are Rigi / Pilatus worth it if heading from Lucerne to the BO?

With only 2 nights to spend in a beautiful city that you've never visited...why would you want to spend your vacation time traveling somewhere else? You're already going to be spending 6 nights in the mountains (hopefully not in the lowlands if Interlaken) so why not visit Lucerne and see what all it has to offer? You can jump on one of the many boats on Lake Lucerne and visit a nearby lakeside village which takes a lot LESS time than going all the way to a mountain peak.

Jill,

I'd also suggest adding some time to Lucerne, especially as you haven't been there before. You'd probably enjoy a trip to Mt. Pilatus, and one route you might consider is....

• boat to Alphnachstad
• Pilatusbahn Funicular to the top (it's quite the engineering marvel)
• Return by cable car to Kriens and then bus back to Lucerne, which is only about a 15 minute trip.

Thanks Ken and Tim. I don't think we'll add time to Lucerne. I'm not willing to give up my time in the BO:). I think we'll probably just enjoy a few hours on the lake.

Be sure to allow plenty of time to see the car-free Old Town (Altstadt) of Luzern. The Rick Steves Switzerland guide book gives an excellent walking tour of it, including the medieval plazas with the painted murals on the buildings and the elaborate public fountains. And save time to eat at the outdoor cafes along the Reuss River there.

If it's sunny when you take your lake ship ride, the prettiest part of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) is the Urnersee. Flüelen is the furthest stop on that lake that the ship goes to. When it's sunny, the Urnersee is a bright light-blue-green color. That part of Lake Lucerne has the most dramatic tall cliffs, and has green pastures in the lower parts, and views of snow-capped mountains in the distance. The lake ride from Luzern to Flüelen takes almost 3 hours. Then you can get back to Luzern quickly by taking the train from Flüelen to Luzern in about an hour. If you upgrade to first class for that boat ride, you can sit under a canopy or open-air roof for sun protection on the long ride.

Thanks Linda!

I did Lucerne after a trip to the BO in October and still found Mt Pilatus pretty awesome (though the fresh inch or two of snow perhaps added to the magic for this South Carolina resident). The highest point of Pilatus offers a nice view of Jungfrau and the other BO peaks. The trip up by cogwheel train and down by cable car is fun, too. If you choose to go, I would suggest arriving early. Rigi was great but less impressive.

I'm with Ken. I would spend an extra day in Lucerne because it's a pretty special place, but you sound pretty set on your current schedule. Even with just 1.5 days, I think you would still have plenty of time to get in the RS walking tour (I agree with Linda that it is excellent), a boat ride, and Pilatus. The walk to see the Lion of Lucerne is not bad at all from the end of the RS walking tour (I think Rick recommends taking the bus) and lets you experience a little bit more of the city. I also enjoyed just sitting by the lake watching the world go by.

Although the top of Mt. Rigi (Rigi Kulm) wasn't as impressive to me as the top of Mt. Pilatus, I was enchanted with Rigi at the Rigi Kaltbad level, which is a bit down from the mountain top. Not for the view of the snow-capped mountains in the very far distance, but for the aerial view of colorful Lake Lucerne, below, with its unusual coastline with jutting peninsulas, including one called the grosse Nase (big nose) and another called the kleine Nase (little nose)! You can get to Rigi Kaltbad most easily by taking the cog wheel train from the Vitznau ship dock.

Sounds like I can't go wrong no matte how we spend our time:). Thanks for the input! We'll be coming from Baden-Baden so should be able to get there around noon on arrival day. I think we'll play it by ear and see how much we're able to accomplish the first day. I've been reading about the towers and walking the walls of the city which seems like it might be fun also. Also wondering if we could get to the top of one of the mountains and back in less than a full day?

I've been reading about the towers and walking the walls of the city which seems like it might be fun also.

Yes, the medieval towers and walls are fun! In particular, the clock tower and walking the ramparts from there.

Also wondering if we could get to the top of one of the mountains and back in less than a full day?

Yes, a half day is fine for either mountain.