Travelling is an enjoyable experience, but we must be aware of the impact that our actions have on the places we visit. That is why I chose to travel to Lucerne, Switzerland by train. The journey from my hometown of Rotterdam was comfortable, and upon arriving in Lucerne, I spent a few days exploring the stunning natural surroundings of the Lake Lucerne region in a sustainable way. I utilized public transportation, which is very well organized in Switzerland, to get around. By doing so, I was able to travel in a #Swisstainable manner. In this blog, you will find some highlights of my journey that I believe should be on your list of must-sees when visiting this wonderful city.
From Rotterdam to Lucerne
I took a train from Rotterdam to Utrecht, where I was able to sit back and relax for the rest of the journey to Basel. After a seamless transfer, I continued on a local train to Lucerne, which brought me right into the heart of the city. The trains were very comfortable, with outlets to charge my devices, free WiFi, and a bar offering refreshments and snacks or food. While on board, I had the opportunity to take in the beautiful views of the passing landscapes. It was like watching a travel documentary. 😊
From Basel, I used an all-in-one Swiss Travel Pass, which is ideal for travel by train, bus and boat throughout Switzerland. The Swiss transport network is outstanding and the pass even gives you access to the mountain excursions of Rigi, Stanserhorn and Stoos and also, free admission to more than 500 museums throughout Switzerland!
Switzerland as A sustainable travel destination
Switzerland is synonymous with spectacular mountains, wild gorges and mystical forests; its nature has the power to provide energy. They aim to preserve this – for many generations to come. Sustainable travel means greater awareness and depth and more enjoyment. With this in mind, Switzerland follows its own sustainability strategy: Swisstainable. 🍃 🇨🇭 Are you travelling in a sustainable way? You might find this article very handy, it tells you what to pack on your sustainable journey.
The calming natural views over Lake Lucerne, which forms the heart of the Lake Lucerne Region
City of Lucerne
This beautiful city has a lot to offer. Its romantic atmosphere combined with water, mountains and stunning nature makes his city the perfect escape for people with a variety of interests. Advisable would be to go for a longer visit than just a few days. The public transport network is great and makes you want to discover a wider area than just the city centre.
The famous Chapel Bridge in Lucerne.
It was built between 1252 and 1265 and links the old town to the Reuss River's right bank.
Views over the city of Lucerne, seen from the Museggmauer. A great walk up and defenitely a must see during sunset!
Views on the historic Hotel Château Gütsch at sunset. A large part of the hotel was completely destroyed in the great fire of 1888. In 1901 the hotel received its present appearance, being modelled after Neuschwanstein in Bavaria.
Golden roundtrip to Mount Pilatus
An amazing thing to do when you visit Lucerne is to visit the stunning Mount Pilatus. With the Swiss Travel Pass, you can travel The Golden Roundtrip, which makes it great for relaxing and sightseeing on the lake too. From the Lucerne quays, travel by boat to the valley of the mountain, (Alpnachstad) from where you go with the steepest cogwheel track to the top of the mountain. It is a unique experience with spectacular views during the ride up!
Tranquil sceneries on Lake Lucerne during the boattrip to Alpnachstad which is situated next to the Pilatus.
Travelling up Mount Pilatus on the steepest cogwheel track of the world, defenitely was a unique experience! The surrounding views were simply stunning.
A storm was passing at arrival on the top. For me as a photographer and a weather lover, I couldn’t have wished for anything better!
The view over the Alps was simply breathtaking. I was lucky with some moist ingredients to form these great layers in the mountainpeaks.
Magical Sunrise on Pilatus
A great way to soak in the purest of nature is to spend the night on the mountain in addition to your visit. I stayed at the Pilatus Hotel on the top to wake up for a stunning sunrise. And it didn’t disappoint!
A spectacular sunrise over Lake Lucerne with views over mount Rigi, as seen from the Esel viewing point (2118 meters) on mount Pilatus.
a visit to Bürgenstock Hammetschwand
Another highlight I would highly recommend visiting is the Hammetschwand lift, which is the highest exterior elevator in Europe. The lift was the first of its type in Switzerland when opened in 1905. It has spectacular views and offers a great natural experience. From Lucerne city centre, it is very easy to get there. A stylish and new catamaran entered public service in May 2018, which takes you there in just 30 minutes. Traditionally, you will travel white a steep funicular to the famous Bürgenstock Resort. The Bürgenstock Resort is like a small city, that contains 4 five-star Hotels, 12 restaurants and bars and an amazing spa with an outdoor infinity pool. At the resort, you will find an easy hiking path, the cliff walk (Felsenweg) that will take you to the Hammetschwand elevator. The elevator takes you 153 meters up in under a minute. Once on top at 1128 metres, you will find a beautiful alpine path which leads you in a loop back to the resort. This trip is a great recommendation for a day out in nature!
This stylish catamaran glides over the lake and provides a fast and frequent shuttle service 365 days a year.
The historic steep funicular railway takes you up to the Bürgenstock resort and is a must do.
The famous and old Hammetschwand lift, that takes you up 153 metres in less then a minute to further enjoy the spectaculair views at the top.
The Alpine hiking tracks take you to wonderful views over the valley and take you back to the Burgenstock resort.
The Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz)
When in Lucerne, make sure to bring a visit to the largest transport museum in Europe with well-preserved exhibits. Located at the lake, The Swiss Museum of Transport has a beautiful environment with both indoor exhibition halls and outdoor exhibition areas. Enjoy the interactive displays, historic exhibits, planetarium, 3D cinema and a chocolate experience. There is so much to see and do, which makes this a great day out with children. You can also find the fairly new scaled installation of the impressive Gotthard Base Tunnel project, with a history timeline and samples of rock from the various alpine layers to touch and feel.
Outside the museum, you will see one of the original drill heads that has been used to pierce the 16,9 km long Gotthard Tunnel base, which now forms the world’s longest and deepest traffic tunnel through the Swiss Alps. Sissi's (drilling machine) powerful drill heads weigh 220 tons each, and have a diameter of 9.5 metres.
Display of the traffic signs at the exterior of the Road Transport Hall of the museum.
Walk along the lake
After visiting the museum, taking a walk by the lake is a great enjoyment. You might consider taking an additional walk alongside the Lucerne promenade as evening falls. The sunset over the city, lake and mountains is simply breathtaking. From The Swiss Museum of Transport, there is a wonderful walking path that takes you into the city in half an hour.
Two girls enjoying the traquility at the lake during sunset. The Lido Wiese Park offers a great view over the city of Lucerne.
Haldihof Estate
When visiting the Lake Lucerne region, a must-do is to visit Farm shop Haldihof in Weggis, where you will find a wide range of fresh organic products from the estate's fruit growing. At the estate, you can walk around, enjoy the view over Lake Lucerne and admire alpacas. The associated Haldihof Café is self-service and offers great places to sit inside and outside. In addition to the usual drinks, there is fresh apple juice, sparkling wine and delicious, homemade cakes.
The shop is filled with many delicious, special foods, some of which can be tasted.
The lovely alpacas you will find at the estate.
The self-service Haldihof cafe offers a unique interior.
Scenic routes
Last but not least, bring a visit to the tranquil lake and mountain panorama of Weggis and travel to Vitznau to pass the scenic viewpoints and beautiful photo spots that you will encounter. Especially for landscape photographers, this is a dream route. 💚
Dream like landscapes in Weggis, en route to Vitznau.
Tranquil sceneries at Lake Lucerne in Vitznau, what they call ‘The riviera of Lucerne’.
Watch the video here:
I would like to extend a huge thank you to Lucerne Tourism and Switzerland Tourism for the many wonderful recommendations and for giving me the opportunity to enjoy the Lucerne area in a Swisstainable way. Would you like to find out more about sustainable travel to Switzerland? Check out here for more information.
Watch the video here:
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