Swiss Transport Museum
Lucerne is also the home of the #1 attraction in the country, the Swiss Museum of Transport. From its dramatic entrance featuring hundreds
The museum showcases the development of transportation through the years, including road, rail and water as well as air and space. There are over 3,000 objects to view with many interactive exhibits.
One area houses trains of all shapes and sizes, from horse-drawn railways to steam and electric locomotives. Some of these were designed to ascend the tallest mountains in the country while providing passengers a comfortable and warm environment from which to enjoy the view.
Not surprisingly, the Swiss have thought of everything and have also included old airplanes and even an experimental aircraft all contained within their own hanger for viewing.
Chapel Bridge
The Chapel Bridge is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe and one of the most visited sites in the country. Built in the 14th century, the Chapel Bridge was originally
Next to the bridge and part of the old city wall, is the old wasserturm or water tower. This medieval brick building has served as a prison, torture chamber, watchtower, and treasury building and is the most frequently photographed monument in Switzerland.
Stone Lion Monument
As I walked the winding cobblestone streets of Lucerne, I couldn’t help but notice tourists pointing their cameras upwards to the many ornate and colorful facades adorning restaurants and hotels. Many of these date to medieval times while others are more recent or have been restored. Most tell stories about events or celebrations that occurred within the city.
Rosengart Museum
If you are interested in Classic Modernist art, then stop by the Rosengart Museum, which houses a private collection of masterpieces assembled by Siegfried Rosengart and his daughter Angela. Picasso, Klee and Matisse are among the featured 21 artists and their works of varying abstraction.
Mt Pilatus and the Golden Round Trip
The ride to the top of Mt. Pilatus is one of the most spectacular you will ever experience. It is hard to imagine that the engineers and workers who built the track were able to construct such a massive feat while overcoming the obstacles presented by the steepness of the te
Once at the top, the panoramic views of the lakes and mountains of central Switzerland are spectacular. The grand finale of your trip includes an aerial cable car and gondola ride that gently glides you down along the spine of the mountains to the town of Kriens where a short bus ride brings you back to Lucerne.
But, what’s the hurry? If you are visiting during the summer months, like me, then you will want to linger at Mt. Pilatus before hurrying back down. The Hotel Pilatus-Kulm is where you will want to book at least one overnight stay on the mountain.
You might also see some brave souls paragliding down from the mountain’s summit. This would, of course, be a faster way to descend but I much prefer the slower, safer method. Still, seeing colorful sails floating against a cobalt blue sky is a sight to behold.
The on-site restaurant Queen Victoria (She visited here.) is a great place to relax, have some fine wine and a good meal b
Even if you’re not spending the night, as an alternative to immediately descending Mt. Pilatus by aerial tram, you may want to visit Fräkmüntegg, home of central Switzerland’s largest ropes park, especially if you have kids, as they will love playing on all the treetop level attractions.
Finally, when you’re ready, the gondola will bring you gently down to the town of Kriens and back to Lucerne via bus. You can pack a lot into this one to two-day trip and temperatures can drop at the summit so dress accordingly.
Vitznau and Mt. Rigi
As you are approaching Vitznau, you will see the imposing white façade of the Park Hotel Vitznau, which was originally opened in 1903. It has most recently undergone a 3-year renovation that included the incorporation of 47 kinds of granite, natural stone from Bulgaria and innovative high tech gadgetry in each of the rooms.
This is definitely a luxury property and worth saving up for if for nothing more than one night’s stay. Our deluxe suite
We had breakfast in their PRISMA restaurant which affords a 180 degree view of the lake and adjoining pool. It felt like we were inside a glass cube and the sights and the food were quite impressive.
The ride to the summit takes about 45 minutes and the sights along the way are incredible with picture perfect Swiss chalets, cows with cowbells grazing in pastures and ever expanding views of Lake Lucerne below.
The views from Rigi are simply stunning and if you are a photography buff, you will find no shortage of opportunities along the way. I think there is something special about the spectrum of light in this area that makes colors seem much more vibrant.
Switzerland is one of the great hidden tourist destinations. From the blue waters of Lake Lucerne to the heights of Pilatus and Rigi, this is a diverse destination that, like many of the wines here, needs time for its splendor and riches to be properly explored.
FTC Disclaimer: Promotional considerations for this trip were provided by the suppliers listed below.
RESOURCES
Switzerland Tourism
www.myswitzerland.com
Lucerne Tourism
www.luzern.com
Rosengart Museum
www.rosengart.ch
Swiss Transport Museum
www.verkehrshaus.ch
Mt.Pilatus
www.pilatus.ch
Alpkase Kaserenholz (cheese dairy)
chaeserenholz@bluewin.ch
www.magellans.com (My choice for travel apparel, luggage, gear and accessories)
My husband and I visited Lucerne a couple of years ago and enjoyed exploring the town. We also had an opportunity to ride the cable car up to Mt. Pilatus’ summit – complete with picturesque views of Swiss chalets and the occasional sound of a cow’s bell as we passed overhead. As enchanting as the view was, we were even more surprised to reach the top to find a man playing an alpenhorn for visitors. Legend has it that a dragon once lived in a cave near the hotel. Did you visit it?
wow, travel Paris > Lucerne > Milan > Verona , Happy