indiancouple

We are a couple around 50, and are travelling for 17 days in August in Switzerland, Austria & Czech Rep. Of these, we have budgeted 7 days for Switzerland (3 nights at Luzern and 4 nights at Lauterbrunnen). We would like to see the natural beauty of the sights, soak up some culture, sample the local cuisine, with some architecture and museum visits thrown in between. Not much into adventure sports or arduous hikes.
Please help us plan the first leg of our journey at Luzern. To begin with, should we stay at Luzern, or Lake Luzern ? How far apart are they ?
Day 1: Land at Zurich early morning. Take train immediately to Luzern. Arrive Luzern before 10 am. Would like to take it easy on day 1, and restrict ourselves to sights at Lake Luzern and nearby. Any suggestions ?
Day 2: Should we visit Mt Rigi, or Pilatus, or Titlis ? (please keep in mind that we will be visiting Jungfraoch later in B.O.). Or more than one ?
Day 3: What to do on Day 3 ? Or should we cut short our visit here and make it 5 nights in B.O. ?
Day 4: Depart early morning to Lauterbrunnen.
Would really appreciate suggestions on the above itinerary. Thanks in advance

sunstar

I bet someone will suggest you stay along lake Lucern. I have never done the overnight stay at a hotel at one of the lake villages, but I know some in this forum have. I bet they can give you great details on that. I have stayed in Lucern and enjoyed my stay there.

The mountain trips I enjoy the best are the Titlis and the Stansahorn mountain excursions.

You can access Titlis by taking the early train from the Lucern train station just across the river on the newer side of town. The train station is not far from the hub of the old town. The train ride to Engleberg is about 1 hour long. At Engleberg, you will get off the train and make your way to the cable lift which will access you to the Titlis area. The views are fantastic.

Day 3 could be spent just relaxing around Lucerne. Since you might stay in one of the lake vilages, you will probably use the lake steamers and do plenty of lake cruisng.

I have found that three days seem to be the correct amount of time to stay in Lucern.

God luck. I know you will enjoy both Lucern and Lauterbrunen.

Now playing: Mountain jam by the Allman Brothers Band

swandav2000

Hi indiancouple,

Luzern of course lies on Lake Lucerne, so they are not apart at all.

If you are talking about one of the lakeside villages like Weggis or Vitznau on Lake Lucerne, then they are about 20-30 minutes away from Luzern. Neither of them has a train station, so you have to get to them from Luzern either by ferry or by a combination of train & bus.

I've spent time in both Luzern and in Weggis, and both have their charms. Staying in a village will definitely be peaceful and lovely, and you'll be conveniently located for a trip up to Rigi. But of course you have to factor in those 20 minutes to get into Luzern for culture and museums.

I think your arrival day should include a ramble through the old town -- stretch your legs and wander up and down the medieval fountains, squares, buildings, bridges, and the town walls. Then, before dinner, hop on a ferry for a small excursion around the lake. You can find the ferry schedules at

www.lakelucerne.ch

Have fun!

s

Ingo

Agree with Swandav as usual. Day 1 is best used for strolling through Lucerne's old town and along the lake promenade.

I'd pick Pilatus for day 2. It is a very nice round trip with ferry to Alpnachstad, cog-wheel train up, cable car and gondola down. A special ticket is available. This would leave enough time for exploring some more in the old town of Lucerne and visit a couple of museums.

On day 3 I suggest a steamboat ride on the lake. Best is to the end of the lake (though long, you can break it up in villages along the way) and back by train from Flüelen.

I'd not go to Titlis since you'll see Jungfraujoch later - quite similar and the latter even more impressive.

On the other hand, if you want to soak up some more culture and see beautiful architecture then a trip to Einsiedeln monastery would be a good idea on day 3. It's up to you.

kleeblatt

Great replies! How about a day on the Rigi?

Start with the ferry and go to Vitznau.

Take the Vitznauer Rigibahn up to Rigi Kulm. Walk down to Rigi First, over to Unterstetten. Stop in the restaurant for a huge dessert of meringue with whipped cream and ice cream. Continue along the Felsenweg, back to Rigi Kaltbad and then take the gondola back down to Weggis. Take the ferry back to Lucerne.

Use sbb.ch to help you with the timetables.

http://www.rigi.ch/en/navpage.cfm?ca...R&id=53525

simpsonc510

(hi ingo... we met in Boston)

indiancouple
I agree with a side trip to Einsiedeln. It is a charming little town, and very few tourists make it to this town IMO. I was there during Christmas Market time in December 06.

What about a look at the Transport Museum in Lucern, if you have a day of inclement weather. Very interesting!

You don't mention hotels in Lucern. Have you decided yet? I have stayed near the old town in three different places. The Grand National is on the lakefront and quite expensive, but a gorgeous view, if you can get a lakefront room! Price does not include breakfast.

The NH is more moderately priced and is slightly closer to the old town than the Grand. Rooms are spacious enough, and breakfast is still (I think) included in the price.

The least expensive of places I've stayed in Lucern, and the closest to the old town, is Hotel De La Paix. Quite "basic", very small lobby, rooms are large enough, but there is nothing fancy or special about this place. Breakfast is also included here. Not as much selection, if I remember correctly, as at the NH. NH has become somewhat of a favorite (unless we want to splurge on the Grand).

Des Alpes Hotel gets some good reviews here. It is located "in" the old town area. I've not stayed there, but it looks quite acceptable.

I'm on my way to Switzerland on Monday, flying into Zurich and will visit Locarno, then Orvieto Italy and Umbria with friends, and back to LUCERN (staying at NH) before heading to Stuttgart for 5 days. Looking forward to all two weeks of this trip, even tho some of it is business.

Have a lovely time in Switzerland!

Carol

indiancouple

Thanks everyone for your valuable comments. I have now received one vote for Mt Pilatus, one for Mt Titlis, and one for Mt Rigi ! So that leaves me as confused as I was earlier about which one to select !
How is the Transport Museum at Luzern ? And what about the Glacier Park ? Worth visiting ? We will certainly look up on the suggestions for Einsiedeln monastery, as it sounds interesting. Does a visit to either Pilatus or Rigi or Titlis consume a full day ? We are thinking of booking the Hotel Des Alpes, as it has very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.
Incidentally, can one get a train from Zurich airport to Luzern ?

Ingo

Carol, you only mentioned your upcoming trip to make me green of envy, didn't you! ;-)

Have a great time!

Ingo

kleeblatt

Use sbb.ch (E for English) to map out travel times and train changes. You will most likely have to change trains at the Hauptbahnhof and to take the direct train to Lucerne.

simpsonc510

I've taken a train directly from the airport to Lucern without having to change trains. It's a very nice ride!

Des Alps should be a fine choice of hotel!

The transport museum has planes, trains (big trains) and all sorts of things. If you have a rainy day, this might be a nice indoor adventure for a few hours.

Enjoy your trip.

nytraveler

Agree on staying in Lucerne, a very charing town - rather than a small village along the lake - unless you plan to rent a car - since otherwise transit can be time consuming.

Keep in mind that you should look at the weather before deciding to ascend any of the mountains. It can be perfectly sunny and pleasant in the valleys but the peaks covered in clouds - so you can;t see anything.

We had to wait until our third day to go up the Jungfrau - since the top was socked in the first two.

enzian

Regarding Rigi versus Pilatus versus Titlis:

Titlis is farther from Luzern and although very nice, may duplicate in part your Jungfraujoch experience.

Pilatus and Rigi are both quintessential Luzern experiences, but they are quite different. For Pilatus, you take the very steep cog railway which clings to the side of a cliff--I haven't done it, but the photos are dramatic. The top of Pilatus is rugged and rocky; the views must be lovely, but you cannot stray far from the top without running into seriously steep terrain. I think you could do a trip up Pilatus and back in half a day.

Rigi is a more gentle, green, and approachable mountain. The trip up there combines lake steamer, train, and cable car (follow Schuler's instructions for the route). It is easily worth a whole day, and you can combine it with some easy walking on marked level paths through green and wildflowers, with views of the lake and mountains beyond, and a cowbell serenade. There are several places up there where you could enjoy lunch with a view, and you could explore the lakeside villages of Weggis and Vitznau.

You can't go wrong with either---it's just a matter of your time and whether you would like to do some walking along the way.

But I will confess that I loved the 24 hours we spent on Rigi last June, and I can't wait to go back.

indiancouple

enzian and schuler : your suggestions on Rigi sound very very alluring. Combining a mountain peak visit with some walking and hiking sounds like fun. How arduous are the walks coming down from Rigi ? We are not very experienced hikers, and cannot take a lot of strain, but short stretches of walking of upto 1 hour or slightly more should be fine. I doubt if we could handle 3-4 hours hike on a day.

JN

Hi,
You're going to one of our favorite places in Europe: Luzern. We've stayed there six times and can't get enough of it. Here are some suggestions:
1. Stay at the Hotel Des Alpes http://www.desalpes-luzern.ch/index....TOKEN=88050352
Ask for Room 523--a top floor room with double balcony and awesome view of Pilatus, the Reuss River, Lake Luzern (Vierstattwaldersee), the water tower and the Jesuit church.

2. On your arrival, walk along the river across the covered wooden Kappelbrucke then down to the Spreuerbrucke, stopping at the Cafe Hug riverside cafe for some of their excellent Raclette and a glass of fendant wine. On a sunny day on their terrace or inside in their glass porch overlooking the river, it is a most wonderful time.

2. Walk through the old town, check out the frescos on the walls of the old buildings like the Hotel DesBalances, the Restaurant Fritchi and the like. Then go either to the amazingly moving Lion Monument (Loewendenkmal) and the nearby Bourbaki Panorama--sort of like a turn-of-the-century Imax that doesn't move. It depicts the french surrender during the Franco Prussian war. Very cool. http://www.bourbakipanorama.ch/en/index.html
The Gletchergarten is nearby--though I never found it to be much of interest.

If you're not dog-a**ed tired by that point, have a splurge dinner at the famous, Old Swiss House http://www.oldswisshouse.ch/index.php?sid=9 Their schnitzel, geschnetzeltes and roesti potatoes are to die for. Bring lots of francs, though. It's expensive but worth it for the quality of food, elegant surroundings and impeccable service. My spouse says the chocolate mousse is the best in the world. If you are too tired to take in the OSH, nap a bit then have the wonderful fondue and gemischtersalat at the Hotel Des Alpes restaurant. Get a window seat or sit outside on the terrace.

3. On Day 2, take a bus to Kriens, the gondola to the top of mount Pilatus and, after lunch, hiking around a bit and some shopping, take the world's steepest cogwheel funicular down to Alpnachstadt. From there you could either Boat, Train or Bus back to Luzern. Have dinner at the Des Alpes outdoor restaurant or the Old Swiss House if you hadn't done it the day before

4. On Day 3, take in the Swiss Transport Museum. You can get there easily by bus, short boatride or lovely 20-30 minute walk along the lakeshore. We only had half a day and regret that we didn't make in a whole one. They have amazing exhibits, and a real Imax with terrific shows. We saw "Alps"--a documentary about climing the Eiger. Visuals were awesome. Do take in the St Gottard ride/exhibit and as many others as you can.

5. For a last night's meal, consider either The Stadtkeller (hokey, but fun, swiss musical show and dinner) http://www.swissfolkloreshow.com/home/index.php,
riveside dining at the Des Alpes or Rotes Galler restaurant in the Hotel Des Balances, fondue at the Hotel Schiff outside terrace or even the Rathaus Brauerei restaurant, where they brew their own beer. http://www.rathausbrauerei.ch/html/frameset.html

Generally, 3 days has been enough for us in Luzern. One mountain trip should do it, given you are next visiting the BO.

Have fun in this great city.

simpsonc510

If you like Italian food, try out our current fave in Lucerne. La Fenice is located within the old city, and very short walk from Des Alpes Hotel. Their pizza is super, along with caprese salad and bottle of chianti. Marvelous! Will be there myself on Mar 24!

indiancouple

Thankyou everyone for your most wonderful suggestions. Special thanks to JN for a very thoughtful and detailed plan outline. That is exactly what we were looking for. I think this completes our planning for the Luzern leg of the journey. Now on to B.O., for which we are posting questions separately.