Ski

Zermatt, Switzerland: Things To Do In Zermatt For Non-Skiers

Zermatt at night, Switzerland

Start planning your winter holiday with this handy travel guide to the top things to do in Zermatt, Switzerland. Oh and we’re not just talking about skiing!

Zermatt is one of the prettiest towns in Switzerland. There’s the pretty town centre, filled with wooden chalets and historic homes, peppered with adorable bakeries, smart restaurants and endless ski wear shops. Then there’s the towering mountains, including the omnipresent peak of The Matterhorn – one of the world’s most recognisable peaks.

There are plenty of great things to do in Zermatt in winter (even if you don’t ski!) including visiting the town’s relaxing spas, top restaurants, hiking to snap pics of stunning views and visiting places like the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. 

I headed to Zermatt in January with Jet2. From Geneva, we travelled up to the beautiful town, also home to Europe’s highest ski resort.

Read more

Mark Warner Ski Review: Beginner Ski Holiday

Me kitted out in my ski gear

Thinking of booking a beginner ski holiday? Find out more about learning to ski on a Mark Warner holiday in this first hand account. 

All the gear and no idea. That’s how I’d describe myself as I headed to Heathrow Airport on a dark  January morning ready for my first ever ski trip. I’d signed up to a beginner ski holiday with Mark Warner. 

Kitted out in newly purchased snow boots and a borrowed ski jacket, I felt like a massive fraud. I’ve never skied in my life. I struggle with activities that involve balance or co-ordination. Don’t even ask about my track record on a bike…

Mark Warner Ski Trip Tignes - 20

Despite this, I like to think of myself as a bit of adventurer, yes really! I’ve hang-glided in Rio De Janeiro, volcano boarded in Nicaragua and I’m an adrenaline freak when it comes to rollercoasters. I’ll try most things once. So why did the thought of hitting the slopes fill me with fear? Well for a start, who learns to ski at the age of 30?!

SKIING FOR BEGINNERS

Thankfully this was a ski trip to ease anxious sorts like me into this bizarre concept of sliding down a mountain with two planks strapped to my feet. From London, I travelled to the Mark Warner resort in Tignes Val Claret in the French Alps. It was a beautiful journey – with fir trees dusted in white powder, frozen lakes and frosty mountain peaks. My home for the next few days was the chalet-style Hotel L’Ecrin du Val Claret (full review coming soon). Covered in a snowy cotton-wool blanket, the hotel was beautifully cosy with large lounge areas, an inviting fireplace and a luxurious spa. I started to think I could fit in here.

 

Spectacular snowy drive in the Alps… Feels like Christmas all over again! #mwmoment

A photo posted by Chloë Gunning (@wanderlustchloe) on

Hotel L'ecrin Du Val Claret
Hotel L’ecrin Du Val Claret

Read more