you book online
Ski & Snowboard Schools
Zermatt is very well served in terms of ski and snowboard schools – there are plenty to choose from! Generally younger children (ages 3-4) go for mornings only and older ones stay for the whole day with lunch included. On a Friday afternoon, children take part in a race and receive a medal.
The ski schools normally have a dedicated beginners area and non-customers can also take their little ones for some practice runs at the likes of the Wolli park at Sunnegga.
Here’s a comprehensive list of all the ski schools available in Zermatt:
Zermatters
Established since 1929, Zermatters is the Swiss Ski School and has around 200 skiing/snowboarding instructors on their books. They cater to all levels, ages and provide either group or private lessons. You can sign up at the Snow and Alpine Centre located on the Bahnhofstrasse.
Stoked Snowsports School
Stoked have been providing snowsports lessons in Zermatt since 1994. They welcome children from the age of 2.5 to their creche and from the age of 4 to their kids club group lessons. You can also hire your equipment directly from their shop.
European Snowsports Ski and Snowboard School
This ski school has been in Zermatt since 2005 and provides small group lessons to children aged 3 to 17. As a parent, you might also be pleased to hear that all kids are tracked using flaik, a leading safety technology. They are apparently the only ski school in Europe using this tracking device.
Summit Ski & Snowboard School
Established in the village since 2004, Summit is Zermatt’s first British ski and snowboard school. All the instructors are native English speakers and group lessons are given entirely in English.
They run kids club groups for ages 6 to 12 and have a maximum 6 kids per group. Teenagers (ages 12-17) are catered for too with the popular Slopestyle groups.
My Ski School
If you want to spend some time together as a family then this is the ski school for you! They offer family ski lessons – a great opportunity for some family bonding. You can also sign your kids up to private lessons here.
Prato Borni Ski and Snowboard School
If you’re considering enrolling your kids in private lessons, these could be the guys for you. Prato Borni specialise in providing private lessons and ensure your kids will learn in a very playful way.
Matterhorn Diamonds
This ski school specialises in private lessons and offers half and full-day one-to-one lessons. They provide fun sessions to children with their specially trained instructors.
Evolution Ski School
This is another ski & snowboard school that specialises in private lessons to both adults and children. You can choose from 2 hours, half day or full day lessons.
Alpine Ski School
Alternatives to Skiing
Maybe you’re not into skiing? Maybe your children are too little to hit the slopes? Or maybe the weather conditions are rubbish!
Here are some suggestions to keep the little ones busy:
Swimming
There are a number of hotels that allow non-residents to use their facilities (for a fee), however, many will only do so on request or by prior reservation. You can find the full list here and be sure to check whether children are allowed or not.
Here are some of the hotels that are open to non-residents:
Aquatic World at the Ginabelle Hotel
Sledging
You can hire a sledge from most ski hire shops and pull your kids round the village or venture further out of town to find some gentle slopes – the Winkelmatten area is great for this. This neighbourhood is located about a 15-20 minute walk from the centre of Zermatt. Check the map below for directions on how to reach it:
If you’re feeling brave, check out the Rotenboden sledging toboggan run at the Gornergrat – only suitable for older children.
Ice-skating
There are two ice-rinks in the village. One is more suitable to little ones with its pushalong penguins to help prop up the tiny tots. You can hire ice-skates at the sports shop in the Coop complex right next to the icerink.
Visit the Matterhorn Museum
There is a sweet little museum towards the top end of the village. Descend into this underground museum and embark on a journey through time. Travel back to 1865 and learn about the dramatic events that unfolded during the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn.
The broken rope which caused the death of four out of the seven mountain climbers on that fateful day is on display. You’ll learn about the challenges involved in conquering the summit as well as some alpine history.
Watch this video to find out more:
Opening hours: 3pm – 6pm (opening days vary during certain times of year – check website for up-to-date information)
Entrance fee: You can buy your tickets in advance online.
Adults: 10 CHF
Child (10-16 years): 5 CHF
Child (under 10): FREE
Horse & Carriage ride around Zermatt
If you’re feeling flush then take a ride on the horse and carriage which leaves from the train station. We recommend doing this when it’s dark so you can fully enjoy the lit up version of Zermatt. It’s a truly magical experience!
Playgrounds in Zermatt
We spent lots of time in the local playparks when our son was too little to go to ski school. It’s a great option to get them outdoors and in the fresh air although be sure to wrap up warm as it can get very chilly for both kids and parents!
There are a number of playgrounds dotted about the village with one of the best ones just behind the Coop and next to the ice rink.
Train Ride – Catch the Gornergrat Train
Why not go for a train ride on the famous Gornergrat – it takes about 35 minutes to reach the top. You can check their online timetable for departure times.
Walks in and around Zermatt
Loop Around Zermatt
Zermatt is such a picture-postcard village and well worth a walk round. Here’s a suggestion for an itinerary that takes in the main sites that will interest children. The loop is 1.35km, however, with stops you could easily spend a couple of hours getting round. Click into the map below and zoom in or out as required.
Travel Back in Time Walk
If you want to travel back in time, do not miss our favourite oldy worldy street – the Hinterdorfstrasse. This short stretch of lost-in-time road links the river to the Bahnofstrasse (main street) and gives you an idea of what Zermatt must have been like before glitz, skiing and climbing heroes took over. You will see the traditional Swiss chalets, les Racards, perched on their large flint stone bases (to keep vermin out).
For the Foodies
Zermatt – Eating In
If you’re on a budget, buy your groceries at the local supermarket, Migros or the Coop, both of which are situated in very central locations (Hofmattstrasse and Bahnhofplatz respectively). If you’re staying in self-catering accomodation, then buy cheese from the supermarket or specialist cheese shop and have either fondue or raclette at home.
Zermatt – Eating Out In the Village
You might want to splash out and head out for a family dinner. There’s a great choice of restaurants tailoring to all tastes from traditional Swiss fayre to Japanese, Chinese, Italian and more.
Family Friendly Restaurants in Zermatt
The Factory
One of our favourite family-friendly places is The Factory – it’s a really fun, quirky place with great service. It’s part of the Hotel Post complex – the décor is funky and the restaurant is set out over several floors.
The Walliserkanne
You can also find reasonably-priced wood-fired pizzas at the Walliserkanne on the main street.
Whymper Stube
Named after the famous climber, Edward Whymper, this restaurant is the go-to place if you want to have a fondue. Located in the heart of Zermatt, opposite the Matterhorn Museum, Whymper Stube offers many varieties of fondues including meat, cheese, tomato, mushroom, chilli and even prosecco fondue!
The Brown Cow Pub
For a relaxed affair, head to the Brown Cow Pub (located in the same building as the Factory) on the main street (Bahnhofstrasse). They make a mean burger, have plenty of choice of craft beers and plenty of options for kids including hot dogs, bagels, club sandwiches and more.
Eating On The Slopes
The main ski stations have the typical cafeteria style restaurants serving wienerli frites, bratwurst, rosti and such like. However, there are some absolute gems that we can’t recommend highly enough.
Our absolute favourite is Chez Vrony – from the décor, the ambience, the staff and of course the food, it’s a must – we love to treat ourselves when the kids are at ski school.
Babysitting: Nights Out For the Grown Ups
Children are welcome in most restaurants and many often offer early dining if you have little ones. However, you might fancy a grown up night out during your stay in Zermatt. The tourist office has a list of babysitters they can provide you with. We have used the Alpine Nanny on a few occasions and she was brilliant.
Après-Ski
There’s a lively après-ski scene in Zermatt. Depending on your kids’ age, you may have to wait a few more years to indulge in some proper après-ski as these bars tend to get very noisy. Here are some of the more popular ones:
Iglu dorf – snow bar bar on the slopes!
The Snowboat – a fun, boat-shaped building by the river.
Harry’s Ski Bar – a tiny pub next to the river
Alternatively, head for a yummy hot chocolate with the kiddos in one of the local bakeries – Fuchs bakery – your coffee will be served with a tiny chocolate cup filled with cream. Or, go for a walk around the village and make sure you pick up some roasted chestnuts by the ski school building on the main street.
Accommodation
We usually stay in self-catering accommodation as this suits our family’s needs perfectly. Our absolute favourite is The Mischabel apartment: it’s located right in the centre of the town and is only a 2 minute walk to the closest supermarket and a short walk to all the ski lifts.
There is an amazing variety of hotels on offer – traditional, modern, trendy catering to every wallet size – some including half board/full board.
Useful Tips
- Make sure you have a CHF 5 (franc) coin when you arrive in Tasch’s/Zermatt’s train station so that you can use one of the trolley’s.
- Be aware that babies and young toddlers will struggle with high altitudes so be mindful of how far up the mountain you take them and consider consulting with your doctor
- Zermatt is a ‘car free’ village, however, this doesn’t stop some of the electric vehicles from driving at top speed so make sure you keep an eye on your little ones and keep them on the pavement.
- Look out for wildlife during trips on gondolas, ski lifts as there are usually quite a few mountain goats to be spotted.
- It can get very cold and windy on the slopes so make sure you pack a skiing balaclava (US / UK ). They’re so useful for both children and adults. We love ours!
- Why not buy your kids a toblerone and see if they can spot the resemblance, lol.
So are you sold yet? It’s not a bargain holiday by any means, but it’s definitely something for the bucket list! Do let us know if you have any other tips for visiting Zermatt with kids.
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