Andermatt, in the center of Swiss Alps, is a famous holiday resort located in the Canton of Uri and more precisely in the middle of the Vrsar valley and is historically considered as the Swiss crossroads as it is the meeting point of 3 Alpine passes: the Furca, the Gotthard and the Oberalp .
Andermatt is a town full of opportunities and is a typical example of a town capable of offering tourists all the wonders of Switzerland, both in the summer and, above all, in the winter.
It is possible to reach Andermatt by car (via the A2 motorway which connects it to Zurich and Lugano), but also by plane and train; in the first case you have to land in Zurich and take the train connection or the buses, which cover the almost 100 kilometers away from the village, while in the second you get off directly at the town's central station.
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What to do if you don't ski
If you are not busy skiing down the slopes, Andermatt allows you to spend your time doing many other activities; the first is to walk along the village admiring its historic houses entirely built in wood, stopping in the various places with souvenirs or in one of the restaurants to taste a typical Roasti dish (potatoes sautéed several times in a pan).
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The walk can stop at the end of the town or continue to the Mariahilf Kapelle, a small white church just outside the town, from which you can have a splendid view of the town and the entire surrounding plateau. The second activity, which goes well with the holiday, is that of relaxation; in fact, the hotels in the town make their wellness areas and fitness areas available to guests for a healthy wellness experience that can also be enjoyed by those who do not stay in the hotels.
The village also has the Vrsar Valley Museum (Talmuseum Ursern) which is worth visiting; it is located in an ancient XNUMXth century palace, it retains many of the original furnishings and allows you to discover the history of this important valley, its strategic position and the basis of its development, from military art to tourism.
Another absolutely must-do visit is that of Sasso San Gottardo, with tunnels dug during the two world wars and the related underground town, with accommodation, warehouses and powder magazines; for those who do not want, or cannot, climb the over 600 steps there is the possibility of covering the journey with a rack railway which allows you to take a journey through time and nature.
To complete trips outside the village, a stop at the Devil's Bridge (Tefelsbrucke) is a must; below, in the Schöllenen Gorge, the Reuss flows impetuously which, digging very deep gorges, forms unique panoramas with waterfalls up to thirty meters high and, to complete the tour, there is a ride on the Glacier Express, a train that allows you to observe from inimitable perspectives throughout the Swiss Alps, from Saint Moritz to Zermatt.
Other activities related to the winter season could be skating lessons, both outdoors and at the sports centre, open to all or a romantic ride in a vintage carriage, with skates instead of wheels, in addition to various excursions in sleigh pulled by dogs or horses.
Snow holidays
As far as skiing is concerned, the town of Andermatt is part of the large SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun group and is ideal for those who want to spend the White week or a simple weekend dedicated to winter sports.
In fact, the area offers around 30 slopes for a total of over 110 kilometers of descents, reachable by 16 ski lifts located on 5 different mountains; the blue slopes are around 30%, the red ones are over half (53%) and the most difficult ones, the black ones, are 17%.
The ski area also includes 1 snowpark reachable from the Tegia Gronda ski lift on the Sedun vertical; the FunPark, this is the name, is at 2300 meters and is made up of a route containing jumps, rails, boxers and waves, as well as a series of steep curves for guaranteed fun. Inside there is also a Boardercross with curves and very steep walls, with a length of 1 and a half kilometres, and a Funslope.
The particular position allows you to have ample time to exploit the characteristics of the place; the opening of the winter season is in fact placed in the first days of November while the closing of the same very often arrives towards the end of the month of April.
The long opening time of the slopes is also possible thanks to the artificial snow which is guaranteed by over 330 snow cannons which cover 60% of the slopes of all levels of difficulty.
The slopes cover a total difference in altitude of almost 1200 metres; the longest (1 and 2) are over 7 kilometers while the most difficult, the Grind, has a length of 1.200 meters with a height difference of just under 400 metres; for more expert skiers and snowboarders there are 12 kilometers of black slopes and the possibility of free riding and free skiing on fresh snow with the presence, on some of these, of numerous humps and bumps
For lovers of night skiing there are descents on the Serun while, on the Nätschen, there is the possibility of skiing or sledging under the full moon, combining the pleasure of the descent with a romantic and inimitable landscape and surreal atmosphere.
Nätschen is also interesting for those who don't ski as, together with Cuolm, it has Fotopoints where you can take special souvenir photos while on Schneehüenerstoc there is a grandiose panoramic point.
One of the reasons for choosing Andermatt as a location for your ski holidays, in addition to the great variety of slopes on offer and the excellent connection of the ski lifts, is that of the extreme care taken of all the infrastructures and the variety of winter sports that are offered they can do.
In addition to alpine skiing, it is possible to practice alpine skiing cross country, with different routes and degrees of difficulty, (such as the Urserental track, over 40 kilometers long, which winds along the Reuss), or take part in one of the many skating events, both artistic and sporting.
Also noteworthy is the presence of numerous refreshment points that allow skiers but also those who do not want to dedicate themselves to alpine sports, to enjoy the local wonders and taste traditional dishes.
La town of Andermatt it is therefore the ideal meeting point for all categories of tourism, from expert skiers to professionals or off-piste enthusiasts, from families with slopes, playgrounds and restaurants dedicated to children, to nature lovers, but above all it can embrace all age groups, from the very young (with even extreme sports such as paragliding) to the less young, with dedicated structures and wellness possibilities.
