Zermatt or Gimmelwald??

I'll be in Europe this summer and would like to see the Alps up close. I've seen great reviews of both places. Has anyone been to both or have an opinion? Or maybe there is a similar place closer to Geneva (or another hub-type city for flights)so there would be less time wasted on a train? I'm mainly looking for somewhere that would have the summer lifts running to the upper portions of a mountain. Thanks!

i can tell you one thing, the time on the train is not waisted, it's so beautiful to travel by train from geneva to the alps (i did it a couple of weeks ago) ... if i were you, i'd go by train!

i absolutely love the aletsch area where you can see the aletsch-glacier and the mountains around, you can also see the matterhorn, but it's far away...

about your actual question: zermatt or gimmelwald, i'd say both is very beautiful, zermatt is just more of a tourist-place, if i were you, i'd probably want to go to gimmelwald.

enjoy your trip

I'm going backpacking in Europe this summer too. My friend highly recommends Gimmelwald. It's way up in the mountains and you have to take a couple different trains. He said there isn't much to do there but hike and talk with the fellow travellers but that it was very beautiful.

I've been to both, and I'd go to Grindelwald. It's very picturesque & there are a lot of hiking trails in the area. The views of the Alps are breathtaking from the valley. You can even go see a glacier, but you have to walk up hundreds of rickety steps. Going up is the easy part. If you want a really gorgeous view of Interlaken and the Alps while enjoying a meal, you can take a funicular up to Harder Klum...

Personally, I think the Matterhorn is overrated. Just go to Disneyland if you want to see it. Their version is just as good... plus they have a yeti. =)