Saas-Fee

Quieter and more low-key than Zermatt is the village of Saas-Fee, a car-free mountain resort with a family-friendly vibe. Saas-Fee also has a fantastic network of trails that allows you to get up close and personal with the wild marmots, who live in subterranean dwellings on the mountain. At the end of the switchback road from Saas-Grund lies a parking garage where you must abandon your car for the length of your stay. Even by the garage the view on arriving at this lofty (5,871 feet) plateau is humbling. (In true Swiss-efficient fashion, drop off your bags curbside and call an electric shuttle that arrives to fetch you in the time it takes to park your car.) If you're staying in Saas-Fee overnight, your hotel gives you a Citizens' Pass that includes free bus travel and discounts to area attractions; in the summer, two nights or longer also gets you free travel on most cableways. Also consider buying a Saaspass (5 SF per night per person) for even steeper discounts on entrance fees, mountain guides, parking fees, and more.