Lucerne
is a spectacular setting
Welcome to Lucerne
Recipe for a gorgeous Swiss city: take a cobalt lake ringed by mountains of myth, add a well-preserved medieval Altstadt (Old Town) and a reputation for making beautiful music, then sprinkle with covered bridges, sunny plazas, candy-coloured houses and waterfront promenades. Lucerne is stunning, and deservedly popular since the likes of Goethe, Queen Victoria and Wagner savoured its views in the 19th century. Legend has it that an angel with a light showed the first settlers where to build a chapel in Lucerne, and today it still has amazing grace.
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Lucerne activities
Mount Titlis Full-Day Sightseeing Tour from Zurich
After morning pickup from the Sihlquai Bus Terminal, travel in a comfortable coach over the Albis Pass and along the shores of Lake Lucerne to reach the lovely city of Lucerne. Stretch your legs as your informative guide takes you on a brief tour of Lucerne’s major landmarks. Afterwards, enjoy approximately one hour of free time during which you can take a closer look at the famous Lion Monument, Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), Rathaus (Town Hall) or the distinctive Culture and Congress Centre.Your coach tour continues to the idyllic mountain resort town of Engelberg in the Swiss Alps. Board Rotair, a rotating cable car, to travel to the summit of gorgeous Mt Titlis, central Switzerland’s highest mountain. As you ascend to 10,623 feet (3,238 meters), take in marvelous 360-degree views of the sparkling blue-tinged glacial landscape and capture photos of giant ice boulders and deep crevasses. And now that the new gondola system has been implemented, you will spend more time on top of Mount Titlis as the new ride takes you up in a shorter time!Reach the top of Mt Titlis -- where it’s snowy year-round -- and enjoy 1.5 hours to try a variety of fun activities. Visit the Ice Grotto, a long ice cave, and ride the Ice Flyer if weather permits, a thrilling chairlift that takes you closer to the ice crevasses. Try sliding down a snow slide in the Glacier Park and walk across Europe’s highest suspension bridge for more stunning views from Mt Titlis. Or, simply relax on the sun terrace or have lunch (own expense) in your choice of several restaurants. Your action-packed day trip to Mt Titlis concludes with drop-off at Sihlquai Bus Terminal in central Zurich at approximately 7pm. In winter, from December to March choose the Snow Experience option! Your adventure will start in Trübsee station. Slide down the hill on snow tubes and try skiing once in a lifetime on the beginner slopes – definitely a memorable experience you shouldn't miss. A Titlis Snow Park staff member will provide the equipment and supervise the activities.
Lucerne to Jungfraujoch Full-Day Trip with Cogwheel Rail Ride
Meet your guide and hop aboard your air-conditioned coach in central Lucerne in the morning, and head out of the city on a scenic tour into the magnificent mountain world of the Bernese Oberland. Surrounded by soaring mountain peaks in picturesque Lauterbrunnen, board the cogwheel train with your guide and enjoy a breathtakingly beautiful trip up to Kleine Scheidegg at the foot of the famous Eiger North Face. Soak up spectacular valley views, then travel onward to majestic Jungfraujoch at an impressive altitude of 11,333 feet (3454 meters) above sea level. This high-altitude Alpine wilderness sits in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps and takes pride of place on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Visit the Alpine Sensation — a round-tour subway opened to mark the centenary of the Jungfrau Railway. Wander through the Ice Palace and take in panoramic views over the Aletsch Glacier (Europe's longest glacier) from your vantage point on the Sphinx Observation Terrace. On a clear day, you can see as far as the snow-capped peaks of neighboring countries! Travel back down the mountainside to the Alpine town of Grindelwald, then hop aboard your coach for the return journey to central Lucerne where your tour will come to an end.
Mount Pilatus Summer Tour from Lucerne
Meet your guide in central Lucerne in the early afternoon and hop aboard your comfortable coach for the short journey to Kriens, at the foot of the imposing Mt Pilatus. On arrival, begin your ascent to the mountain’s lofty summit with a 30-minute panoramic gondola ride to the Fräkmüntegg terminus. Enjoy beautiful views over the rolling hills and lush pine forests below.At Fräkmüntegg, hop aboard the aerial cableway — a spacious and modern cabin with panoramic windows designed to give the feeling of flight. Continue your climb to the summit at a dizzying altitude of 7,000 feet, and take in spectacular views over the Alpine peaks and lakes from your vantage point on the mountain.During your free time atop Mt Pilatus, perhaps sit down to a high-altitude lunch among the peaks (own expense) or relax on the expansive sun terrace. Venture down the Dragon's Path and take the short hike around the summit to enjoy the amazing views.Take the world's steepest cogwheel train down to Alpnachstad, descending past trickling mountain streams and sheer rock faces toward the verdant, green meadows below. On arrival, conclude your tour with a picturesque 1-hour boat ride across lovely Lake Lucerne and enjoy the spectacular scenery from an entirely different angle. Your tour finishes at the end of the cruise in Lucerne.The Golden Roundtrip (ascent by aerial cable car, descent by cogwheel train, return to Lucerne by boat) operates between early May and late October. Between late October and mid-November the aerial cable car is under maintenance. In this case you will travel up and down Mt. Pilatus by cogwheel train. The boat on Lake Lucerne operates from early May until late October - if you are traveling when the boat is no longer in operation you will return to Lucerne by train and receive a complimentary lunch instead.
Mount Titlis Eternal Snow Half-Day Trip from Lucerne
Board your coach in central Lucerne, and travel south to Engelberg, a glorious alpine village tucked in the shadows of Mt Titlis. On arrival, hop aboard the aerial cableway with your guide, and then ride to the glacier’s summit — some 10,000 feet (3,020 meters) above sea level. The 45-minute journey is all about the views! As Engelberg slips from sight, the dramatic beauty of the Bernese Alps takes center stage, so sit back, ogle the vistas and relax.At the top, how you spend your time is up to you. Make the most of two hours of mountaintop fun by strolling around the summit, feeling the crunch of snow under your boots while taking in the glacial landscape.Or perhaps visit some of Mt Titlis’ renowned attractions. Admire 360-degree views aboard the rotating Titlis Rotair gondola; ride on the Ice Flyer chairlift and gaze down to the icy depths below; slip your way down the slopes while snow tubing in the Titlis Glacier Park; walk along the Cliff Walk for vertigo-inducing views; or visit the Glacier Cave to see millions of ice crystals in a frozen underground grotto, far below the glacier’s surface.If the brisk mountain air makes you feel hungry, refuel with alpine fare at one of the summit’s several restaurants. All food and drinks are at your own expense.At the prearranged time, meet your guide for the descent back to Engelberg where your coach is ready to return to Lucerne. Your tour then finishes at the start point in central Lucerne.
Mount Pilatus Summer Full-Day Tour from Zurich
Travel over Albis Pass and along the shores of Lake Lucerne until arriving in Lucerne. Disembark for a highlight tour of the city, stop for a scenic photo stop en route either at Lake Lucerne or Lion Monument and also Chapel Bridge and Jesuit Church. Afterwards you will have approximately one hour at your leisure to stroll Lucerne's beautiful Old Town. You'll then continue to Kriens and board a panoramic gondola and aerial cable car to the top of Mount Pilatus at 7000 feet (2132 meters). Enjoy an hour and a half at your leisure admiring breathtaking views over the surrounding mountains and lakes. Venture down the Dragon's Path and make the short hike to the summit before descending Mount Pilatus to Alpnachstad by cog-wheel railway. At a gradient of 48% it is the world's steepest! Your summer alpine adventures conclude with a picturesque boat ride across lovely Lake Lucerne before returning to Zurich where your tour ends. The Golden Roundtrip (ascent by aerial cable car, descent by cogwheel train, return to Lucerne by boat) operates between early May and late October. Between late October and mid-November the aerial cable car is under maintenance. In this case you will travel up and down Mt. Pilatus by cogwheel train. The boat on Lake Lucerne operates from early May until late October - if you are traveling when the boat is no longer in operation you will return to Lucerne by train and receive a complimentary lunch instead.
Mount Rigi and Lucerne Summer Full-Day Tour from Zurich
Your full-day tour from Zurich to Mount Rigi and Lake Lucerne starts with a panoramic drive over Albis Pass and then takes you to Weggis, a charming summer resort town on the shore of Lake Lucerne. Your guide will turn you loose in Weggis, where the self-guided part of your day trip begins. Take the aerial cable car for an approximate 15-minute ride up the mountain, offering you stunning views over Lake Lucerne.You’ll reach a middle station at an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 meters), where you’ll change to the cog-wheel train (the first in Europe) that will take you on another 10- to 15-minute ride almost to the summit of the mountain.Your itinerary on Mount Rigi is flexible – you can spend one to 2.5 hours exploring at your own pace, using the itinerary sheets and timetables your guide will give you. There are beautiful walking and hiking trails, spectacular panoramic views over the Swiss Alps, restaurants where you can relax and have a bite to eat, and more. You’ll then take a cog-wheel train down the mountain to the lakeside village of Vitznau, where you’ll board a paddle-steamer for the approximate 45-minute boat ride to Lucerne. In Lucerne, you’ll have free time to explore; walk along the lake, visit the Old Town and admire the Chapel Bridge. Your guide will meet you at the end of the day in Lucerne and escort you by coach back to Zurich.Between March 25 and April 18 the aerial cable car is under maintenance. In this case you will travel up and down Mt. Rigi by cogwheel train.