Andermatt

Positioned in the heart of the Saint-Gotthard Massif, Andermatt is a historic mountain village in the Canton Uri, first mentioned in 1290 AD.

Formerly a Swiss Army garrison, Andermatt is located on the broad floor of the Valley Urseren, with mountain peaks rising on all sides. Whether you arrive by car or train, the dramatic landscapes en route (the Gotthard Pass, the Furka Pass & the Devil's Bridge) are a key part of the Andermatt experience.

The village of Andermatt itself is equally aesthetic, with a charming historic core characterised by pastel-coloured buildings with shutters and flags draped over the balconies, only supplemented by the serene luxury of the new hotels and apartments - most notably The Chedi. 

Primarily focused to the north west of the old village is the Holiday Village Andermatt Reuss, a substantial development of 42 new apartment buildings, 6 new 4 & 5 star hotels, 28 new chalets and a stunning new golf course. This visionary development project from Egyptian entrepreneur Samih Sawiris, is well underway and will breathe new life into this historic ski village.

Comprised of two distinct sectors (the Gemsstock and Gütsch-Oberalp-Sedrun), the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun offers over 120 km of pisted slopes, some excellent and easily accessible freeride terrain and an extensive network of cross-country trails. The area is served by fast, modern lifts and has an excellent snow record with investment fuelling ongoing improvements to the ski region as well as the village.

Accessed by two-stage cable car at the southern end of the village, Gemsstock offers some superb red and black slopes and is a paradise for freeriders. This is a sector ideally suited to confident skiers seeking a thrill - the north-facing bowl beneath the top cable car is one of the highlights with a long and exhilarating 900m vertical - but there are some snow-sure red runs here that any intermediate can enjoy.

The majority of the pisted skiing, though, lies to the north-east of the village in the Gütsch-Oberalp-Sedrun sector which offers sunny, scenic slopes for casual skiers and families. The Schneehüenerstock-Express, which opened for the Winter Season 2018/19, enables skiers to travel in either direction between Andermatt and Sedrun without removing their skis - offering skiers the chance to properly explore the region. The "Gütsch-Express", on the other hand, offers access up and down the ski area by train. A particular highlight is the Apres-Ski-Zug train with onboard bar - a perfect way to conclude a day on the slopes!

 

The wild and natural landscape of Andermatt makes for a perfect, dual-season Alpine base. Unlike many of the purpose built resorts scattered across the Alps, Andermatt has a permanent population and hotels, bars and restaurants are open throughout the year.

For those seeking more than the dramatic scenery and the cool Alpine air, there are plenty of activities to enjoy in this area during the summer months, not least the network of 500km of hiking trails and 250km biking trails. Fishing, gold-panning, lake swims and rock-climbing are also popular, and with the Mammut Alpineschool you can discover some of the fixed rope routes across the Alps.

The Furka Steam Railway and the Sasso San Gottardo - a recently declassified Swiss Army fortress burrowed within the mountains alongside the Saint Gotthard Pass - add to the variety of options in the region make for excellent day trips but the key summer attraction in Andermatt is the 72 par championship golf course. 

The 18 hole Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course sits alongside the Holiday Village Andermatt Resuss with a panoramic outlook and luxurious new clubhouse. In 2017, it was voted the best golf course in Switzerland. Supplemented by the 3 9-hole courses at Realp, Sedrun and Obergestlen, this really is one of the best regions in the Alps for wintersports fans who share a passion for golf. 



 

With as many as 8,000 Swiss soldiers being withdrawn from the region after the turn of the millenium, the village of Andermatt was targeted by the leaders of the Canton Uri as growth region for tourism. Egyptian entrepreneur Samih Sawiris saw the potential of Andermatt, the character of the village and the natural beauty of the region, and thus initiated a visionary project comprised of new hotels, apartments and chalets with a view to creating one of the top holiday resorts in the Swiss Alps.

The properties of Holiday Village Andermatt Reuss are exempt from the Lex Koller and the Swiss second home law. This means foreign buyers can purchase apartments and houses in Andermatt Reuss without a permit and without the usual limitations (including limitations on resale). Properties can be bought as either a primary or secondary residence and, if bought as a second home, owners will have the opportunity to join the rental programme. This is the only resort in the Swiss Alps where a purchase can be completed in the name of a company.

With the exception of the luxurious Chedi Apartments and Chedi Penthouses, which are located in the old village in conjunction with the 5-star hotel, new properties are located in the Holiday Village Apartment Reuss to the north-west of the village and alongside the golf course. Here, in 42 new apartment buildings there will be over 500 luxurious apartments and hotel residences available and there are 28 bespoke chalets available on plots that back directly onto the pristine golf course.

Andermatt is the only resort in the Swiss Alps currently where there are some apartments sold with a guaranteed rental income. Contact us for details.