The Gornergrat stands at 3'089 metres and commands one of the most breathtaking panoramas in the Alps: from the viewing platform beside the historic mountain hotel, 29 four-thousand-metre peaks are visible, including the Matterhorn, the Dom (4'545 m) and the vast Gorner Glacier – one of the largest ice flows in the Alps. The ride on Switzerland's oldest electric rack railway is an experience in itself.

From the Gornergrat terminus, trails fan out in every direction: to the Rifelsee, the Rotenboden or down to Riffelalp. In winter, the area forms part of Zermatt's extensive ski resort. The observatory at the summit also houses a small museum dedicated to astronomy and alpine geology.

The Gornergrat Bahn departs from Zermatt every hour and reaches the summit in around 33 minutes. Zermatt itself is only accessible by train from Visp or Täsch. Tickets for the mountain railway can be booked online: gornergrat.ch