Zermatt
in Valais

The Matterhorn is one of those mountains that looks almost too perfect to be real, and seeing it for the first time above the rooftops of Zermatt is a moment that genuinely lands. The village is car-free, well-preserved, and exceptionally good at being a ski resort: the terrain is vast, the snow reliable at altitude, and the glacier skiing extends the season well into May. Off the slopes the streets are lined with good restaurants and the kind of outdoor kit shops that make you want to buy things you probably do not need. Come in summer too. The hiking is world-class.