Trip to Paris & Switzerland Day 8 - Glacier Garden , Lion Monument Lucerne and a Trip to Mt. Rigi

How we came to Lucerne from Zurich ? 

It was time to leave Zurich and our bags were packed again  to move on to our next destination, Lucerne. While planning we had underestimated the time to be spent in Zurich, and had allotted only 1 full day for Zurich. If we do it over again we would say allot atleast 2 full days to explore Zurich fully. 

We walked to the tram station close to our Holiday Inn Zurich and took tram 11 towards Zurich Rehalp and got down at Zurich Bahnofquai ( stop for Zurich Main station ).  From Zurich there are fast trains approximately every 30 minutes that takes you to Lucerne. Lucerne is a 45 minute scenic train ride away from Zurich

About our Hotel Radisson Blue Lucerne :

• Location :  The hotel is very conveniently located on the lake front and a 5 minute walk away from the Lucerne Station. This made it very easy for us to commute to and from Lucerne during during our day trips. All other attractions are a short ride away by bus ( the bus stop is also close by to the hotel ). 

Radisson Lucerne- From the Hotel

The Lobby- Modern and Beautiful

• Rooms : We had taken the basic room and found it to be really luxurious. The room was quite large , looked really modern and chic, with great views. We spent two nights here and really enjoyed our stay. The hotel is budget friendly with a double room costing approx 110 Eur per night ( without breakfast ).

Our Room

Our Room- Large and Comfortable

Well stocked Mini Bar and Spacious Cupboards

Tip : We found the buffet breakfast price quite steep at CHF 32 per person and hence did not opt for the same. There are some good eateries just around the corner which are a good alternative. 

Overall this was easily the best hotel that we stayed in during our entire trip and was great value for money. 

Lion Monument & Glacier Garden, Lucerne 

We arrived at around 11 in the morning at Lucerne and since it was a little too early to check in,  we dropped our luggage off at the hotel and went to explore Lucerne. Our first stop was the Lion Monument at Lucerne. 

The Lion Monument is a sculpture of a wounded lion commemorating the Swiss Guard who lost their lives during the French revolution of the 18th century. The whole area is very beautiful and tranquil and worth visiting if you are in the neighborhood. 

The Lion Monument- Very Poignant

The Lion Monument- In memory of the Swiss Guard

The Glacier Garden is just next doors to the Lion Monument and since we had some time to kill before our Lake Lucerne cruise, we visited the same. Glacier Garden also has an impressive museum that is quite informative on the history of the earth and the ice ages. We also really enjoyed the Alhambara ( Mirror Maze ) at the Glacier Garden and it was great fun to navigate the same. 

Tip : Entry to the Glacier Garden is free with the Swiss Pass and a good place to spend 1 hour. Do not miss the Mirror Maze. 

Glacier Garden Lucerne

The Hall of Mirrors- Glacier Garden

When one of me was not enough- Hall of Mirrors

Hubby and Me- In front of the Trick Mirrors

Mount Rigi - The Queen of the Mountains 

How to get there? 

There are 3 ways in which you can reach the top of Mt Rigi :

1. Go from Luzern to Vitznau by boat ( Cruises start from Lucerne Lake front ).Get down at Vitznau and take the cogwheel train upto Rigi Kulm. 
2. Go from Luzern to Arth Goldau by train. From Arth Goldau take the cog wheel train upto Rigi Kulm. 
3. Go from Luzern to Weggis by boat ( Board the same boat that goes to Vitznau , but get down at Weggis ). From Weggis take the cable car to Kaltbad and the train from Kaltbad to Rigi Kulm. The cable car station is a 10 minute walk from the Weggis boat dock. 

Lake Lucerne Cruise- Sailing into the mountains

Lake Lucerne Cruise- On the Way to Mt. Rigi

Lake Lucerne Cruise- Beautiful

As we reached Weggis- A beautiful place

Weggis- You can also get down here and take a cable car to the top of Mt. Rigi

As we reach Vitznau

Which is the best way ? 

We would recommend option 1 as felt it was the best way to go. We took the cruise from Luzern to Vitznau by boat and took the cog wheel train up. While coming down we wanted to come back quickly and came back via Arth Goldau to Luzern ( The cruise takes almost 1 hour ). 

The Red Cog Wheel Train takes you at the top, The train was waiting at Vitznau

The views as you go up the cog wheel train

As we climbed to the to the top

As we reached the top- Mt Rigi

How much time did we spend at the top ? 

Once you reach the top there is not much to do, than take in the beautiful views and follow some beautiful hiking trails. There is also a restaurant that offers hot chocolate and bratwurst if you are hungry , but is a little bit on the pricier side, being a tourist attraction. 

We spend close to 2 hours at the top , did some hiking and had some snacks in the restaurant. Luckily for us it was a clear day with no mist and the views across the alps was splendid. 

Views from the top

Starting of the Hiking Trails- Really beautiful

Hiking with a view

Calm and Serene

Our View : Make sure you go an a clear day as the views across the Alps are just majestic. The journey to the top via the special Cog Wheel train is a once in a life time experience and one not to be missed. 

Tip : The entire Mt. Rigi trip is complimentary on the Swiss Pass. 

The blue train we took to come back via Arth Goldau

We came back from our trip to Mt. Rigi and checked into our hotel. So after refreshments we spend time walking around Lucerne before dinner.  We retired to bed early as we had to leave for Mt. Titlis the next day.