I’m not going to lie, I’ve been dreaming of seeing the Matterhorn for years thanks to social media… Every time I’ve seen a picture of the Matterhorn towering over Zermatt I’ve been in awe of the sheer size and breathtaking mountain landscapes of the region.
Well, I finally made it happen because we went to Switzerland for our honeymoon in January and I have to say, Zermatt and the Matterhorn absolutely lived up to (and exceeded) all of my expectations!
We picked Switzerland for our honeymoon because my husband grew up in Florida and being on the beach and in tropical sunshine was the norm for him and doesn’t feel like anything special, so a typical honeymoon to the Maldives, Bora Bora or the Seychelles were not on the cards for us. So we decided to go the opposite direction and plan a snowy honeymoon rather than a beach honeymoon.
I’ve been to Switzerland before but only for an overnight trip on our drives to Croatia where we lived for 1.5 years and when we went to Liechtenstein.
So on our Switzerland itinerary, we made sure to visit all the places that had been on our bucket list for so long (and it convinced us we need to come back in the summer too for hiking!)
Now if you’re wondering whether Zermatt is worth it for non-skiiers, the short answer is yes!
I can ski (although I haven't for 10+years) but my husband has never skied and we decided that learning in Switzerland wasn’t how we wanted to spend our honeymoon.
So in this Zermatt guide, I’m sharing the best things to do in Zermatt for non-skiers. Whether you’ve never skied, you’re a reluctant skier or you’re just looking for things to do in Zermatt to take a break from your time on the slopes, I hope this guide gives you plenty of ideas for what to see and do in Zermatt that doesn’t involve skis!
Zermatt during sunset
Where to stay in Zermatt
Obviously Zermatt is not cheap, and as two people who prefer to spend money on experiences rather than accommodation, we spent a long time deciding where to stay and what price we were comfortable with.
Ultimately we stayed at The Rex
which offers a range of rooms for different price points, including the Guesthouse by Rexwhich is significantly cheaper than the main hotel.
We also considered these places to stay in Zermatt but because we’re always last minute booking, they were no longer available when we booked:
If money was no object though, I’d have stayed at The OMNIA or Chalet Hotel Schönegg!
Zermatt river
Zermatt
Things to do in Zermatt for non-skiers
Walk up to the Zermatt Matterhorn Viewpoint from town
Zermatt viewpoint
Zermatt Matterhorn
This is an easy Matterhorn viewpoint to reach in about 101-15 minutes on foot from Zermatt, depending on where you’re staying.
While the actual viewpoint marker seems to have disappeared from Google Maps, the location is here.
You want to walk through town, along Wiestistrasse then take Murini on your right. Murini street becomes a paved walkway with steps alongside wooden houses and chalets.
At the top, Murini meets the Gourmetweg footpath and here you’ll find the viewpoint with some of the best views of the Matterhorn, Zermatt town and the whole valley - definitely one of the best easily accessible and FREE views that you’ll get of the Matterhorn.
There’s a sort of car park/turning area but it gets very busy, especially at sunset. So I’d recommend walking a short way along Gourmetweg footpath for more views.
Take the Gornergrat Railway
Gornergrat railway
Gornergrat train interior
Easily one of my top things to do in Zermatt as a non-skiier - although skiers can also take the Gornergrat Railway up the mountain and get off at various stops to ski down.
The Gornergrat train ascends 3,100 metres up the mountain, making it the second highest railway in Europe, after Jungfrau.
The views from the train on the way up are simply stunning and worth the ticket price alone! You can see the Matterhorn from the train as you wind your way up the mountain, surrounded by skiers whizzing past on the pistes.
Gornergrat is surrounded by 28 four-thousanders and there’s also the Gorner Glacier - one of the longest glaciers in Europe.
Even if you’re not a skier, the train ride up is well worth it, there’s a cafe and restaurant at the top with incredible views and a lookout point with 360 degree views just a short walk away.
This is also the train line you’ll need to take if you want to visit Iglu-Dorf Zermatt. The train runs all year round and it’s also a popular starting point for many hiking routes, including to get to the famous Lake Riffelsee.
Helena at glacier paradise
Start from the Gornergrat Bahn station which is directly opposite the main station in Zermatt.
Tickets cost 132 CHF for a return ticket and can be purchased here.
You can also get skip the line tickets here.
Enjoy a spa day at BEAUSiTE Zermatt
A spa day is one of the best ways to enjoy some downtime off the slopes or just in between your days of exploring.
The best part is that there’s several hotels that allow you to buy a spa day pass to enjoy their facilities without being a guest at the hotel.
Book the BEAUSiTE day spa tickets here.
Zermatt
Explore Zermatt town and Hinterdorfstrasse
Hinterdorfstrasse Zermatt
People think that Zermatt is all about the views, but the town itself is really beautiful and worth exploring on foot.
Make sure you walk along Hinterdorfstrasse - this is the oldest street in Zermatt and it’s lined with the most beautiful, historic and picture-perfect wooden houses.
Bahnhofstrasse is packed with shops and eateries and is the perfect spot for some shopping or souvenirs. I may or may not have found myself the perfect Tissot to take home!
There’s also this great viewpoint in Zermatt town itself at the end of Bahnhofstrasse where on a clear day, the Matterhorn peaks over the top of the wooden chalet buildings.
Go for drinks and lunch in an igloo with incredible views
Helena at Matterhorn
Definitely one of the best things to do in Zermatt in winter for non skiers!
Originally we booked a fondue lunch at Igludorf Zermatt, but unfortunately due to exceptionally heavy snowfall, they contacted us to say that all access paths were impassable and it was ski-in ski-out only.
Now obviously if you can ski then this isn’t an issue, but we don’t ski so we certainly didn’t have the skis or the lift pass to make this happen and unfortunately we had to cancel our booking.
Igludorf is amazing, it’s an igloo (literally they remake it from ice every year so it’s never exactly the same) and you can even stay overnight too. Find hotel and restaurant reservations here.
However if you’re like us and don’t have the means to ski, we ended up going to Paradise Zermatt which can be reached via the Sunnegga funicular - I’ve shared all the details in the next section below.
Take the Sunnegga Funicular to the top of Sunnegga and have fondue at Paradise
Paradise fondue
Zermatt beer
If you’re looking for memorable experiences when planning what to do in Zermatt for non skiers, this was probably my favourite *pinch me* moment and if you’re looking for winter activities in Zermatt for non skiers, this is my recommendation.
We took the Sunnegga Funicular (19 CHF one way, 28 CHF return) to the top and while this is a very popular funicular for skiers to take up and ski back down, it’s also a popular spot for skiing and if you’re wondering - can beginners ski in Zermatt? Yes - at Wolli’s Park which is great for families!
BUT if you’re a non-skier, ride the funicular then follow a short walking trail down to Paradise restaurant - just be aware of those around you as you’re sharing the trail with skiers.
Paradise is situated at 2230 metres and has a stunning outdoor wooden deck that overlooks the mountain range, the slopes and has a spectacular view of the Matterhorn. We ended up sitting here for a few hours and had fondue with a beer in the sunshine - it was absolutely magical and one of my favourite memories!
Obviously the meal was expensive, can’t remember the exact bill but it was close to £100 by the time we were done, but we were on our honeymoon so, once-in-a-lifetime, right!
Go snow hiking on Sunnegga
Sunnegga view
Take the same train as above and you’ll find a network of walking trails marked with pink poles.
I’d only suggest doing this when the weather is clear so you can enjoy the views, but the mountain tops aren’t just for skiers to enjoy!
If you’d prefer, you can also rent some snow shoes from Zermatt town before you go up.
Hiking isn’t just a winter activity and it’s a great way to enjoy the slopes and views and is one of the best things to do in Zermatt for non skiers.
Enjoy the local restaurants and bars in Zermatt
Cocktail bar at The Rex hotel
There’s plenty of bars and restaurants to be enjoyed in Zermatt itself that you really will be spoiled for choice!
From gorgeous hotel restaurants to Soupi Street Food Kitchen - my favourite affordable grab-and-go stop for amazing soup and bread.
Infinity Terrace by Schönegg is a classy spot for drinks on the terrace with a view, or Harry’s ski bar for a more casual drink (and maybe a bit of a wild night out!)
We also enjoyed Grizzly’s and Hexenbar for drinks..
Go shopping
Zermatt town
I didn’t really know that shopping in Zermatt was so popular, but it kind of does make sense - there’s a lot of bougie brands here and of course a lot of outdoor brands.
I’m not usually a big shopper when I’m travelling but since it was our honeymoon we decided to get a present for each other, I got a Tissot watch - since Tissot is from Switzerland.
Visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Matterhorn clouds
You’ll need a clear day to fully appreciate the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise which unfortunately we didn’t have.
But this is the highest gondola and highest mountain station in Europe at 3883 metres! With stunning 360 degree views of 14 glaciers, 38 4000ers and 3 different countries, this is a spectacularly expansive view!
There’s also lots of other activities up here including the viewing platform, an ice glacier palace you can go inside, a cinema lounge, food and restaurants and the alpine crossing into Italy.
Take a day trip to Italy on the Matterhorn cable car
Did you know you can take a day trip from Zermatt to Italy on the Matterhorn cable car?
Once you go up to Glacier Paradise, you have the option to not only do all of the activities listed above but also to take the highest alpine cablecar crossing in the world into Italy.
The Matterhorn Alpine crossing connects Zermatt with the Italian town of Breuil-Cervinia, perfect for a day trip between Switzerland and Italy.
As of November 2025, there is now a luggage service so you can enjoy a stay to both sides of the border on your winter trip!
Book a helicopter ride
This has to be one of the most incredible ways to see the Matterhorn - from the skies!
Air Zermatt is the most popular place to book a helicopter sightseeing tour in Zermatt. Prices start from 230 CHF per person.
If you fancy an experience with a bit more adrenaline, why not try a tandem paraglide? I’ve been paragliding over the French Alps before so I can imagine that paragliding over the Matterhorn is just as spectacular, if not even more!
We also did a hot air balloon ride on this trip to Switzerland, although that was in the Saanen Valley, not in Zermatt. If you’re visiting in late January, read about my Switzerland hot air balloon experience here.
Ride the Glacier Express
Glacier express
This was a true bucket list experience for me and if you have an extended itinerary in Switzerland, I highly recommend taking the Glacier Express to or from Zermatt.
The Glacier Express is a panorama train that runs between Zermatt and St Moritz for 181 miles and takes 8 hours with the most stunning scenery throughout - often called the slowest express train in the world!
Don’t worry if you don’t have 8 hours to spare, you don’t have to do the entire journey. The most scenic part to get a bang for your buck is the stretch between Chur and Zermatt which includes the Landwasser Viaduct. You could start your journey to Zermatt from Chur to experience this route. The local train also travels a bit faster than the Glacier Express.
And the local train actually takes the same route, if you’d like to experience the same views for cheaper - you just don’t have panorama windows or windows that open if you want to take pictures.
If you’re planning to use trains for a lot of your itinerary like we did, you might benefit from getting the Swiss Travel Pass - you can read my guide here and decide if the cost is worth it for you.
Enjoy other winter sports: skiing, sledding and snowshoeing
Switzerland skis
Just because you don’t ski, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the countless other snow activities!
If you’re searching for winter activities in Zermatt for non skiers, there are countless options for sledding and snowshoeing, from renting snowshoes at a local gear shop to renting a sled from your hotel gear store!
There are also dedicated sledding slopes or you can book onto an organised snowshoeing or winter hiking tour with local guides or on GetYourGuide.
Summary: the best Zermatt winter activities for non-skiers
From stunning railway journeys to mountain cable cars and charming village streets, there’s so many things to do in Zermatt as a non-skier!
We spent 3 days in Zermatt and I feel like I could have stayed a couple more to do more of the mountain cable cars and views that we missed due to low visibility! So if you’re visiting to do a bit of skiing or also want some down time to do other activities, Zermatt is the perfect place for it!
