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Europe is looking better all of a sudden! |
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Written by Mr Five Star
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 We Americans can almost afford to start looking at Europe as a possible option for almost affordable travel. This past May when I went to London my hotel suite cost 500 pounds or about $1,000 US, today it will cost me $865.00 still not a great bargain in the UK, but that same room in France will cost me $670.00 and in Switzerland $440.00. Are you thinking what I am thinking? Maybe we should be looking at Zermatt for our ski holiday this year. The airlines are feeling the squeeze as well and are beginning to offer excellent fares to Europe. Think about getting a deal to London, like Stansted then take Ryan Air anywhere in Europe for very little more. It is my opinion you should watch very carefully the exchange rate in Europe and the air fare deals. This US financial debacle may get you to Europe when you were least expecting to go. You see, sometimes there is a silver lining in that cloud.
Zermatt - The village without cars Zermatt, at the foot of the majestic Matterhorn, is a world without cars. Electric-cars and horse-drawn sleighs and carriages are the only transport allowed. Come to car-free Zermatt - the perfect Alpine resort for rest and relaxation. Zermatt is located at the foot of the Matterhorn in the Valais Alps in the south of Switzerland at an altitude of 1,600m. above sea-level. The resort lies at the end of the Vispa Valley, which is reached via the town of Visp. 38 of Europe's 76 four-thousand-metre peaks are in the area surrounding Zermatt. Zermatt's ski area is connected to the ski area of Cervinia (Italy) via the Theodul pass (3,300m.) and the Testa Grigia (3'480m.)
Check out the Ski Runs, click here. Now this is hard to turn down! The Matterhorn ski paradise covers an area from the Rothorn paradise (3103 m) and the Gornergrat (3089 m) to Matterhorn glacier paradise (Klein Matterhorn) (3883 m) and Schwarzsee paradise (2583 m). It connects from Matterhorn glacier paradise to Breuil-Cervinia / Valtournenche and Val d'Aoste. There are three ways for skiers and snowboarders to reach Zermatt's winter sports area. Access to the Rothorn paradise winter sports area and the free-ride Stockhorn area is via the Rothorn paradise resort station.
The Gornergrat winter sports area is reached via the resort station of the Gornergrat Bahn transport system. The Matterhorn Express takes winter sports enthusiasts from the Matterhorn glacier paradise resort station to Schwarzsee paradise or Matterhorn glacier paradise, connecting with Breuil-Cervinia / Valtournenche (Italy). The electrically-powered buses serve all 3 resort stations. The bus service is included in the ski-pass . Pistes (Matterhorn ski paradise) Zermatt, Cervinia and Valtournenche: 313 km of marked pistes Zermatt: 183 km of marked pistes: 29 km easy / blue pistes 107 km intermediate / red pistes 9 km steep / black pistes 38 km unprepared (freeride) / yellow pistes Lifts (Zermatt) 1 underground funicular (Zermatt - Sunnegga paradise) 7 cable-cars 6 gondola-lifts 9 chair-lifts 10 drag-lifts 1 cog-railway (Zermatt-Gornergrat)
By Train: It takes approximately 3 hours to reach Zermatt from Geneva Airport and Milan-Malpensa Airport. As of December 1, 2007 the train from Zurich Airport will take only 3 hours and 16 minutes. Almost an hour faster than previously. The trip from Bern takes 2 hours and 8 minutes and from Basel 3 hours and 15 minutes.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 24 November 2008 )
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