Saas-Fee
and Saastal - www.saas-fee.ch
Sporting activities
include
Hiking
There is a vast network of trails in the Saastal and
up in the mountains, as well as a via ferrata. Surrounded
as it is by so many of the highest peaks in the alps,
this area is hard to beat.For a beautiful lake go to
Kreuzboden and for great views of many Fourthousanders
go to Hohsaas. Maps can be obtained from the tourist
office.
Summer skiing
and snowboarding
There are 20 km of glacier pistes and excellent snowboarding
facilities above the resort. The skipass is valid for
Zermatt as well making it the largest summer skiing
area in the alps.
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Mountaineering and rock climbing
This is a truly wonderful climbing resort and full details can be obtained from the guides office.
Other sports
Mountain biking, outdoor and indoor tennis, aerial trekking through the adventure forest, Feeblitz summer bobsleighing, golf (9 hole course), pony trekking and swimming - a 25m indoor pool and Switzerland’s largest outdoor pool at Brigerbad, are some of the other sports available.
Local attractions and places to visit
Museums, horse drawn carriage rides, wine-tasting, visits to Zermatt and Visperterminen - the highest vineyard in the alps, Saas Balen church, the highest revolving restaurant and the largest ice pavilion in the world are, as in winter, also not to be missed.
Music
This year the International Alpine Music Festival is being held here from 9 - 12th July.
Other events
Such as the Summer Festival - see www.saastal.ch
under events.
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Zermatt
- www.zermatt.ch
Sporting activities include
Hiking
There are 400km of marked trails to explore in the stupendous
mountains of this, the greatest of all alpine resorts.
Maps and details of the peak pass (hikers lift pass)
are available at the tourist office. The best views
of the Matterhorn are from Gornergrat and Rothorn, but
to see Mont Blanc and beyond you need to go up to Klein
Matterhorn.
Summer skiing
and snowboarding
With its 1000m height difference from the top station
down to Trockener Steg, Zermatt’s glacier skiing
has splendid long runs but also something to offer all
skiing abilities. For the snowboarder the gravity park
has a super pipe,half-pipes and various rails and jumps.
The ski pass is valid at Saas-Fee, making this the biggest
summer skiing area in the alps.
Mountaineering and rock climbing
With 38 4000m peaks surrounding Zermatt, including the
awe inspiring Matterhorn on its doorstep, Zermatt is
not exactly short of great climbs. The nearby Monte
Rosa massif includes the second highest peak in the
alps and the Dom, a little way down the valley, is the
third. To many, Zermatt is the climbing capital of the
world. All details are available from the guides office.
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Other sports
Mountain biking, outdoor and indoor tennis, paragliding, the
adventure forest, golf (9 hole course between Taesch and Randa),
swimming in various indoor pools and mule trekking, are some
of the other sports available.
Rafting
This exhilarating team sport can be enjoyed between Stalden and Visp.
www.swissraft.ch/en/rafting.html
Local attractions
The glacier ice palace, sunrise over the Gornergrat followed by breakfast in the Kulm hotel up at 3089m then a guided wildlife tour, 6 fine lakes - 5 reflecting the Matterhorn, including 2 where bathing is permitted (Leisee, Gruensee) and finally Schwarzsee with the lovely Mary of the snow chapel, the glacier garden at Furi, horse-drawn carriage rides and the charming Anglican church with memorials to those who have lost their lives climbing near Zermatt.
Local resorts and villages
Randa - a delightful village, a short way down the valley, with a splendid baroque church.
www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/destinations
then click valais.
A fantastic train journey to St Moritz
The Glacier Express ,travelling from Zermatt to St Moritz
in 7.5 hours, is the worlds slowest express train (averaging
22 mph!). This train journey is one the worlds classics, passing
through glorious and ever changing scenery, via the Oberalp
pass at over 6000ft. - www.glacierexpress.ch
Music at Zermatt
The Zermatt Festival takes place from 4 -10th September with ensembles and soloists from the Berlin Philharmonic as well as an international academy with young talented musicians. There is also a film festival and other events.
2 wonderful websites covering Zermatt
in summer
www.ski-zermatt.com/summer.html
www.switzerlandisyours.com/e/guide/valais/zermatt.html
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