Top Things to do in Swiss Alps
The 10 Best Things to Do in Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Discover the best top things to do in Swiss Alps, Switzerland including The Matterhorn, Eskimos Ski School, Element Ski School, ES Zermatt, Summit Ski & Snowboard School, Valle Verzasca, Gornergrat, Aletsch Arena, Valle Verzasca, Bernina Express.
Restaurants in Swiss Alps
1. The Matterhorn
Overall Ratings
5 based on 3 reviews
This imposing mountain towers 14,700 feet on the Swiss-Italian border.
Reviewed By Justine T
You can see this from a range of places in Zermatt. Hopefully you get a clear day like we did. Pretty impressive.
2. Eskimos Ski School
Overall Ratings
5 based on 342 reviews
Reviewed By SuziLyon - Basel, Switzerland
We hired private lessons for 6 kids and had Nick and Linnea teach our kids for 3 hours a day for 5 days. Both teachers were kind, knowledgeable, informative and patient with the kids who ranged in age from 6 to 10. Both teachers taught...MoreHi SuziLyon, Thank you so much for the great feedback. :) Glad to hear that the kids made such a great progress! We hope that you guys come back next year, and we are looking forward to welcome you:) Best wishes from the ESKIMOS-Team
3. Element Ski School
Overall Ratings
5 based on 140 reviews
Element is a small Ski School in Verbier with a focus on quality and on making sure our clients have the best possible time on the mountain. The team is deliberately small - a hand-picked group of the very best, most experienced ski instructors. We run a variety of products with Private Ski Lessons, Performance Camps, Off-piste Camps, Women's Camps and Instructor Training Programmes. We want to take your skiing to the next level. It's that simple.
Reviewed By Stephen G
We spent a week with Emma Cairns in Verbier and cannot say enough about the experience to do it full justice. Emma is THE BEST ski instructor we have encountered in a lifetime of skiing. She brings great enthusiasm, superb teaching skill and a thorough knowledge of the Verbier resort. She is also a particularly lovely person with whom to spend a week on the slopes.
Element appears to espouse a truly client focussed approach to their ski school and it shows in their willingness to design client - specific itineraries on the fly so as to provide an exceptional skiing experience each day depending on skill level, conditions and culinary preferences. We felt very well looked after despite the “terrifying traverse” into Highway...
We will be back!
4. ES Zermatt
Overall Ratings
5 based on 127 reviews
European Snowsport (ES) Zermatt is a small premier snow sport school offering quality private lessons and small (6) group lessons for children. ES specilizes in offering caring, qualified and fun instructor to make your holiday as special as possible.
Reviewed By Jonathan F - Bournemouth, United Kingdom
We have just returned from a week in Zermatt,Switzerland,we were holidaying as a large group with our two girls,age 15 yrs and 5yrs who we arranged to have ski lessons for 3 hours every morning,both our daughters had experienced dry slope skiing back home in the UK but were placed in a beginners class as it was their first time skiing on snow.
Martha our 5 year old was in Emma's group and I have to say we couldn't of wished for a better ski instructor to teach Martha,Emma always greeted her with a friendly and reassuring attitude and off Martha went,she didn't even look back,she couldn't wait to join her group of similar ages and ability.
We would often spot Martha whilst travelling above the Wolli Park on the chairlift and call out,she always would wave back at us and looked like she was having lots of fun.
Having fun was important to us as parents because being so young we didn't want Martha to have an unhappy experience(as I did as an 8 year old with an Austrian instructor who spoke no English and who took the lesson as if it was a chore to ski) time has moved on thankfully!
Emma made Martha look forward to her lesson each morning,they practised on a tiny ramp/jump,they negotiated around posts and by the end of the week Martha's confidence was "sky high". She also enjoyed the morning break for a cup of the delicious Caotina hot chocolate. From talking to Martha about her lessons she said how Emma was always so kind if she fell over or had a problem with the 'magic carpet' (the lift to get them back up to the top of the slope) There seemed to be lots of 'high fives' and team Em and Em's was born and seemed most defiantly the team to be in!...
Martha was actually quite sad when her lessons came to an end and would love Emma to teach her again should we be fortunate to return in 2019.
Overall I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Emma especially if you have a young child,she is so good with children almost as if she has children of her own,she just gets them! Means so much because then you can leave your child whilst you go off and ski with the added confidence that they are in very safe hands.
Thank you Emma once again,you are a credit to ES Zermatt.
The Fry family.
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5. Summit Ski & Snowboard School
Overall Ratings
5 based on 126 reviews
Summit Ski & Snowboard School have a fantastic team of highly qualified ski and snowboard instructors. As well as wanting to share our passion for the Mountains with you, we all love teaching and we're keen help you improve your technique. Book a group or private lesson and let us help you make the most of your holiday in Zermatt.
Reviewed By Amy P
Connie is an excellent ski instructor! She is patient, fun and full of pointers to improve your ski technique. As a beginner skier, I was timid and overwhelmed skiing at Zermatt. After four days of private lessons with Connie, I improved tremendously! On day four...MoreThanks for taking the time to leave a review for our school. We're really happy that you had such a good time with Connie. We look forward to seeing you back in Zermatt at some point in the future.
6. Valle Verzasca
Overall Ratings
5 based on 191 reviews
Reviewed By erbr63 - Rapperswil, Switzerland
We very - very much enjoyed our day in Valle Verzasca. Luckily we arrived on a Monday and fairly early - it can be very busy on weekends.
First stop the impressive dam and browsed the near by shop for some local products.
The drive into the valley is easy, despite the narrow roads. The scenery is stunning, from the beautiful rusticos and towns, to the steep Mountains, lush forrest, the interesting churches, but the creek and the rocks are simply something else.
7. Gornergrat
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
The Gornergrat (3,089 m) is one of those places that everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime. The mountain Panorama and the glorious view of the Matterhorn are unforgettable. With its sunny observation platform accessible all year, the Gornergrat, at an altitude of 3,089 m, has been one of Switzerland’s top excursion destinations since 1898. The Gornergrat Bahn was the world’s first fully electrified cog railway. Today it is a modern, eco-friendly railway, equipped with a regenerative braking system that generates electricity on the descent and so saves energy. All year: •Photo subject: 29 Mountains above 4,000 m in view (Switzerland, Italy) •Shops •Restaurants: self-service and waiter-served, indoors and out •Large sun Terrace •“Bernhard von Aosta” chapel •Panoramic viewing platform Summer: •Wild ibex near the viewing platform of the station •Starting point for hikes •Sunrise trips (bookable offer) •Sunset dinners (bookable offer) •For families: “Wolli and the climate detectives” (audio guides available from Zermatt Tourism and the Gornergrat Bahn cog railway) Winter: •Dining with the stars (bookable offer) •Moonlight visit (bookable offer) •Direct access to the pistes and winter hiking paths •Highest sledging slope in Switzerland (Rotenboden 2815 m - Riffelberg 2582 m) •Igloo village on 2727 m
Reviewed By Murtensee - Murten, Switzerland
Starting with a chilling train ride you reach this great place which offers food and accomodation hospitality. On a sunny day you not even care about the temperature (it was minus 25° C) but you enjoy the view on the glaciers and the Matterhorn.
From there you can ski down or by sledge or just return by train. A must when you visiting Zermatt!
8. Aletsch Arena
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 157 reviews
The Aletsch Arena resorts have much in common: being part of the Alps' first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The views of the imposing 400-metre Valais peaks. Their proximity to the Great Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps. And yet, Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiesch-Eggishorn each have their own distinctive character - which means you can find your very own favourite holiday destination in the most liberating nature experience of the Alps.
Reviewed By Panasonic99 - Cape Town Central, South Africa
The view from the Bettmerhorn to the Aletschgletscher (the longest glacier in the Alps) as well as to the famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau is magnificent, amazing. Hiking in summer time and skiing in winter time here around is splendid. After that relax in one of the various mountain restaurants with good wine and local food.
9. Valle Verzasca
Overall Ratings
5 based on 211 reviews
Reviewed By M_a_r_a_964 - Zurich, Switzerland
Ever since I first was here as a child, this one of my most favourite places in Switzerland. It is absolutly beautiful, the clear water is breathtaking and it makes a one of kind experience for every one who sees this the first time.
If you want to visit this, plan some time to go swim in the water. It is terrible cold - alway even in summer - but it truly stunning to swim in such clear waters and there are lots of places where you can get down to the water.
Please be aware, there are always a lot of tourists there. If you want to avoid them, go in the morning, of late in the afternoon. Also, the most famous part is the little bridge which you can see on a lot of pictures. Want some peace do not stop there but drive a bit above of the bridge or stay somewhere south of it and you have a lot less people. (all want to be at the bridge but the water is everywhere stunning not just at the bridge)
Parking is difficult, take your time to find a spot, drive a few times up and down the valley if you are unlucky to get one straight away. Patience is the key...
Be careful with walking along the street. It is a very narrow street, and lots of cars go up and down the valey. Walking along can get dangerous, especially with little kids.
There are public busses who drive all the way up the valley, you can go with them if you want to avoid the parking issue.
Over all, and even though it has more people every year, i love it. And if you can find a little spot for yourself it s absolutly peaceful and so beautiful you will have a memory for a lifetime!
10. Bernina Express
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
One of the most spectacular ways to cross the Alps: the Bernina Express from Chur/Davos to Tirano (via St. Moritz) links up regions with different languages and cultures. This is not a rack railway and the train winds its way gently through splendid scenery. One of the highlights is the panoramic journey through the UNESCO World Heritage RhB. On the highest railway across the Alps, the Bernina Express climbs up to the glistening glaciers before descending to the palms of Italy far below. This rail link between Northern and Southern Europe builds Bridges between regions with different languages and cultures.
Reviewed By Violette54 - Phoenix, Arizona
Our tour group had an entire reserved car on the electric Bernina Express Train. We rode from Pontresina, elevation 5,922 feet, through the Bernina Pass, elevation approximately 7400 feet, to Le Prese, where our tour bus was waiting. This route follows Hwy. 29 fairly closely and goes right past the amazing Ospizio Bernina, or Lago Bianco, the White Lake.
The train cars are comfortable and there is room to move around, big wide clean windows which can open, and non-stop breath-taking views. This more than a tourist train, as many 'snow travelers' ride it up to where they can ski down. There are railroad-owned guest houses with restaurants along the way.
This is a must-do adventure when visiting the area and I highly recommend it.
