The River Vispa runs through the village of Zermatt and the pointed summit of this mountain
can be seen just about everywhere you go in the village.
The Matterhorn is probably the most well-known and recognizable mountain in Switzerland.
I recently spent a long weekend in this mountain village
and this is the view we had from the hotel balcony.
The rising sun hits the side of the snow-powdered rocky surface.
Different times of the day create different moods and they were a constant source
of never-ending fascination.
There were other things to see of course,
like beautiful chalets and pretty red shutters and seasonal decorations.
Bars and cafés often have outside seating with sheepskin rugs
and thick warm blankets to keep warm in the crisp, cold air.
Many of the chalets are very old and have a great deal of charm.
The older the chalet, the darker the aged wood becomes, like this one above.
I have a special fondness for draped sheer curtains!
The hotel we stayed in is basically a big chalet with a modern wing which
is the reception, breakfast room and restaurant.
The hotel is very nicely placed just slightly out of the centre,
but with an easy ten-minute walk to the station.
Only electric vehicles are allowed here
and the air is beautifully pure.
This view just takes my breath away.
The Matterhorn is 4.478 metres high.
The German word 'Matte' means valley or meadow and 'Horn' means peak.
Here is the main church called St. Maurizius
This is the view you get as you come down the steps from the church
The front view from the steps on the old chalets and another mountain range.
One last shot of this iconic mountain at sunset when the sky was just turning
a shade of lavender.
We were so lucky with the weather which was sunny and quite cold.
On the last morning, it was -10 degrees Celsius,
but the average temperature during our stay was around -6C.
I really want to go back here again, but in the summer months so that we can do
more hiking and enjoy the Alpen flowers.
