Respectively located on the south end of the Visp valley, 1,620 meters above sea level, at the feet of Switzerland's highest peaks and between the lakes of Thun and Brienz in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, the Swiss cities of Zermatt and Interlaken represent ideal destinations for tourists wishing to take a break from the hot weather and desert panoramas typical of Gulf countries and enjoy sensational high-Alpine views, adventure sports, excursions into an incomparable mountain world and a variety of leisure activities. Both cities are easily reachable thanks to Saudi Arabian Airline's direct connections from the Kingdom to Geneva and Switzerland's efficient railway system. The Swiss Rail Pass is in fact an easy solution to getting unlimited and convenient access to the entire Swiss travel system network. Zermatt A well-known mountaineering and ski resort on the Italian border of the canton of Valais, the village of Zermatt lies like a jewel at the foot of the Matterhorn (Cervino Mountain), the iconic symbol of Switzerland. This cute and tiny city is surrounded by 38 of the Alps' giant massifs including Monte Rosa, Switzerland's highest mountain with a peak of 4,634 meters. The high altitude offers skiing opportunities throughout the year over the mountains of Sunnegga, Gornergrat, Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee. Zermatt's three main streets, running along the banks of the river Matter Vispa, and numerous cross-streets around the station and the church provide tempting, albeit a bit expensive, shopping opportunities. In general, anything is at most thirty minutes' walk away and the entire village, since 1947, is a combustion-engine car-free zone ensuring clean air and a bright sky. The center is animated by lovable electric taxi vehicles including tiny shuttles to carry visitors from the main train station to hotels and ski-lifts stations. The village center comprises a church, the adjacent Matterhorn Museum, the Mountaineers' Cemetery where people who have lost their lives on the Matterhorn are buried, and the Hinterdorf (Old Zermatt) where characteristic wooden houses and stables from the 16th century can still be admired. Within the modern glass dome of the Matterhorn Museum, visitors can enter the world of old Zermatt and follow the history of this farming village that gradually turned into a renowned health and ski resort. Particularly fascinating is the story of the first and tragic ascent in 1895 of the Matterhorn, one of the last alpine mountains to be conquered, that changed the life of Zermatt. Guided by Edward Whymper, the adventure of the British mountaineers who reached the top ended dramatically with only 3 of the 7 climbers surviving the descent. Their misadventure had a sensational impact in Zermatt in the form of an influx of tourists and subsequent construction of many tourist facilities. With its high and central position in Zermatt, Parkhotel Beau Site is a perfect accommodation to relax and enjoy magnificent views over Zermatt and the Matterhorn. The hotel offers the opportunity to experience elegant fireside lounges with piano music, saunas, eucalyptus steam baths, body treatments and culinary specialties like the popular cheese fondue and traditional delicacies of Valais region. Seasonal culinary classics and daily specialties prepared with the freshest ingredients can be also tasted at Berghof restaurant, The Omnia restaurant that is also a modern luxury hotel, and the Swiss Chalet renowned all over Zermatt for its exquisite cheese, meat and chocolate fondues. Healthy and abundant meals will allow you to gather the necessary energy to reach the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat mountain, Zermatt's two main touristic attractions offering breathtaking views of the alpine giant massifs from an altitude, respectively, of 3,883 and 3,089 meters. Cable cars and aerial tramways link Zermatt to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. From here, you are almost in Italian territory and the Mont Blanc, the Alps' highest mountain, seems incredibly close. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise station is connected to the highest glacier palace in the world. You can walk into the palace through an ice tunnel that is almost fifteen meters below the surface of the glacier to admire beautiful ice sculptures. Served by the Gornergratbahn spectacular railway line, the uppermost open-air railway in Europe, the Gornergrat is another peak that offers stunning views over Switzerland's highest mountains. At the summit, tourists can find a hotel, restaurant and shopping center. Last but not least, Zermatt is the starting point for a memorable one-day journey through mountains, valleys, glamorous health resorts and impressive tunnels and bridges with the world-famous Glacier Express rail service to Davos and St. Moritz. Interlaken At two and a half hours distance from Zermatt, Interlaken is reachable by train with two changes in the cities of Visp and Spiez. The city does not only enjoy a privileged position between the lakes of Thun and Brienz but also offers impressive views over the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau massifs that are part, along with the Aletsch glacier, of the Jungfrau-Aletsch site enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Easy to reach through Paris, thanks to TGV Lyria's new direct train connections that start from Dec. 9, Interlaken is a dreamland for excursion lovers. The city offers the possibility to enjoy cruises on the lakes of Thun and Brienz and outings to the many summits of the Jungfrau Region using mountain railways and aerial cableways. In response to the increasing number of visitors from Gulf countries, it's also possible to experience a Halal Barbeque Cruise on Brienz Lake with typical dishes from the Middle East. The offer is available every Wednesday evening from June to July and from mid-August to mid-September. The two must-see places in Interlaken are Europe's highest-altitude railway station, known as Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe, and the 3,000-meter-high Schilthorn summit with its Piz Gloria revolving restaurant where the James Bond movie “On Her Majesty's Secret Service” was filmed in 1968. The spectacular panorama one can experience from the Shiltorn's peak is worth the 32-minute aerial cableway trip - views sweep from the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau to the Mont-Blanc and over the Swiss plateau. The Ballenberg Open-Air Museum near Brienz, St. Beatus Caves above Lake Thun, Trummelbach Glacier Falls, train trips to Lucerne, Bern and Montreux and spectacular bus tours over Alpine passes are only some of the other countless attractions. Above all, Interlaken has today become a veritable center of adventure sports. The city's mountains, lakes and rivers make it possible for guests to get a rush of pure adrenaline on air, water or ground. Adventure packages include ice and rock climbing, glacier trekking, paragliding, sky diving, river rafting, canyoneering, waterskiing, sailing, jumping and skiing. Picturesque views of the Jungfrau massif and paragliders flying over the mountains and landing on the H?hematte meadow are available from the 5-star Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, one of Switzerland's most beautiful hotels provided with an incomparable 5,500 square meter Spa. Next to the hotel, tourists can find the traditional Swiss family-owned firm Bucherer leading the Swiss market in watches, gemstone and jewelry with its wide selection of top-quality brands including Bucherer, Rolex, Chopard, Piaget and IWC. Those who are eager to experience a touch of pure “swissness,” can't miss the opportunity to relax and take a tour of Interlaken on board a horse-drawn carriage and visit a chocolate show at Schuh restaurant to discover the process behind the creation of the finest chocolate and try their hand at becoming a chocolatier. A Swiss Helicopter flight from the basis of Gsteigwiler to the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau massifs can represent the best way to crown your vacation enjoying an impressive panorama from the skies.
