Can anyone recommend "must see" lake cruises on Lake Lucern and Lake Lugano? Also gondola/funicular rides out of those 2 cities, things to do etc. in July ? Thanks

All I remember about Lake Lucerne is that blue-green water -- gorgeous--and the views of the mountains. On Lake Lugano, I recommend that you take a boat to Gandria and one to Morcote. These are two extraordinarily appealing and interesting villages, and quite different from one another. For that matter, I think you will enjoy the contrast between the lakes of Lucerne and Lugano. I envy you those first impressions, Rocky. J.

Hello Rocky,<BR><BR>Here is my standard list of best things to do in Luzern & VWS See:<BR><BR>In Luzern:<BR>The old town has many buildings, squares, & bridges to capture your imagination: Kornmarkt, Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz, Rathaus, Jesuitenkirche, Kapellbruecke, & Spreuerbruecke. These are are very close together, within a few blocks of one another. A bit farther away are the Lion Monument and the Musegg Ramparts, the old town walls dating from the 1300s. Of course, there are many more sights and museums, but these are the ones that grabbed me.<BR><BR>Out of town:<BR>Of course, a ferry ride on the lake is a pure spectacular delight, and they can range from a two-hour tour of the upper lake or an all-day trip to Fluelen. There are many small towns and villages around the lake where you can interrupt your jouney for a leisurely walk through town or a long walk along the lake. Some towns that are calling me back are Weggis, Vitznau, & Brunnen. There is also the Rutli Meadow, where the Swiss federation was first formed in 1291. Check the boat schedules & options at www.lakelucerne.ch. See these towns at www.brunnen.ch, www.weggis.ch, & www.vitznau.ch. <BR><BR>You can also combine a ferry trip with a mountain excursion. Take the boat to Vitznau, then the rack-railway to Rigi; the trip takes about 1.3 hours. You can also get to a lower slope on Rigi via Weggis, and connect to the rack railway to the summit. Another mountain excursion is to Mt. Pilatus, south of Luzern; this trip takes about an hour. Finally, there is the excursion to Mt. Titlis and Engelberg. In addition to being the start point for the cable car to Titlis, Engelberg has a fabulous Benedictine monastery. The train to Engelberg takes about an hour. The websites are: www.pilatus.ch, www.titlis.ch, & www.rigi.ch, and www.engelberg.ch.<BR><BR>Far Away:<BR>Golden Pass train to Montreux (about four hours, take the quicker route via Lausanne for the return), Interlaken (about two hours), Wengen (less than three hours), & Bern (less than two hours).<BR><BR>You can check out train schedules & fares at www.rail.ch.<BR><BR>Have a great trip!<BR><BR>s

Lugano: Skip Morcote but go to Gandia. Morcote was filled with junkie tourist shops. If you are just riding the ferry around to see the lake, it might be worth a stop but I would rather go to Gandia. Eat lunch there, and there are several nice shops. <BR><BR>Burt Wolf went to Gandia. You might want to check his web site to see where he ate in Gandia.

But Ronda, at Morcote didn't you walk up the steps to the church of Santa Maria del Sasso and the chapels and cemetery? I thought they were worth the boatride by themselves! Just ignore the tourist shops, get behind them into the alleyways and the steps. IMO, J.

You are right, JW. I just did not enjoy walking up the steps and switchbacks in 90 degree weather in full sun. I found Gandia to be a nice surprise - shady, very old village, with many interesting things to photograph.

You are right about that, Ronda. The day I did my bus exploration of the Onsernone valley (or tried to do) in late June, the combination of the terrifying road and the intense heat almost did me in (enthusiasm-wise). When I wobbled off the bus at Loco, all I wanted to do was sit in a shady spot. Of course, what we both must do is give these places a second look when we return in cooler weather. Yes? By the way, did you eat in Gandria? That's where I had my beloved rigatoni with gorgonzola. J.

Unfortunately we did not eat in Gandria. We had eaten in Morcote and I was so sorry because when we arrived in Gandria, my husband informed me that Burt Wolf had eaten in Gandria (on his show). Next time.