Zermatt, Switzerland
After a road trip from Dubrovnik, with a stop for the night in the town of Opatija for one last Croatian dinner, we landed in Milan for two nights. We visited the Duomo (the outside only, thanks to Vannah), walked the streets, ate pasta, and I toured the site of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Before heading out, we gathered some provisions at Eataly (the best of the best) and made sandwiches for the road. Two trains later, after a scenic ride through the Swiss Alps, we arrived.
Zermatt, Switzerland… A place where the air is crisp, the wine is served at altitude, and the mountain will chew you up and spit you out if you let it.
Zermatt is the quintessential alpine village in Switzerland, best known for its breathtaking views of the famous Matterhorn. Nestled in a valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks, it's a car-free haven where charming wooden chalets, upscale boutiques, and world-class ski resorts set the scene. And don’t forget the chocolate. The town is full of artisanal chocolate stalls tempting you with handcrafted truffles and Matterhorn-shaped bars. Definitely a bucket-list destination—whether you're a ski novice or someone who takes après-ski very seriously.
As I write this, I'm still black and blue from my first week's falls. Let’s be honest—I probably have no business making my skiing comeback on these slopes. It’s been seven years since my last attempt at skiing, which ended with a torn ACL and subsequent surgery. But Michael was made for this place and I’m so glad that he finally gets to embrace the challenge. I’m doing much better now, tackling the blue trails. But the best gems can be found on the reds. One minute, you're skiing down a narrow mountain pathway; the next, you spot a hidden champagne bar perched on the mountainside—of course, only accessible by skis. The ski run system here goes like this: blue (“beginner” ha!), red (intermediate), black (expert), and yellow (off piste, meaning off a groomed trail and through the backcountry). My goal: conquer the blues, NOT get stuck on a red again (even if there are hidden champagne bars along the way), and end this chapter in one piece. We have a lot of luggage to trek…
Even if you aren’t a skier, you can buy a lift ticket that will get you to the summit of Gornegrat (via a scenic cog wheel train), or even the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (via an underground train that moves vertically through the mountain) where you will witness a 360 view of the alps, including the Matterhorn, as you sit in the clouds. Fun fact: The Matterhorn sits on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Although it’s an extra charge added to your lift ticket, you can ski across the border and into Italy.
Zermatt is a car-less town, so the only vehicles you will see are electric shuttles for skiers and hotels, as well as delivery vehicles for the shops and restaurants. In order to get here, you would need to park at the nearby town of Tasch and take the train in. It’s not a big town at all, so you can certainly get to everywhere by foot, even if you’re wearing ski boots.
As for Vannah, we found a fantastic sitter on a site called Petsitting24. You pay for a membership and then you can hire verified pet sitters, read their reviews, etc. We chose a woman named Hana. So Hana Banana and Vannah Banana spend time together almost every day, along with Hana’s boyfriend, Martin (who Vannah LOVES) and their sausage dog, Dobbie. Hana and Martin love taking care of dogs from families who visit from around the world and are saving their earnings to open a dog shelter in Poland.
On week two, we had friends visit to ski for a few days. The boys hit the blacks, Jacob fell off a chairlift, and we all dined at the oldest restaurant in Zermatt, serving classic fondue. It was a fun and funny few days (as always).
We have only a few more days here before we repack our bags and head for Paris to catch the K9 Jets flight home. Four bags (thanks to the Caifanos for taking one back to the U.S. for us), two backpacks, one fragile ceramic vase, a rambunctious pup, and three train changes… all the way to the City of Light. Wish us luck!
