Some of the best times you will have on any vacation, and in any vacation destination, is when there are festivals taking place. I mean think about it, how did New Orleans, Louisiana get so popular right? Well, Zermatt Switzerland is the same in the sense that the small mountain town comes alive and offers even more excitement when there are festivals going on, so this is the best time of year to visit if you are planning a vacation here.
Since Zermatt is such a small town, inhabiting very few people on a year-round basis, you can expect any festival that takes place here to involve much of the town. If you really are into festival going and you have not yet decided when you will take that trip to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn, then you may want to consider visiting in late summer, early fall, as this is when festival season really gets going on. Four festivals in particular are held during this time that you will find especially embody the spirit of Zermatt Switzerland.
- The Swiss Food Festival – This is by far a favorite of visitors to Zermatt, as everyone who visits Switzerland wants to try the food. The Swiss Food Festival is a great opportunity to try a little bit of everything. The weekend long festival is held in August so the weather is mild and cool, and the scent of the array of food floats through the crisp clean air.
- The Folklore Festival – On Sunday of the same weekend of the Swiss Food Festival, the Folklore Festival is held as well, in fact this year is the 44th. If you get the opportunity to attend this festival during your stay in Zermatt you will have the chance to experience all things Swiss while you are there. From yodelers to dancers to musicians and tons of great food, if you go to the Folklore Festival you will not forget where you are.
- The Zermatt Festival – If you are looking to experience something truly unique then you want to visit Zermatt Switzerland during the Zermatt Festival season. There is plenty of music and other art forms to see throughout the month of the festival. And the Zermatt Festival is especially enjoyable for hikers and skiers for a very special reason. Music during the festival is played all over the mountain, and that includes at altitudes as high as 7000 feet. Now that is a way to experience Zermatt Switzerland that not everybody gets to see.
- The Shepherd Festival – Shepherds herding sheep speaks Swiss almost as much as chocolate and cheese, and although this may be one of the least exciting festivals to be held in Zermatt it is definitely something to see. Both the best looking sheep and the best herdsman get an award, and of course you get your typical festival atmosphere you expect at things like these.
Festivals offer you a rare opportunity to get to know a town personally. If you want to get to know Zermatt in this way your best bet is to visit during festival season.