The charming town of Zermatt is Switzerland’s best-known ski resort. Nestled on a high plateau, it sits at the foot of the highest and most photographed peak in the country, the Matterhorn (14,692ft or 4,478m). The resort is a picturesque, if rather sprawling, old mountain village that is car-free with Swiss-style chalets. The village can only be reached via a spectacular cog railway from the valley below. It has one of the best networks of super-efficient cable cars, gondolas and cog railways in the country that whisk skiers to three separate ski areas and to altitudes of over 12,000ft (3,600m). Twenty-one of the 36 lifts also operate during the summer to cater for the busy hiking and climbing season. There are also plenty of non-skiing activities, superb views, some of the best mountain restaurants worldwide, and a raucous nightlife to keep everyone entertained. The Alpine Museum commemorates the tragic first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and the many lives claimed by ’the killer mountain’ are honoured in the cemetery.