Hello!
Does anyone have suggestions for what to do in Lucerne for 3 days if the weather isn't the greatest? It looks like rain is in the forecast for 7 days from now when we arrive.
Is going up Mt. Pilatus worth it in not perfect weather?
I just want to make sure we will still have a great time if its not sunny skies!
Get a waterproof jacket and shoes and embrace your time in Switzerland. Sure, we’d all rather have blue skies and fair temps, but that hardly ever happens for your entire travel plan. Lucerne is still beautiful in the rain.
The weather up top may be totally different so dont assume that if its cloudy and rainy in town that its also that way on top either of the mountains. When we were there last fall, it was gray and cloudy when we arrived, and our hotel manager told us we should go to Pilatus right away because it was sunny on top. We did and were amazed at the unearthly view, with clouds down below filling the valleys. They have live camera views from the mountain tops that you can check.
We also enjoyed cruising on the lake while there, even if it was a bit cloudy.
Just to emphasize that the weather on top can be different from the weather on the bottom - I experienced this with Mt. Rigi. From the bottom, I was wondering if it was worth going up. Going up on the train, we actually passed through clouds, and the top was very clear.
The weather in 7 days from now can be completely different from what is forecast. Don't panic until you're actually there and it's actually cloudy and raining. Weather in Switzerland is highly changeable.
Do check webcams for any place you are thinking of spending time and money to reach. If Mt. Pilatus is cloudy, look at Mt. Rigi or Mt. Titlis.
I was less impressed with the transit museum than most are, and it's expensive (in 2014, it was 30 CHF, and even with a Swiss Travel Pass it was 15 CHF, instead of fully covered like most museums). There are other museums in Luzern too (I didn't get to these, but some looked interesting).
Mt. Pilatus webcam and forecasts:
https://www.pilatus.ch/en/nc/live/
Mountain top conditions can change by the minute.