Nature and outdoor lovers in Andermatt are like a match made in heaven! I would even call Andermatt in Switzerland an insider tip because it is only a 90-minute drive from Zurich and yet you experience pure nature. Although I was on-site during the summer holidays, I could relax incredibly and was able to roam the small towns without much hustle and bustle. If you are planning a short trip or a longer active holiday in Switzerland, you should not underestimate the beauty of Andermatt.
How to get to Andermatt?
From Zurich Airport you have several options to come to Andermatt. You can either take the train and enjoy just under 3 hours driving through the mountains or rent a rental car and reach Andermatt within 1 ½ hour.
We drove from the airport by train to Andermatt. The train journey is incredibly fast. However, you have to change the train about 3-4 times. When you do arrive in Andermatt, you do not really need a car. You can reach everything on the spot by a train or bike. Inside, everything is within easy walking distance.
What to do?
Andermatt offers so many activities that you will not get bored. We borrowed e-mountain bikes, for a day, from the Mammoth Store directly across from our Radisson Blu hotel.
Within less than 2 hours, we drove past the famous Teufelsbrücke to the Göscheneralpsee, a beautiful reservoir that is not so popular, even on Instagram. We also had to drive about 5 minutes of the whole ride the main road. Other than that, you can enjoy the full ride to the fullest at every beautiful place and make pit stops anywhere you want. Take a look at the small lake beyond the campsite. The campsite is about 4km before the Göscheneralpsee. The family-run restaurant right on the Göscheneralpsee is also worth a visit. After a successful trip, we had an Aperol. The return to Andermatt took only 50 minutes.
But you do not have to drive that far to reach about 1800m altitude. The mountain railway in Andermatt drives you directly up to Gütsch and can you get a fantastic view of the Taldörfer and the Alps. At the top, there are numerous hiking routes. We decided to go down the mountain because we really wanted to pet the cows. On our way back to the valley, we made a little stop for a memorable picnic, which we were able to take from the hotel.
Where to stay?
Most of you have probably heard of the Chedi Hotel in Andermatt. But it is not the only place to be in Andermatt. Our hotel, the Radisson Blu Hotel Andermatt, was opened at the end of 2018 and is the perfect base for a relaxing or active holiday in the mountains. Here you are ideally kept whether you are enterprising and at the same time would like to use the great fitness and wellness facilities. My personal highlight was the view from the swimming pool and the gym. Also, the fitness equipment is the most modern and latest the market has to offer. The sports offer definitely motivated me to go to the gym every day.
Honestly, that was badly needed because I could not stop myself from eating voraciously at breakfast. Mainly only fresh and local products were offered, which of course I had to try at all costs! On the second day, I restrained myself a bit and prepared a fresh omelette and waffle.
Absolutely impressive is that no palm oil is used in the whole breakfast buffet.
In the evening, in the restaurant, we “Spun” a combination of Italian and Swiss food. There is something for everyone on the map. The spaghetti with truffles or, of course, the main “Surf and Turf” tasted excellent!
In an emergency, the very friendly waiters were always there to give us a tip. I like to pass on an insider tip! Normally I would not have ordered the dessert “Anderwald” before the nut nougat cuts, but I still dream of that refreshing dessert to this date!
Speaking of dreams … After a full day in the fresh air and a short sauna before we went to bed, I slept like a baby in our spacious Scandinavian-style room.
I often think of this great stay even now, because it was a completely perfect holiday for me and, definitely, not for the last time in Andermatt!
