Short-day hikes in Zermatt, Switzerland: getting the best of Matterhorn

 

In an earlier post, I described my visit to Zermatt in Switzerland and the iconic mountain known as Matterhorn that one should not miss. Zermatt is definitely an ideal tourist destination when one is visiting Switzerland! I usually like to go to a place as a traveler rather than as a tourist, and the features of a place while traveling are better noticed when hiking. 

This time, I will be suggesting some hiking trails around Zermatt that are easy to moderately doable, and enable one to enjoy viewing Matterhorn at the same time! 

The first tip is to check the weather; one may even miss having a full view of Matterhorn even on a slightly cloudy day!

One of the hiking trails that gives a nice view of Matterhorn

A hike that I enjoyed a lot was the trail that starts from Zermatt and ends at Lake Schwarzsee. The elevation gain is around 1 km, but can still be done with intervals in between or even with a steady go! In the end, it is about how much you love the hike and surely one will, because of the amazing views this one offers!

Lake Schwarzsee with a view of Matterhorn

 

One can also take this hiking trail the other way around, that is to descend all the way to Zermatt. This is possible as there are cable cars that go directly from Zermatt to Schwarzsee. No matter what, one will be able to reach the destination by lunchtime. 

Lunch break with a view of the Lake Schwarzsee 

Yet another hiking trail that I liked is called the 'Mark Twain Trail' which turned out to be a fairly easy and short one. If one has less time in Zermatt and still wants to enjoy the best view of Matterhorn in a less crowded atmosphere, I would recommend taking this short hike to Riffelberg and enjoying the view of Matterhorn over lunch from the restaurant there. Of course, the restaurant up on top of Gornergrat, the highest accessible point close to Matterhorn, is the most people-recommended one, but I loved the restaurant on top of Riffelberg as more closer to nature.

The view of Matterhorn on the way from Riffelalp to Riffelberg

My favorite hike among the less strenuous hikes is the 'Five Lakes Walk', because it is a thematic one. Three of the lakes show a reflection of Matterhorn on a clear day and all of them provide nice views while relaxing for a break on their banks. Though it is an easy hike to visit the first three lakes that give splendid views of Matterhorn in the background, the sudden ascent to Lake Stellisee and finally to the cable car station Blauherd requires a medium level of fitness. If one has two days to spend in Zermatt and a sunny day to enjoy, this hike would be the best thing to do! 

Reflection of Matterhorn captured over Lake Grindjisee

Many more easy to medium-level hiking trails are available on the website of Zermatt (https://www.zermatt.ch), out of which I pointed out my personal favorites. There are also interesting and more challenging hikes as well as traveler tips to get the best out of visiting Zermatt that I will be explaining in detail in my upcoming posts. Stay tuned! 

Me and the natural world- the connection

 

One of the coolest attention-pulling words used by travel bloggers and vloggers these days is ‘getting inspired by nature’. Well, I ask myself this question of how much I connect with the natural world every time I come back after a journey. Do I involve myself a lot more in electronic gadgets than I want to?

After I find an answer to that question, I try to make my next travel a lot better than the previous one by involving myself more with the surroundings and absorbing the present.

 

Connecting with nature had helped me on my path to becoming more mindful. In my earlier years, I chose this as an option when I felt stressed at work or with my personal life. Later it turned out to be less of an option. Just like how geology frames my life!

 I find the utmost happiness in hiking or wandering, getting some fresh air from mountains, forests, beaches, or anything natural. This is what doing research as a geologist had always made me.  I had often gaped in awe at intricate details of the natural world, and sometimes the effects of the surroundings on me can even be tiny. Sometimes my whole travel plan turns out to be a flop due to excessive rains (I am a fan of rain in tropical lands, but not in temperate landscapes!), had stressed me out with not getting my visa until the last minute travel, but all these were part of the whole package. Many a time, I had forgotten to take clear and nice pictures or videos of my journeys, and probably that is why they stayed as memories and made a larger impact on my life. 

The natural shores of Lake Como

Como is definitely a place that should be on everyone's bucket list. This small city can make you ravish and be lavish at the same time! The lake is definitely the most popular destination for tourists, but there is more to the place than that! This place has a little bit of everything- history, art, architecture, and of course, delicious Italian cuisine! 

Monumento ai Caduti per Servizio, the sculpture of a hand  situated in Como Central, dedicated to disabled people who were active for the service of  the country

Lake Como, just before sunset

It takes at least two days to cover the entire Como, and also its surrounding villages that are accessible by ferries and boats. The hillside village of Varenna is a charming place to spend an entire afternoon. A neighboring and glamorous village, Bellagio, also known as the 'Pearl of Lake Como' is also worth a visit. As tickets for the ferries are always in demand, it is better to book beforehand and plan accordingly. Also, the time schedule of the last ferry that reaches back to Como needs to also be taken into account when you plan the whole trip.

The next foggy morning, I got a splendid view of the lake along with the spray fountain at Villa Geno at a distance. For a wider view of the steep, green hills that surround the lake and also the picturesque villages along the coastline, I suggest visiting the surroundings of the Museum of Tempio Voltiano, a museum dedicated to the scientist Alessandro Volta.

There are many parks and gardens in and around Lake Como where you can spend a relaxed afternoon and enjoy the breathtaking sunset that follows, which marks the end of the day. You can find nice local restaurants near the shore and also near the Piazza Duomo, further up the town. Even though slightly expensive compared to an average Italian restaurant, some of the dishes are really worth a try, and I would recommend nice fish delicacies!

About me

I like to travel- small travels, long travels, up a mountain, down a valley, to a sloppy marsh, to smoky volcanoes, to ancient castles, to bustling cities, to fairy tale villages, to Gothic haunts; a visit to Como, a flight to Boston, up the Matterhorn, down Shimla valley, to the bogs of Galway, to the puffy Etna, to ancient Stonehenge, to the Broadway theater. My travels go on.

If you ask me what interests me most, I don’t have a specific answer. Landscape fascinates me; my camera always captures pristine nature. People and their food interest me. I try to understand their temperament through their food- the spicy Andhra lamb curry, the cheesy spaghetti Carbonara, the slurpy Ramen, the huge hamburgers of N.Y. I take care to taste the local food wherever I go.

Looking at the Thun castle I say, this is sandstone, typical of the place. Bending my neck backwards to view the tallest spike in the cathedral of Milan (ancient cathedrals attract me, I do not know why!) I say, oh, Gothic art in marble. I collect rocks from the places I go (when people collect curios and jewellery!).

So, in short, I am an enthusiastic traveler, who travel for the sheer joy of it. I am a photographer (not professional) and a foodie. I appreciate art, ancient and modern. That explains me. Now you might be wondering about my interest in rocks. I am a Geologist too!!