Zermatt

Trip: Luxembourg > Brussels > Amsterdam > Bruges > Fredrichshafen > Zermatt

My first impression of Zermatt was that it is overcrowded and expensive. The roads were narrow and I had no clue where to go first. Wisely I decided to get settled in a Youth Hostel first and then go for exploration work.

Huts @ Matterhorn trail

I asked the tourist office adjacent to the station for directions and was told exactly how to reach my place. I still had one question - Where is the famous Matterhorn peak? I hoped I will get the answer sooner.

Zermatt from Youth Hostel

Youth Hostels in Switzerland open at 4 PM. I was one hour early and hence walked out to settle on the chair. There I first saw it. Imperiously looking at the Zermatt village was the grandest peak in entire Europe - Matterhorn.

Matterhorn from one of the roads, Zermatt

It was an instant decision that I will take up a trail and would climb up near this majestic natural structure. It was surprising how well each of the the trails were demarcated. I took the Matterhorn trail expecting that I would get closer to the grand white peak.

Matterhorn Trail, Zermatt

The trail was beautiful and I had several moments when I decided it could not go better and I was proved wrong. I came back to my abode for an early dinner. Chicken rice was amazingly tasty and gave me the energy for a second walk.

Starting point of Matterhorn Trail

This time however, the roads were not that tricky. In fact there was only one main road in the Zermatt village which had small close-ended branches. The main street was well lighted and although the shops were closed, there was a good crowd on move.

Sunshine, Zermatt

The next morning I started for Spiez. It is close to Visp which is the starting point of Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway line. In the glorious sunshine, beautiful becomes beatific in Switzerland. I enjoyed couple of chapters from the book I was carrying.

Spiez

Spending a couple of hours in Spiez, I started for Basel. I had to cover a few points in Basel before boarding my CNL train for Copenhagen later that day.