Travel Log

Another day, another epic breakfast. Based on the weather forecast we had picked out today for our day up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, the highest viewing platform in Europe. We upgraded to the roof top ride gondola out of Zermatt which gave us excellent views, including of the Matterhorn, and we had the whole gondola to ourselves. For the final gondola to the Klein Matterhorn, where Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is located, we had a glass-bottomed gondola and could look through our feet at the glacier below - neat! The glacier at the top was vast and a playground for summer skiers. We were able to take a walk on the snow for views to Italy and a bunch of high snow-capped peaks with tiny dots for mountaineers. Unfortunately the girls had both managed to lose their sunglasses on this holiday already so we couldn’t linger long as it was so bright.

Inside, we followed a tunnel down into the inside of the glacier, with room after room of ice sculptures, including one which had a slide we could go on! It was very cold though and at this altitude we were all a bit short of breath and headachy. Back in the daylight the top viewing platform gave 360 degree views all around. Stunning, and a good place to eat our sandwiches made with the leftover food from breakfast. Back inside we warmed up with a hot chocolate and a rösti in the cafe before heading down to thicker atmosphere.

Back at the hotel the kids went in the hot tub while Nick went for a short but steep “run”, returning half an hour later and half dying.

In Zermatt they get the party started early for tomorrow’s Swiss National Day, and we heard that from 4pm there would be music and street food and fun down along the Bahnhofstrasse. The atmosphere was buzzing and the streets were heaving. We got ice creams all around and enjoyed the vibe. We got the girls new sunglasses in Decathlon and headed home, pretty tired and ready for dinner. We had thought to eat at one of the stalls but there was so much to choose from and it would have been 50:50 whether the kids would have liked it or not.