10 day trips from Lucerne that locals make too
Most excursion lists for Lucerne name the same three mountains. This list was put together on the Schwyz side of the lake and gathers outings that locals enjoy as well, with a comparable setting. Most destinations can be reached from Lucerne by train, bus or boat in about an hour. The travel times under the titles apply to the single journey from Lucerne station.
1. The Stoos and its ridge walk
about 1 h 30 · GA travelcard and Swiss Travel Pass cover everything except the chairlifts
The steepest funicular in the world takes you up a 110 % gradient into the car-free village. From there the ridge walk leads for about two hours along a grassy crest, with Lake Lucerne some 1500 m below and ten lakes on the horizon. The view is in no way inferior to that from the famous Lucerne excursion mountains, yet on the Stoos things are noticeably more rural. The whole ridge can be walked from mid-June to mid-October. It is described in detail in the articles Stoos Ridge Hike, Getting to Stoos from Lucerne and Zurich and Stoosbahn: Riding the World's Steepest Funicular.
2. The Rigi from Arth-Goldau
about 45 min to Arth-Goldau, 1 h by boat and train
You need not do without the Rigi; what matters above all is how you visit it. Many locals ride up from Arth-Goldau. At the top, the little-used path over Rigi-Nord or the level panorama path from Kaltbad to Scheidegg are good choices. To finish, you can relax in the mineral bath designed by Mario Botta. More on this: Rigi: The Guide to the Queen of the Mountains, Hikes on the Rigi and Mineralbad & Spa Rigi Kaltbad.
3. The Grosser Mythen with its 47 hairpins
about 1 h 30 via Schwyz and Rickenbach
The rock pyramid above Schwyz appears in many photographs, yet few visitors actually climb it. The path leads in 47 hairpin bends to a summit hut with an all-round view, known for its nut pastries. The ascent is strenuous and calls for a certain stamina. Everything important about the tour is in the article Grosser Mythen.
4. The Rütli and the Urnersee
about 1 h by boat from Lucerne, 10 min from Brunnen
The boat crosses the fjord-like Urnersee to the meadow where Switzerland began in 1291. The place is deliberately kept plain. You can combine the visit with a ride on the Treib–Seelisberg funicular or add the first stage of the Swiss Path. More on this in the article The Rütli meadow.
5. The Hölloch: 210 km of cave beneath the Muotatal
about 1 h 15 via Schwyz, bus 501
The Hölloch is the longest cave in Switzerland. The guided tours range from an easy two-hour round to an adventure in which you also crawl through narrow sections. Underground it is a constant 6 °C. Because the weather outside plays no part in the cave, the Hölloch is the obvious rainy-day outing in the region. For lunch you return to daylight and stay right there in the wild Muotatal. More on this: Hölloch: inside one of Europe's largest cave systems and The Muotatal.
6. Einsiedeln: baroque abbey and Black Madonna
about 1 h
Einsiedeln has the largest abbey in Switzerland. The Black Madonna stands in the abbey church, and in the late afternoon the monks sing the Salve Regina every day. On a guided tour you also see the rococo library hall, which visibly impresses many visitors. The visit combines a living place of pilgrimage with significant architecture, so guests who come mainly for the buildings get their money's worth too. More on this in the article Visiting Einsiedeln Abbey.
7. Brunnen and Morschach, with the view painters already valued
about 45 min by train, longer and finer by boat
The lakeside promenade of Brunnen lies where Lake Lucerne makes its great bend. In the Victorinox workshop you can assemble your own pocket knife. Above the village lies the sun terrace of Morschach. The outing needs little planning and still offers a great deal, which is why it counts as a classic on the lake. More on this: Brunnen on Lake Lucerne and Victorinox in Brunnen.
8. Goldau wildlife park with bears, wolves and rockslide forest
about 25 min
The park shows native alpine animals on 42 hectares of ground shaped by the rockslide of 1806. Best known is the shared enclosure for bears and wolves. Children also enjoy the tame deer they are allowed to feed. Because the Rigi railway leaves from the same station, the park combines well with a morning on the Rigi. More on this in the article Goldau nature and wildlife park.
9. The Hohle Gasse: an hour on Tell's trail
about 20 min to Küssnacht or Immensee
This history walk is easy and short. In an hour you go from Lake Zug to Lake Lucerne and through the sunken lane in which, according to legend, Tell settled accounts with the bailiff. A chapel along the way recalls the story. The outing fits well into half a day, leaving enough time afterwards for a leisurely break by the lake. More on this in the article The Hohle Gasse.
10. Glattalp and Bisistal: the quiet high plateau
about 1 h 45, seasonal only
This outing is rather for guests who already know something of the region. A small cable car takes you into a karst basin where the Swiss cold record was measured. In summer you walk there in great stillness around a turquoise lake. The journey leads through the remote Bisistal and the cable car holds only a few people, so the visitors spread out over the day. More on this: Glattalp: the coldest place in Switzerland and how to visit it and Bisistal and Wägital.
Which outing suits your mood?
| Mood | Outing |
|---|---|
| A wide view and a bigger tour | Stoos ridge (1) or Mythen (3) |
| Comfortable and picturesque | Quiet Rigi (2) or Brunnen (7) |
| History | Rütli (4) and Hohle Gasse (9) |
| Rain forecast | Hölloch (5) or Einsiedeln (6) |
| With children | Goldau wildlife park (8) |
| Right away from it all | Glattalp (10) |
Travelcard note: with a GA travelcard or Swiss Travel Pass you pay practically nothing beyond lunch on outings 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9. On the Stoos (1) only the ticket for the chairlifts is added. What the travelcards cover exactly is in the article Swiss Travel Pass, GA and half-fare card in the Schwyz region. A plan that links several of these outings over a few days is here: Central Switzerland itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Lucerne? We recommend the Stoos. The landscape is just as impressive as on the famous mountains and the village up top is car-free. Even the journey there uses the steepest funicular in the world.
Which outings work in bad weather? In rain the Hölloch, where it is a constant 6 degrees underground, the abbey of Einsiedeln and the museums in Schwyz are good choices.
Do all the outings work by public transport? Yes. All the suggestions are designed for train, bus and boat, and most destinations are reached from Lucerne in about an hour.
Which one suits children best? The Goldau wildlife park is the best fit. The Hohle Gasse also works well, as does a day on the Stoos, because there the railways take over most of the climb.
