Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 187 Transcript

Which Lucerne Mountain Should You Visit? Comparing the Region’s Six Must-See Peaks

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.

Carolyn Schönafinger: From panoramic gondola rides and historic cogwheel railways to thrilling cliff walks and jaw-dropping alpine views, the mountains around Lucerne offer some of Switzerland’s most unforgettable excursions. But with so many incredible peaks to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? In this episode, I’m joined by Lucerne local Céline de Plaize to compare 6 of the region’s most popular mountain adventures. And help you discover which excursion best matches your travel style, interests, and budget. Welcome to the Holidays to Switzerland Podcast. I’m Carolyn Schönafinger, your Switzerland destination expert and the founder of holidaystoswitzerland.com. Each week, together with my expert guests, I introduce you to the Switzerland that I know and love. And share inspiration and practical tips to help you plan your dream Swiss vacation. Before we dive in, a quick thank you to our podcast sponsors, Switzerland Tourism and Eco Rails. If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland, you’ll know just how much there is to consider. With so many incredible places to visit, figuring out your itinerary, booking accommodation, and choosing the right rail pass can quickly start to feel overwhelming. So that’s where Echo Rails comes in. Their small group rail tours are carefully curated so that everything is taken care of for you.

Carolyn Schönafinger: From the moment you arrive at the airport, your accommodation, transport, daily breakfasts and dinners, scenic excursions, and a knowledgeable local English-speaking guide are all included, so you can simply relax and enjoy the journey. If travelling through Switzerland with a small group tour sounds like your ideal way to explore, you’ll find more details via the link in the show notes along with an exclusive 5% discount code. Now let’s get into this week’s episode.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Good morning, Céline, and welcome to Melbourne, Australia. It’s great to be chatting to you in person finally. We’ve, um, we’ve met in person previously in Switzerland, but never here in Australia. So welcome.

Celine Deplazes: Thank you so much. It’s really amazing to be back in Australia finally, and to see you here in person.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Thank you. Now you’ve been a regular on the podcast over the last few years, so it’s always great to chat with you and get your local insights, um, about Lucerne. But for the listeners who perhaps haven’t heard you, could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your role with Lucerne Tourism?

Celine Deplazes: Of course. So as Carolyn introduced me, I’m Céline. I have worked for the Tourism Board of Lucerne for 4 years and as the tourism board, we represent the city of Lucerne and the beautiful surrounding areas about which we will talk today. And I’m local, so I grew up close to Lucerne, like half an hour from the city of Lucerne. It’s a place called Uri. And for those of you who are looking for the real hidden gems, I highly, highly recommend visiting Uri. It’s a beautiful rural place, lots of hiking and outdoor activities there to explore.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay, well, we’re going to talk a bit about outdoor activities today because whilst Lucerne is one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland, it’s also surrounded by some incredible mountains. And I know that one of the things that people often struggle with is, um, we’re going to Lucerne, which mountain do we choose? It’s so difficult when there’s so many amazing mountain excursions to choose from. So hopefully today you can maybe help people decide which one is right for them. So we’re gonna talk about 6 of the major peaks, uh, around Lucerne. Let’s perhaps start with Mount Pilatus, which is closest. What are the important things to know about visiting Mount Pilatus and, and why is it a great mountain excursion?

Celine Deplazes: So Mount Pilatus is what we call our house mountain because within 1 hour you can really reach the city centre. And then be on top of this mountain. So important to know that it’s open every day of the year. But keep in mind that there’s two ways of accessing Mount Pilatus. So during summertime, a very famous experience is called the Golden Round Trip, which is a boat ride and then the cogwheel train up to the peak of Mount Pilatus. And the cogwheel train is a really special experience because it’s the steepest cogwheel train in the whole world. So don’t miss that if you’re in Lucerne from between May to October, November, depending how much snow we have. And then on the other side of the mountain, there’s a gondola and the gondola is open 365 days a year. So Mount Pilatus is accessible by gondola all year round. So that’s sometimes a bit confusing cuz this Golden Round Trip is very famous, but it’s, well, only open from, from May to October or November.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. That’s good to know. So what about the highlights and the activities there? I mean, I’ve been fortunate to visit Mount Pilatus a couple of times myself, and it’s a great family destination because of the activities. Can you tell everyone what sort of things they can do there?

Celine Deplazes: So of course you have amazing views of Lake Lucerne. I think it’s one of the best views if you want to see Lake Lucerne from above and the city of Lucerne. And then as Caroline said, it’s amazing for families because when you access from the Kriens side, which is the gondola side, at the middle station at Fräkmüntegg, it’s hard to pronounce, it’s called Fräkmüntegg, there’s a big playground, there’s a rope park, there’s tobogganing as well, and there’s also a barbecue station. So before this podcast, I asked the expert Manuela, who works for Mount Pilatus, and she said her personal recommendation when she visits or when she has clients visiting She says, take the dragon glider to Drachenalp. So the dragon glider starts at the gondola station and it’s like a 5-minute little fly ride through the forest. And then you end up at Drachenalp and there you can buy a lunch package with a sausage bread, and then you can grill your sausage over the open fire pit there. So we call this a Swiss barbecue. So very Swiss activity to do while being on a mountain. So that’s her local personal recommendation.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Mm. Yeah. Good idea. And you can actually stay overnight on Mount Pilatus, can’t you?

Celine Deplazes: Yes. So on top there’s two hotels, a 3 and a 4-star hotel. And it’s really amazing cuz during the day you have all the day tourists, so it can get quite busy. And then in the evening they all leave and it’s just the hotel guests on top of the mountain. So it’s a million-star hotel. Amazing views, beautiful sunset and sunrises. So definitely a very special experience. Also during wintertime when everything is covered in snow and it’s super quiet up there. So an amazing, unique experience to sleep up on Mount Pilatus.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, it certainly is. I’ve been lucky enough to do that. And those sunsets and sunrises are just amazing. And I think something that differentiates Mount Pilatus too, it’s not a mountain that you go to for skiing. So if you’re visiting in winter and you want to avoid, you know, the mountains where all the skiers are going, it’s a great one because you’re going to get those amazing views. You can do some hiking, winter hiking. So it’s perfect for people that aren’t particularly interested in going anywhere that there’s skiers.

Celine Deplazes: Exactly. So it’s, it’s even more quiet during wintertime because as you’re saying, it’s not a ski mountain, so a great, like, also pre or post ski holiday stay. So if you want to go to another mountain, but not skiing, away from the crowds with beautiful views, Mount Pilatus is definitely an amazing option.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Okay. So the next mountain we’re going to chat about is, um, Stanserhorn, which is not too far from, um, Lucerne itself. What can you tell us about Stanserhorn?

Celine Deplazes: So Stanserhorn is only a 15-minute train ride from Lucerne, and then it’s a little funicular, and then you board the first open-air cable car in the whole world. So another record in the Lucerne region. And for those of you, and I’m sure you know about the Swiss Travel Pass when you’re a frequent listener of this podcast, Stanserhorn is fully included in the Swiss Travel Pass. So it’s an amazing other excursion, very close from Lucerne, and when you go to Mount Stanserhorn, it’s mainly for the amazing views and the experience of being in this open, open-air cable car. It’s not that many hiking options up on the top. There’s a little circular walk, like 30 minutes maybe, to enjoy the views. And other than that, my recommendation, or the reason why I visit Mount Stanserhorn, and I think I’ve mentioned this in another podcast, is the amazing cheese macaroni on top. So in my opinion, the best cheese macaronis, we call them Alplermagronen. In all of Switzerland. So if you love cheese and pasta, definitely head to Stanserhorn to try them.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, that’s a very big recommendation if it’s the best in Switzerland. It is very, very delicious. And there’s, uh, for people that are interested in the local, uh, wildlife and, and flora, that’s a good mountain to visit too, isn’t it?

Celine Deplazes: Yes, exactly. Because there is the Stanserhorn Ranger. 17, um, men and women retired, most of them. And every day one of them is on the Stanserhorn between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. And they will tell you and explain everything about the fauna, the flora, the, the animals. So really passionate people about, about this region, about this mountain and everything you can see and explore up there.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, it’s, it’s, uh, a great, great service that they offer up there. But Stanserhorn isn’t open year round, is it?

Celine Deplazes: No. So Stanserhorn is open from April to November and it’s closed during wintertime. So it’s a summer, autumn, spring excursion. There’s also no hotels up there, but during summertime they operate long in the evenings until 11 PM. So you can enjoy a nice sunset dinner. Candlelight dinner is what they offer as well. You can also bring your picnic and enjoy it outside while watching the sunset.

Carolyn Schönafinger: It’s one of the few mountains that tourists are probably familiar with that you can actually visit, as you say, late into the evening. Most of them, the gondolas and mountain railways finish by about 6 PM. So it’s a really lovely experience to have dinner up there and watch the sun setting over the lake and then coming down in the dark. It’s great.

Celine Deplazes: Special experience. And they light up everything with candles around the gondola station. So It’s really beautiful to do that.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, no, that, that’s a great excursion. One mountain that probably, um, a lot of our listeners will have heard of is Mount Rigi, and, uh, there’s a couple of different ways to reach the summit there as well. But can you tell everyone more about the Mount Rigi excursion?

Celine Deplazes: Yes. So as you’re saying, it’s probably one of the more famous ones internationally. It’s also fully covered with the Swiss Travel Pass. That might be one of the reasons why it’s so well known. And also it’s accessible by boat all year round. So I would say the most frequent and most popular way to access the mountain is via Vitznau. Vitznau is a small town by the lakeshore and it’s about a 45-minute boat ride from Lucerne and then half an hour train ride to reach the top of Mount Rigi. It’s called Rigi Kulm. So that’s one way. And then the other way would be also a boat ride to Weggis, which is the village just before Vitznau. And from there you have a gondola. It’s a 5-minute gondola ride to Rigi Kaltbad, which is sort of the middle station of Mount Rigi. It’s a car-free village, and there is also a hotel and a spa that you can stay. And then the third way, which is quite popular as well. From Lucerne, you take a train to Arth Goldau. It’s a 30-minute train ride, and then the mountain railway up to Rigi Kulm, 45 minutes. So again, within 2 hours you can reach the city centre to the mountain peak.

Celine Deplazes: So that’s how close Lucerne is to the surrounding mountains.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, it’s very, very, very close. So what can people do, um, on Mount Rigi? Obviously there’s a beautiful spa, as you just mentioned, so you might like to spend an hour or two soaking in the spa, but what else is available up there?

Celine Deplazes: So when people ask me what, where should I go or What should I do? And then they say, I would like to go hiking, but I’m not a big hiker. I often recommend Mount Rigi because the hiking trails are quite easy. A lot of them are also paved. So if you’re a family with kids and you have a stroller, it’s also fine to do those hiking trails up on Mount Rigi. And because the mountain is not too high, it’s also not, no, there’s no issues with the altitude. I would say if you’re seeking a mountain and you’d love to do some hiking, but not uphill mountaineering, like hours walking over stones, then Mount Rigi is the mountain for you to go. And because the railway, the mountain railway, which is by the way, the oldest in Europe. So another record there. It’s like hop-on hop-off hiking, cuz the hiking trails follow a bit the train. So you can get off, for example, at Rigi Kaltbad. And then hike up to Rigi Kulm, which is about half an hour, depending how fast you walk and how many photo stops you do. So for me, Mount Rigi is about hiking, enjoying the scenery, and the green meadows.

Celine Deplazes: There’s lots of cows in summer and in winter as well. There’s easy winter hiking trails.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, that’s, that’s right. I was going to say I have done that hike, although in the other direction from Rigi Kulm back to Rigi Kaltbad in the winter. And it’s, it’s beautiful. It’s a totally different experience to doing it in summer, but just beautiful. And when you look at all those snow-covered peaks that you can see from up there, it’s incredible.

Celine Deplazes: That’s why I say in general, Lucerne can be visited all year round. And most of the mountain excursions, except for Stanserhorn, are open. And it’s, as you’re saying, a different experience than in summer because everything is covered in snow. Some activities might be slightly different. Again, if you’re thinking of when should I visit Switzerland, it’s all about what would you like to see? What do you expect to experience?

Carolyn Schönafinger: Right. Because everyone has different interests.

Celine Deplazes: Yeah, that’s right.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. So there’s a mountain excursion for everyone. You mentioned that there’s that hotel and a spa at Rigi Kaltbad, but there’s also a hotel at the summit too, isn’t there?

Celine Deplazes: Yes, exactly. So there’s in general Mount Rigi, there’s a lot of different accommodations. So there’s also apartments or group accommodations. And as you’re saying, there’s also a hotel on the very top called Rigi Kulm. There’s also a restaurant. So different options to stay around and on Mount Rigi.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Mm. Okay. Very good. So that’s a great one for families, for easy hiking and for people who just really want to get out and enjoy nature and, and take in the views.

Celine Deplazes: Exactly. And also for the train lovers amongst you, because as I mentioned, it’s Europe’s oldest mountain railway and they have really old , trains still operating on Mount Rigi. So they have quite some interesting carriages there to experience.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Getting up the mountain is a part of the experience.

Celine Deplazes: Yeah, absolutely.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Right. Let’s move on to Mount Titlis, which I know has some exciting things just happening recently with a brand new opening.

Celine Deplazes: Yeah, exactly. So Mount Titlis is a 45-minute train ride from Lucerne, a direct train operating every 30 minutes now. So that’s new as well, or 1 hour by car and then it’s reachable within half an hour by gondola. So one gondola first, then you change to the revolving cable car to the very top of Mount Titlis. Mount Titlis is very famous because there’s a glacier, so there’s snow all year round. And very exciting, by the end of this month, they’re opening their new tower with a new viewing platform. It’s called the Horizon Deck. So for more spectacular views. And also there’s gonna be a nice, um, restaurant. There’s gonna be a Rolex boutique. So a really new exciting project is opening at the end of this month, beginning of June. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Great. Okay. And, but there’s already lots and lots of fun things that you can do at Mount Titlis, isn’t there?

Celine Deplazes: Yes. So Mount Titlis has the highest suspension bridge in Europe. It’s called the Cliff Walk and when you go to Mount Titlis, this cliff walk is already included, so you don’t need to buy any extra ticket. By the way, the Mount Titlis excursion is 50% discount with the Swiss Travel Pass. And then there’s also, in winter it’s at Trübsee, and in summer it’s on the glacier. It’s the snow tubing, also included in the ticket already. And then talking about summer, there’s lots of activities at Trübsee. So Trübsee is the middle station, and in summer you can do lots of activities there. Like there’s a zipline, there’s rowing boats, which are free of cost. There’s a huge playground and a lot of barbecue stations, and there’s something called a bag jump. So you jump on a big bag and then, I don’t know, your mum or your friend is in the front of this bag and they will fly high up in, in the sky. So it’s quite fun to do that. And there’s also plenty of restaurants, so you can spend 2, 3, 4 hours at Trübsee and have a lot of fun there.

Celine Deplazes: And in winter, I asked Olivia, the market manager for Australia working at Mount Titlis, what she would recommend. And she mentioned in winter, her highlight is the Snow X Park. Have you, have you tried that?

Carolyn Schönafinger: No, I haven’t been to Mount Titlis in winter.

Celine Deplazes: So in winter there’s like snowmobiles, different kinds of snowmobiles. It’s called the Snow X Park. And you can drive around in those snowmobiles. So it’s a lot of fun just cruising around. So a lot of fun. That’s her, her recommendation for wintertime.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Good local tip to have. Uh, what about if people wanna stay on Mount Titlis?

Celine Deplazes: Yes. So there is one restaurant, it’s called the Alpine Lodge at Trübsee. Currently it’s only open in wintertime, but they should open again during summertime in a couple of years because currently there’s a lot of, um, new projects and constructions on Mount Titlis because besides the big tower, they’re also building a new station on the very top. But yeah, you can stay at the Trübsee Alpine Lodge. It’s a wonderful cosy hotel and similar to Mount Pilatus in the evening, there’s no day tourists, so it is very quiet, but just be aware that you’re stuck on the mountain, so you can’t really go to, to a village or to another bar after, after dinner.

Carolyn Schönafinger: But if you want total peace and tranquility, you’ll get it there. Yeah. Okay. So, um, let’s move on to a mountain that I always have trouble pronouncing. I’m gonna say Störs. Yeah. Störs. Störs. Störs.

Celine Deplazes: Exactly. So that’s probably more of a lesser-known mountain, I would say, like a hidden gem still. And it’s reachable from Lucerne by train and bus. It’s about 1 hour and 15 minutes. And again, of course, we have a world record there. It’s the steepest funicular in the world. And if you love boats, it’s also a way to reach it by boat. You take the boat to Brunnen, a beautiful village by the lake and then about a 30-minute bus ride to the valley station and then up to Mount Stoos. And Stoos is a car-free village. And again, this mountain is included in the Swiss Travel Pass, 100% covered. So if you have the Swiss Travel Pass, this might be a very nice option for you to do. And in terms of activities, again, I would say Stoos has hiking views.

Carolyn Schönafinger: There’s quite a famous hike there.

Celine Deplazes: Yeah, it’s called the Ridge Hike. So you take a chairlift to the starting point. Once you reach Stoos, take the chairlift and then hike to Fronalpstock. And this is where you have the best view of the part of Lake Lucerne that is called Lake Uri. So that’s where I’m from. So this part of, it’s the, the end of Lake Lucerne basically. And a really famous, famous hike. Beautiful. Not too long, not too steep. So perfectly fine to do it as well with kids.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Oh, that’s good. All right. So what, um, apart from hiking, is there any, anything else that people would go there for, or is it mainly again for those incredible views?

Celine Deplazes: So there is the option to do, for example, a horse carriage ride, or there’s also a special hike called the Alpine Cheese Trail. So you go from different little cheese dairies on the mountain or around this area, and you can taste some cheese. And also there’s, so there’s two hotels that I would like to highlight. There’s other options to stay on Mount Stoos. It is the Wellness Hotel Stoos, which has a beautiful big spa area, and the Stoos Lodge, which is very family friendly. They have an indoor playground as well. So those are two, two options to stay overnight.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay.

Celine Deplazes: And in winter, Mount Stoos is a ski resort, so it’s not too big. So again, very, very, um, great option for families.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Perfect. So, uh, Stoos is available, and is open to visit all year round.

Celine Deplazes: Yes.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah.

Celine Deplazes: Because people live on Mount Stoos all year round, so it’s accessible all, all year round. And open to discover for tourists as well.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Now the final mountain that we’re going to talk about is one that people probably associate more with the Interlaken Jungfrau region, but it’s actually very, very accessible from Lucerne, and that is Brienz Rothorn. So can you just tell everyone listening how they would reach there from Lucerne rather than from the other, the other side?

Celine Deplazes: Yeah. So this is definitely the hidden gem, the hidden mountain in Lucerne or in the Lucerne area. And Brienzer Rothorn is reachable by public transportation from Lucerne by train and bus in about 2 hours and by car in about 1 hour. And then there’s a beautiful new cable car, which brings you up to the peak of the mountain within 7 minutes. So as you’re saying, people and listeners might know the steam train going up from Brienz to Brienz Rothorn, which is more busy. And for this you definitely need a seat reservation, whereas accessing via Lucerne and the village called Sörenberg is not as well known and touristy yet. So a beautiful option to do that, or also crossing the mountain, like accessing Lucerne to Sörenberg and then up to Brienzer Rothorn and then going down to Brienz.

Carolyn Schönafinger: So you can do it as a circle, a round trip rather than, yeah, doing the same way, uh, up, up and back. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So there’s not, um, probably I’m gonna say there’s not a lot of activities to do at Brienz Rothorn. It’s more about the whole experience, isn’t it? But there are hiking trails.

Celine Deplazes: Yes. There are hiking trails and the one that I would like to highlight is the ibex trekking. So there’s a lot of ibexes on Brienz Rothorn and the ibex trek is a 2-day hike, or you can do it in 1 day, but it’s gonna be a long day then. If you do it in 2 days, you would sleep on the mountain. There’s accommodation at the Eissee, which is a small mountain lake. And you can stay there and in the morning when the sun rises, you go out and you can spot lots of ibexes, hopefully.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay.

Celine Deplazes: So this is also still on my bucket list because to be honest, I haven’t really discovered Brienz Rothorn because even for us locals, it’s still more of a hidden gem. And Sörenberg for families, if you’re visiting Switzerland with kids, an amazing place. So for families, for grandparents with, with their grandchildren, there’s big playgrounds, there’s themed hiking trails. So a very, very family-friendly destination in our region.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. And now I know the steam train up from Brienz only operates from early June till the end of October. What about the cable car from Sörenberg? Is that the same?

Celine Deplazes: No, this one operates all year round because in winter, again, Brienz Rothorn is a ski resort. Brienz Rothorn has quite some steep slopes for the experienced skiers. That’s an amazing ski resort to discover.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Well, there’s another one that everyone should add to their list. I haven’t been up from the Sörenberg side, so yeah, that’s, that’s one I’m putting on my bucket list.

Celine Deplazes: Next time I’ll join you. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Sounds good. Okay. Now you’ve already mentioned that 3 of those mountains are fully covered with the Swiss Travel Pass. That’s Stanserhorn, Rigi, and Stoos, but all 6 are covered with the new Lucerne Travel Pass, which people might have heard of as, uh, was previously known as the Tellpass. So can you just give us a bit more information about the Lucerne Travel Pass?

Celine Deplazes: So the Lucerne Travel Pass is the, I often explain it as the Swiss Travel Pass of the Lucerne region, but including all the mountains. So all the mountains that we’ve just talked about are fully and 100% covered with this ticket and The network goes all the way to Interlaken. So even the steam train to Brienz Rothorn, if you want to do the cable car first and then the steam train, is covered with this, with this pass. Also, the train ride from Lucerne to Interlaken, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express, is covered with this ticket. And in my opinion, it makes sense if you’re planning to stay in Lucerne, in our region, for a couple of days. So the ticket is available for 3, 4, 5, or 10 days. And kids up to 16 years old need a separate ticket and it’s only CHF 30. So an amazing ticket if you also combine, if you’re coming to Europe, you combine different countries and you’re planning to stay in Switzerland, you base yourself in Lucerne and you discover the region. This might be the best option for you.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. And it’s so convenient having a pass because you don’t have to, you know, you’re not forking out money every time you want to do an excursion, because that can quickly get out of control from the cost point of view. If you’ve bought a pass, you can really get good value, and you can change your plans at short notice, because if the weather’s not great, you just go and do another excursion. Or yeah, it’s very, very flexible and convenient. Okay, so for any of those mountain excursions that we’ve talked about, do people need to make seat reservations for them?

Celine Deplazes: So there are a few where we recommend making a seat reservation. One of them is the cogwheel railway to Mount Pilatus because in, yeah, summer months, especially June, July, August, it can get really busy. And if you want to be sure that you have a seat on a specific time, you can make a seat reservation. Also for the steam train accessing from Brienz, a seat reservation is highly recommended because again, it gets really busy. For all the others, it’s not, not needed. You can do one, I think, in Mount Rigi as well, but it’s not mandatory.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. And the services operate very frequently, in those cases. So, um, you just wait for the next service if it does happen to be full. Exactly. Yeah. What are the common mistakes that you see travellers make when they’re planning a mountain excursion from Lucerne?

Celine Deplazes: I think it’s that they think one mountain is enough because as you’ve seen or heard now, all those excursions, they have their own highlight, whether that’s how to access, is it a cogwheel train, a funicular, or a cable car, the activities on top. So if you’re in a rush, at least one mountain excursion, but if you have a bit more time, maybe do Mount Rigi on one day and head then to Brienzl Rothorn because the view is different. The way of accessing it is different. The activities are different. It’s hard to explain because coming from abroad you would think, oh well, it’s, it’s a mountain. It’s all the same, but it’s, it’s not, I promise you. So try to visit one or two different mountains. And of course it’s always again, what, what are you expecting? What, what would you like to do, whether that’s hiking or just enjoying the views while having a nice lunch or dinner. So that’s my recommendation. Consider visiting more than, especially if you have the Swiss Travel Pass or the Lucerne Travel Pass. It’s, it’s easy.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, sure. So for people who are listening and they, you know, they, they’re still finding it a little bit difficult to choose which one or which ones, uh, they should do. What, what tips would you give them?

Celine Deplazes: Um, it’s a very hard question because all of them are amazing. And I would say here again, it’s what are you expecting? Are you travelling with kids who’d like to be on a, on a playground? Are you into hiking? Are you going there to enjoy nice food? Are you a train lover? Then maybe go to Mount Rigi, or are you— do you want to ride a cable car? Then Mount Pilatus or Mount Titlis would be amazing. Do you want to see a glacier and snow? Head to Mount Titlis for that, definitely. Do you want to be away from the crowds? Then accessing Brienzer Rothorn from Sörenberg. So it’s expectations and activities that I think are the things you have to keep in mind before deciding where you want to go.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Find, work out what your highest priority is and, and, and work out, work it out from there.

Celine Deplazes: Yeah. And also the time aspect, because if you go to Brienzer Rothorn, it takes you 2 hours to get to the valley station, whereas if you go to Mount Pilatus, you’re on top of the mountain within 1 hour. So that’s another aspect to consider.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Excellent. Okay. So where can our listeners find out more information about any of these mountains that are called Lucerne’s Six Big Peaks?

Celine Deplazes: So on our website, lucerne.com, or on our Instagram, and we currently have a big summer promotion for all these mountains. So we have a lot of content going out and giving you recommendations and ideas on what to do on all those different kinds of mountains. Or, I mean, you’re the expert as well, I’m sure, on your blog.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Articles on my website and of course previous podcast episodes about lots of these mountain excursions as well.

Celine Deplazes: Yeah. But really, again, take your time to discover the mountains around Lucerne, combining it with a boat trip. Buy the Swiss Travel Pass or the Lucerne Travel Pass. It’s a great ticket and very easy and convenient for you to discover the different mountains.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely. Thank you very much, Céline, for, uh, joining us and sharing all that info about those amazing mountain excursions.

Celine Deplazes: Thank you so much for having me. Always a pleasure, and today even more to see you in person, not via screen.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Exactly.

Celine Deplazes: Thank you so much.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Much nicer. Thank you.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Whether you’re looking for easy scenic views, family-friendly adventures, adrenaline-filled experiences, or a classic Swiss mountain journey, there’s a perfect peak waiting for you near Lucerne. I hope today’s episode has helped you to narrow down which excursion deserves a spot on your itinerary. For more information about each of the mountain excursions that Céline shared with us today, and a link to get a copy of my free Switzerland travel planning kit and guide, visit the show notes at holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode187. Thanks so much for your company today. I’ll be back again next week with more Swiss travel tips and inspiration. Until then, Tschüss!

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.