As one of the best-known ski towns in the world, little Zermatt, Switzerland, rates at least an overnight, even for nonskiers.
Despite a ban on cars (take a train from Brig), this town 95 mi/155 km southeast of Montreux is more touristy than quaint. Nonetheless, if you walk into the mountains on one of the many hiking trails in the area, you'll quickly find yourself in the midst of beautiful scenery, and you'll pass by more than one isolated chalet.
The ultimate challenge, of course, is to climb the Matterhorn, Switzerland's tallest peak, but the majority of visitors should be satisfied with riding the cable car (the highest in Europe) up the Klein (Little) Matterhorn. On clear days, you can see its bigger brother.
Don't be surprised to find skiers even in the middle of summer—the highest slopes have snow year-round. Zermatt is also an excellent tennis resort in summer, with lots of fine courts and a good coaching staff.
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