An Exploration of Zermatt and Western Switzerland

Zermatt is a fairytale village in every sense. Traditional alpine architecture abounds with wooden shutters adorning windows and pine lodges stretching up the valley side. With a ban of combustion engines in town, horse-drawn carriages can be seen trotting along the avenues while others choose to hop on bicycles to make their way around. Dominating the valley is the Matterhorn, with its emblematic, triangular peak composed of four sheer sides facing north, south, east and west. The mountain is solitary in its great size, dominating the distant skyline long before the first summit in 1865. For those who are not experts at scaling these great heights, there are a couple of railway and cable car facilities that travel part way up the 4,478m (14,692 foot) ascent.

The pyramid of the Matterhorn dominates the center of Zermatt, situated in the Nikolaital Valley. The mountain has strongly influenced the development of this old mountain village, "discovered" a century ago by the British and launched as a resort in 1855 by the Seiler, a family of hotel-keepers. Zermatt is renowned as an important mountaineering center, with a dozen peaks over 4000m within easy access of the resort. It is popular with visitors of all nationalities. The resort is traffic-free, with the exception of small electric vehicles and horse-drawn carriages and sleighs.

The steep Gornergrat Railway is the highest open-air railway in Europe, offering fantastic sweeping views of Zermatt. After the Riffelberg stop, where there's an amazing view of the Matterhorn, you can see Monte Rosa and its glacier. Enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the numerous tongues of ice and the Valais. The excursion can be rounded off by the ascent first to Hohtälli, then to Stockhorn in two successive cable cars. If you don't suffer from vertigo, wald from Gornergrat to Hohtälli, following a narrow mountain path for truly breathtaking views.

Nestled in a sheltered bay on Lake Geneva and surrounded by vineyards and the snow-covered Alps, Montreux is an incredibly picturesque town. Embark on walks along the flower-adorned promenades, taking in the waters, which have inspired musicians, such as Deep Purple and Freddie Mercury. Explore Crêtes Castle, standing resolute on the banks, as well as the tower fort of Châtelard Castle and the 12th-century Chillon Castle.

Whilst here, you could also visit Chaplins World - the mansion and 14-hectare park with unobstructed views of the lake that provides an insight into the everyday life of the Chaplins. There's also the Nest, where you can learn all about Nestle's 150-year history.

Saint Maurice is home to what is thought to be the oldest abbey in the world. You'll learn about the history and how the abbey is still important today, after 1,500 years. Continue on to the small town of Martigny, located on the Rhone elbow in the Lower Valais, which is the hub of routes across the Simplon, Great St. Bernard and Forclaz. Its cultural and historical heritage, Mediterranean flair and tasty gastronomy are winning features.

Martigny's history stretches back 2,000 years and Celtic tribes, the Romans and Napoleon's troupes have left their traces. Admire the restored amphitheatre, Roman thermal baths and temples, as well as the Pierre Gianadda Foundation, the most important cultural attraction in Martigny. The Gallo-Roman Museum houses a car museum and every year there are two top exhibitions focussing on world-famous artists. The building was constructed around the remains of a former Roman temple.

Neuchatel enjoys a charming location between the lake and Chaumont Hill. This pleasant, attractive town stands in the middle of vineyards; its pale ochre houses prompted Alexandre Dumas to say it was carved out of a pat of butter. The silhouettes of the collegiate church and the castle dominate the scene. Neuchatel Lake is the largest wholly Swiss lake, being nearly 38km long and 8km wide. Canals used by pleasure boats link it to Lake Biel and Lake Murten. Its iridescent waters and hilly, vine-clad shores are favourite subjects for painters and writers.

You'll explore this pretty town, taking in its impressive collegiate church and the castle. Your tour can be tailored to suit your interests, so you get the very best out of it.

Creux du Van is a natural rock arena of immense proportions, located at the border of the cantons of Neuenburg and Vaud. Impressive 160m high rock faces surround the valley basin, which itself is 4km long and over 1km wide. First glaciers and then brooks have shaped the rocks ,which are 200 million years old.

You'll have the chance to go underground as you enter the 'grotte de la cascade', the cascade cave. After exploring the cave, you can enjoy a delicious Swiss raclette.

The watchmaking centres of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle have been awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO because of their unique architecture. La Chaux-de-Fonds, the birthplace of Le Corbusier, was the capital of the watchmaking industry for over 100 years. The first house designed by the world-famous architect and the International Watch Museum are located here.

You'll visit a watchmaking workshop and see what it takes to be a genuine watchmaker. Wearing a white smock and a loupe headband, you can take your turn at the workbench to execute one of the stages in assembling a watch. All the steps are explained, from inserting the hands to affixing the wrist band.

Explore this famous watchmaking town, taking in its sights on a city walking tour that is tailored to suit your interests.