I departed on the non-stop United flight from Chicago to Zurich the day before. That flight isn't the greatest because you depart Chicago at 4 p.m. It is hard to get excited about sleeping at 6 p.m., so you might need a little sleeping pill to help!

I arrived in Zurich this morning around 8:30 a.m. I was met by my representative who got me to the train in the airport and rode with me to Zurich Main Station where I caught a train to Lucerne. I'm glad I had that assistance as it would have taken some brain power to figure out the Zurich Main station, and I was tired after the long flight.

The train from Zurich to Lucerne is just over an hour; I was in Lucerne by 10:25 a.m.

I had a short walking tour of Lucerne. A beautiful little town right on the lake. The train station is right in the old town. I walked to my hotel in about 5 minutes.

I stayed at the Hotel Les Balances. A 4* hotel in a perfect location in the Old Town. Located right on the river, it is a great base for exploring. It is a 4* hotel and there is nothing fancy about it. It is a typical European hotel in a historic old building. Lots of quirks- TINY bathrooms and winding hallways. Staff was very friendly. Nice little breakfast buffet and a la carte menu as well.

I know a lot of people like the Hotel Schweizerhof. I walked through the lobby and it is a bit tired. Lively bar and excellent location.

The only hotel that is Virtuoso/DL is the Mandarin Oriental. It is a good 15-20 minute walk from Chapel Bridge, but right on the lake with a lot of outdoor space to have drinks or a meal. Lovely bar. My guide wasn't thrilled with it because it is pretty typical of any Mandarin around the world, but it was by far the nicest hotel I saw in town. (I did not see a room.)

I also walked through the Ameron Luzern Hotel Flora because I have clients staying here in a week. I didn't see a room, but the lobby is great- modern, trendy and a great little restaurant. It was a great price point for a 4* hotel and only half a block from Chapel Bridge and a 5 minute walk from the train station.

Today I did the Mt. Pilatus route- Gondola to Cable Car to Cogwheel Train to Ferry back to Lucerne. The weather can be drastically different at the top of the mountain, so dress accordingly and bring a rain coat. You purchase the ticket at the bottom for the entire day. The Gondola goes about half way up and then you will board a cable car to get to the top. There are only maybe 8 seats on the cable car, and they are first come first serve, so most people will be standing. It probably holds 25- 30 people. It is maybe a 10 minute ride. Once at the top, speak with the attendants at the Cogwheel Train to reserve your spot down. They only run every 30- 45 minutes and they do fill up. You can have lunch at the top. It is cafeteria style and nothing to get excited about, but if the weather is clear, it has an amazing view. There are a few outlooks you can walk up to and trails from here. I would say an hour and a half is probably plenty of time for lunch and a little exploration. The Cogwheel Train back down is one of the steepest declines of any train and at some places is 48%! The seating on this train is also first come first serve, so I do suggest getting in line a bit early so you have your first choice of a seat. When you exit the train, you walk under the road through a tunnel to the ferry port and board a boat back to Lucerne. It is worth paying for a first class seat on the boat, as it is about an hour or so boat ride and the first class seats have their own beautiful outdoor seating space as well as a nice indoor seating area. If someone is tired after that long day, there is a train that will get you back to Lucerne in 15 minutes.

If you have longer to stay in Lucerne (and you should! One night is not enough), here are some suggestions from my guide. I did not do these myself:

Mt. Rigi: The "sister" mountain to Mt Pilatus.

Zug: Quick local train for a charming old town and beautiful lake.

Sempach: Also a local train and charming town. Very local; not many tourists.

Stans: You can take an open air gondola up to the top of the mountain from here.

Lots of hiking trails and water activities in the summer.

I asked for a very typical Swiss restaurant for dinner and was referred to the Zuufthaus Restaurant. It does have very typical Swiss food, but felt quite touristy (I don't feel like there were any Swiss people there.) Had clients go to Weisses Kreuz and Stadtkeller.

Specialties unique to Lucerne that you should try:

Chuegelipastetli: A puff pastry filled with lamb meatballs and a mushroom sauce.

Linzertorte Klein: A soft and delicious gingerbread, and I am not a gingerbread person!

Beth Miles Travel

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