Zermatt, verdict by verdict

Zermatt is the car-free village under the Matterhorn: a resort town of chalets and hotels where the mountain itself is the main event, seen from the Gornergrat railway, the cable cars up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the trails in between. Skiers come in winter, hikers in summer, and the Glacier Express starts here for anyone crossing the Alps by rail.

The caveats are price and weather. Hotels, food and the high lifts all run at Swiss resort levels, and the Matterhorn hides in cloud on some days, which makes a viewpoint ticket a poor buy that day. Getting in also takes time, since cars stop at Taesch and the last leg is by shuttle train or taxi.

Plan around the mountain rather than the village. A couple of nights gives you a second chance at clear weather for the summit viewpoints, the village itself is small and walkable, and the separate ski resort verdict covers the slopes for anyone coming to ski.