Music festivals are addictive. There is nothing like being in a crowd full of strangers passionately singing in chorus where the only thing in common is the love of the same song. High up in the in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by rolling green hills and snowy peaks, 30,000 music lovers come together for five glorious days to listen to local and world-famous artists play acoustic sets.   The Zermatt Unplugged Music Festival attracts travellers from around the globe for several days of music, skiing and luxury hospitality.

While most European music festivals like Tomorrowland gravitate toward electronic music and loud beat drops, the Zermatt Unplugged Music Festival in Switzerland offers something different, a stripped down versions of songs with acoustic-only sets creating a more intimate and unshielded connetion with the artist.

Zermatt Unplugged is relatively fresh when it comes to the European music festivals scene. Started in 2007 by Thomas Sterchi and Marco Godat, it has evolved  from a local singer-sonwriter gathering to the world-wide renown music festival. Now, people travel from the farthest reaches to listen to acoustic versions of cheristed tunes by acclaimed artist as well as to discover local breakthrough artists.

The five-day festival in April brings hundreds of artists to perform across 17 listening venues and stages  spread throughout the festival grounds. The stages are found in cozy venues dimly lit by moody lighting or surrounded by beautiful stain-glassed windows that cover the walls in myriad colors. Here the acoustics will resonate deep into your being, as you close your eyes and get swept up into the sounds of soft music and voices of crowds mixing together in pleasant harmony. A collective joy radiates off of the crowd as they sing the lyrics back to the artists , clap along to the beats and sway to the rhythm. With more than 100 concerts taking place, there is sure to be something for everyone.

The intimacy of this festival has attracted many well-known artists to perform through the years; One Republic, Lionel Richie and James Bay being among them. The biggest names in the music industry attend the festival in hopes of finding “the next big thing,” or a luxury holiday with live music.

Zermatt offers a fairytale-like traditional Swiss village surrounded by the tall mountains of the Pennine Alps. These snow-covered summits go beyond the clouds to touch the skye. Zermatt’s crown jewel is the Matterhorn in Switzerland, a mountain peak that rises 4,000 meters over sea level.

The array of experiences that Zermatt has to offer are endless. Travelers can hike along the 400 km network of scenic trails that offer a 360 degree view of rolling hills and mountain ranges.   If one is looking to get in some healthy physical activity, the Matterhorn in Switzerland and surrounding mountains have amazing biking trails; many of the resorts and chalets in Zermatt offer a bike tour along the many trails. Take in the fresh mountain air before getting back into town to listen to soothing music for the night.

While Zermatt already offers a cozy atmosphere, the festival is described as intimate also by the stages and venues that host its lineup. The  is located at the center of the village and hosts the headliners of each night. The enourmous, 2,000 seat capacity tent is adorned with twinking chandeliers and colorful spotlights that make it seem small yet energetic as the thousands of guests order drinks and anxiously await the start of the show. As the artist hits the stage, the lights dim down and the roaring cheers begin.

While the main stages are tremendous, visitors find that the smaller stages and venues make them feel more connected to the artists. The Winkelmatten Chapel is one of the most unreal stages at Unplugged. Guests are seated at the pews like Sunday service and are treated to violin and piano acoustics. Because churches are designed to make sound travel, the bellowing of music vibrates within the body and offers a gospel-like experience.  Ticketholders are treated to a mulled wine tasting event before the concert and if wished, they can also opt for a four-course dinner  after the concert. Guests dress in their best attire and enjoy a cocktail party, a live concert and a post-show luxury meal, all in one night.

The apres-ski traditions in Europe comprise dancing, entertainment and letting loose after a day of skiing on the snowy slopes or a day full of multiple concerts, walking and hiking. Zermatt is no exception to these traditions. Whatever you find yourself doing in Zermatt, most will end the day at a fabulous afterparty that typically segues to another and ultimagely a late night or early morning back at your lodge. Although Unplugged is an acoustic festival, many luxury hotels and chalets,prestigious clubs and lounges  offer  after parties to guests where pulsating beats replace the calm sounds of Unplugged late where sounds of clinking glasses mix with dancing late into the night.

The Hotel Alex turns into the main apres-ski venue when the festival ends. The legendary parties include electric and encouraging music, a variety of refreshing drinks and delicate appetizers  along with hundreds of people dressed to impress  in cocktail dresses and bespoke suits ready to party with a purpose. The luxury hotel turns into a lively, bright discotech  from Thursday-Sunday of the Unplugged Festival. If guests are looking for a more laid-back classic cocktail hour, they can visit the Blues Club. The live blues music filling the dimly-lit venue mixes with the hushed conversations of guests as they unwind and relax.

When looking for a European music festival that opens the world of music to new and rising singers and attracting worldwide big shots, while being located in a scenic ski town, look no futher. The Zermatt Unplugged Music Festival challenges the European music scene with its acoustic-only concerts and intimate venues. It offers the a refreshing holiday surrounded by the beauty of Zermatt as well as the apres-ski lifestyle and skiing so loved by all.