Ski Zermatt, Finish in Zurich: Eight Days in Switzerland

Land in Zurich and go straight to the mountains by train or private transfer. From the window, you’ll experience the roaring Rhône River, dramatic cliffs and high alpine gorges as you climb into the Alps. After a few hours, you're in car-free Zermatt. Get fitted for skis, wander streets lined with traditional Walser wooden architecture and settle in for a dinner of Zermatt lamb and a glass of Valais red.

Wake up to the sights you’ve seen on postcards for years, then grab your skis and ride the Gornergrat railway up to 10,000 feet. Ski runs back toward the village, then break for lunch on the mountain. Dip crusty bread in fondue on the patio at Paradise or try raclette and a rosti at Adler Hitta. Once your meal wraps up, ski back down for après. Your Mountain Travel Expert will match you to an après spot to fit your mood, whether it be dancing at Hennu Stall or Champagne at Cervo.

This is the day you go as high as Europe allows. The cable car climbs to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 12,740 feet, where peaks line up around you. Duck into the Glacier Palace, an ice cave cut straight into the glacier, then head back down for a descent that drops nearly 7,000 vertical feet all the way to the village. Land at Harry's ski bar, where the music starts early or take the quieter route and drink champagne at Cervo on the terrace while the sky turns pink.

This is the day you've been dreaming about. You'll spend it skiing from Zermatt into Cervinia, Italy. In the morning, you'll meet your ski guide, who will check the snow, plan the crossing and lead you up to the Theodul Pass — the high glacier saddle where Switzerland ends and Italy begins. You'll ski down the far side into Breuil-Cervinia, where the same mountain you woke up to now goes by Monte Cervino. Long cruising pistes, a two-hour lunch of pasta and espresso in the sun and a crossing back before the last lift. Two countries, one lift pass and a story you'll tell for years.

Wake up to one last morning in Zermatt. Your Mountain Travel Expert will plan an activity to fit your schedule whether it’s final ski runs, a long brunch or a thrilling sledge ride. Then, you’re off to Zurich via train or a private transfer. Watch the Alps go by with a cup of coffee. In Zurich, drop your bags at your lakeside hotel, hit the city for a stroll along the lake and ease into the evening with fondue in an Old Town cellar.

In the morning, you’ll meet with a local guide who will take you on a walking tour exploring the Old Town's medieval lanes and guild houses. Stop by Chagall's five famous stained-glass windows at the Fraumünster Church then spend the afternoon soaking at Thermalbad and Spa. These thermal pools sit in a historic brewery, with a rooftop pool overlooking the cityscape. Finish the day at the opera or a long dinner lakeside.

For your last full day in Switzerland, ride the train up Uetliberg mountain for a final glimpse of the Alps. Back in town, hit the shops along Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s main downtown boulevard, and pick up some Swiss chocolate to take home. Spend the afternoon in a sauna floating on Lake Zurich, with a cold plunge straight into the water below. Toast the trip that evening with a farewell dinner in the Old Town.

No alarms today. Sleep in, linger over a long breakfast and take one last walk along the Limmat before you pack up. When it’s time to go, it’s a short 10-minute train from the city center to Zurich Airport for your flight home.