Luzerne, Switzerland

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to travel and enjoy the beautiful lakeside city of Luzern (Lucerne) in Switzerland with my family. I had traveled through the area before when I drove from Germany to Italy but never had the opportunity to stop and appreciate the area's beauty.

Luzerne is approximately 4-5 hours from Wiesbaden, Germany, where I currently live, making it an easy trip to plan for a weekend. Unfortunately, the day I drove down took several additional hours due to bad traffic jams on the German autobahn, which forced me to change my route through Strasbourg, France. Despite the delays, my family and I enjoyed our time in the city.

My family and I stayed in a hotel in the city's old section close to the waterfront. On our first morning, we walked less than a mile to the waterfront, where the area was lined with a beautiful tree-lined pathway, and people were out enjoying the sun and the festival being set up. The view of the lake and the mountains in the surrounding area was majestic. After enjoying our morning coffee and breakfast, we walked along the lake path to the ferry launch to begin our first adventure.

Lake Luzern (Lucerne)

My family and I boarded the ferry that took us to Mount Pilatus (more on that later). Having grown up in upstate New York, I was used to be on lakes in the Adirondack Mountains, Lake Champlain in Vermont, and Lake Ontario (one of the five Great Lakes), where I spent a year along its shores in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The ferry took approximately an hour, making several stops to allow people to venture off. The view of the surrounding mountain landscape and small residential areas along the coastline was spectacular. If I were to return, I would take my daughter's recommendations to get an Airbnb along the lake. After enjoying the hour-long ride, we disembarked and walked to the mountain train that would take us to the top of Mountain Pilatus.

Mount Pilatus

Mount Pilatus is a massive mountain overlooking Lake Luzern (Lucerne), with its highest point being 6,983 feet. My family walked from the ferry in the small town of Alpnachstad and boarded the Pilatus Railway, the world's steepest cogwheel train. The ride up was both exhilarating and scary as you realized how steep of a climb the train was making. The views of the mountainside and the lake below were stunning, to say the least. The ride to the peak took approximately 30 minutes. Once we made it to the top, we were not disappointed.

My family and I got off the train and walked up the viewing platform, where you could capture gorgeous views of the surrounding peaks and the lake in the distance. The air was much cooler than at the base where we boarded the train, and there were still areas covered in snow and ice. Below the viewing platform was the Dragon's Layer, where one could walk along corridors of mountain passageways and capture more views of the surrounding scenario.

After enjoying snacks and drinks and buying souvenirs, we went down the Dragon Ride Cable Car. The ride down consisted of two phases. Phase 1 was the large dragon cable car that could fit over 20 individuals and made the trip from the peak to the mid-point down the mountain. Phase 2 was the transition from the dragon car to the smaller 4-person cable cars that brought you down to the base. We walked to the bus stop at the base to catch a ride back to downtown Luzern (Lucerne). That night, we intended to walk around the city and enjoy the area; however, the rain cut those plans short.

Chapel Bridge

My family and I walked along the water again the following day and went to the Chapel Bridge. The over 600-year-old wooden bridge crosses the Reuss River that feeds into Lake Luzern (Lucerne) and is adorned with artwork on the inside. Along the river banks are dozens of restaurants where one can enjoy local and international cuisines. The best part was taking my Yorkie along for the walk and allowing her to enjoy the view.

Recommendation

I would undoubtedly recommend Luzern (Lucerne) to anyone interested in enjoying a peaceful lakeside city surrounded by majestic mountain scenery. I found the Swiss to be welcoming, and the majority spoke English, which made it easy to communicate. I would remind folks that the Swiss are not part of the European Union and, therefore, have their own currency (Swiss Franc) and passport requirements. If you are driving from Germany, you must purchase a Vignette that can be purchased at the border and is good for a year. Luzern (Lucerne) is beautiful, and I would love to return someday.