THE CANTON OF LUCERNE
Although Switzerland is well known as a go-to destination for winter holidays, it offers just as many opportunities to have fun the rest of the year. The City of Lucerne as the gateway to Central Switzerland is a great place to start exploring the beauty of the canton and the country. A visit to the City would of course not be complete without going to the famous Chapel Bridge. Don’t overlook the Speuer covered wooden bridge first built in the 1400s which features 67 paintings under its roof representing a “Dance of Death”. The paintings date back to the early 1600s. Another must-do is a visit to the Glacier Garden with its world-famous Lion Monument commemorating the Swiss mercenary soldiers who died in 1792 defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution.
Switzerland with its many first class resorts has always attracted the rich and famous. One of the destinations favored by Charlie Chaplin, Nehru, Sophia Loren, Golda Meir & Audrey Hepburn - just to name a few- was the Grand Hotel established in 1873 on Mt Bürgenstock. It is near the City of Lucerne and overlooks the Lake of Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee). A new premier luxury resort has recently opened to carry on the tradition. You don’t, however, have to be a millionaire to enjoy this beautiful region of Switzerland. A visit to Bürgenstock is really super.
During medieval times it was believed that benevolent dragons lived in the rugged clefts & crevices of Mount Pilatus which overlooks the Lake of Lucerne. You might not find dragons anymore, but you do have the opportunity to take an aerial ride on the new “Dragon Ride” cable car which will take you to the top of Mt Pilatus. For an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience take a “Golden Roundtrip” from Lucerne which combines travel by the world’s steepest cog railway, by ship on the lake and cableways to and from Mount Pilatus. To cap it all off, consider taking a 1350 meter summer toboggan ride down Fräkmüntegg.
For a pleasant & relaxing side trip, a visit to the Sempachersee region is a must. It’s a beautiful region loaded with history. For those of us with gray hair who like history, in 1931 to counter Nazi propaganda, Switzerland founded a strong radio transmitter at Beromünster. The station became for several decades “The Voice of Switzerland”. Along with BBC it enjoyed an excellent reputation for reliable, independent & professional information. Going further back in history, a key battle against the Habsburgs took place in Sempach in 1386. According to legend, Arnold Winkelried rushed toward the advancing Austrian knights, extending his arms as far as he could, he deliberately gathered into his own body the lances & spears of the enemy enabling his comrades to rush through the gap in the line and defeat the enemy.
Check out the Videos & websites by clicking on the highlighted links above.
Although Switzerland is well known as a go-to destination for winter holidays, it offers just as many opportunities to have fun the rest of the year. The City of Lucerne as the gateway to Central Switzerland is a great place to start exploring the beauty of the canton and the country. A visit to the City would of course not be complete without going to the famous Chapel Bridge. Don’t overlook the Speuer covered wooden bridge first built in the 1400s which features 67 paintings under its roof representing a “Dance of Death”. The paintings date back to the early 1600s. Another must-do is a visit to the Glacier Garden with its world-famous Lion Monument commemorating the Swiss mercenary soldiers who died in 1792 defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution.
Switzerland with its many first class resorts has always attracted the rich and famous. One of the destinations favored by Charlie Chaplin, Nehru, Sophia Loren, Golda Meir & Audrey Hepburn - just to name a few- was the Grand Hotel established in 1873 on Mt Bürgenstock. It is near the City of Lucerne and overlooks the Lake of Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee). A new premier luxury resort has recently opened to carry on the tradition. You don’t, however, have to be a millionaire to enjoy this beautiful region of Switzerland. A visit to Bürgenstock is really super.
During medieval times it was believed that benevolent dragons lived in the rugged clefts & crevices of Mount Pilatus which overlooks the Lake of Lucerne. You might not find dragons anymore, but you do have the opportunity to take an aerial ride on the new “Dragon Ride” cable car which will take you to the top of Mt Pilatus. For an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience take a “Golden Roundtrip” from Lucerne which combines travel by the world’s steepest cog railway, by ship on the lake and cableways to and from Mount Pilatus. To cap it all off, consider taking a 1350 meter summer toboggan ride down Fräkmüntegg.
For a pleasant & relaxing side trip, a visit to the Sempachersee region is a must. It’s a beautiful region loaded with history. For those of us with gray hair who like history, in 1931 to counter Nazi propaganda, Switzerland founded a strong radio transmitter at Beromünster. The station became for several decades “The Voice of Switzerland”. Along with BBC it enjoyed an excellent reputation for reliable, independent & professional information. Going further back in history, a key battle against the Habsburgs took place in Sempach in 1386. According to legend, Arnold Winkelried rushed toward the advancing Austrian knights, extending his arms as far as he could, he deliberately gathered into his own body the lances & spears of the enemy enabling his comrades to rush through the gap in the line and defeat the enemy.
Check out the Videos & websites by clicking on the highlighted links above.