BeaconMediaNews.com
6 September 2 - September 8, 2010
An Alpine Summer in Central Switzerland mountains such as Rigi, Stanserhorn, and Pilatus. Lucerne highlights include the 14th century Chapel Bridge, Europe’s oldest covered wooden bridge; the Museggmauer, an incredibly preserved 13th century fortified wall, with
is a paddle or steamboat cruise on Lake Lucerne. During my visit I cruised to Rütli, a grassy meadow where the roots of Switzerland were planted in the 13th century and the legend of Swiss hero William Tell was made famous.
tacular steam powered Pilatus Railway. Entering service in 1889, the cogwheel locomotive was designed by engineer Eduard Locher. Upon inception it instantly amazed the world as it climbed the mountain like a goat, reach-
bright red car chugging slowly upwards. After a few minutes the trian winds precariously around the rims of rocky cliffs. It then cuts through tunnels bored through solid rock and spans flowing streams and fields of wild flowers.
all but one of nine towers intact; and the Swiss Museum of Transport – one of the most diverse museums in Europe for transport and communication. Another city attraction
The highlight of my visit to Lucerne was a journey up mysterious Mount Pilatus. To get to the base of the mountain I took a bus to the town of Alpnachstad, where I boarded the spec-
ing a head-tilting gradient of 48 percent. Today, the train still scales the mountain and is the world’s steepest cogwheel. The ride roller coasterlike ride begins with the
Higher up, forests give way to snow covered pastures, teeming with herds of grazing cattle, playing a Swiss symphony of chiming cowbells. At the top of Pilatus are numerous lakes and
By Greg Aragon An hour south of Zurich is Lucerne, a beautiful waterfront city, where 18th century buildings and sidewalk cafes lead to medieval squares, fresco-styled homes, ancient churches and chapels, and wooden bridges. I stayed here last summer, using the town as a base camp on my way to the top of Mount Pilatus. Set on Lake Lucerne and dissected by the River Reuss, the German-speaking Lucerne is a gateway to Central Switzerland. From the city’s river banks visitors enjoy incredible views of the Swiss Alps, and
awesome views of at least 73 snowy peaks comprising the Alps. The summit of Pilatus features an aerial tram station and two historic hotels, one being Hotel Pilatus Klum, built in 1890. I warmed up here with a hot chocolate in the lobby before taking a gondola down the other side of Pilatus. The tram’s first stop is Frakmuntegg, a large nature/adventure park. Here I experienced Switzerland’s longest summer toboggan run. Stretching nearly a mile, the snaking, shiny metal half-tube zips guests down the mountainside through tall green pastures. Back in the gondola, I rode to Kriens, near Lucerne, where I boarded Switzerland’s legendary Post Bus. Canary yellow, the buses are the main public transit link between trains, gondolas and boats and like all Swiss public transportation, they are clean and run on time like a Rolex watch. For more info on visiting Switzerland, visit www.myswitzerland.com; for flight info visit Swiss International Airlines at: www.swiss.com.
CTR# 101620208
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