A right royal idea for an excursion! Discover the Rigi, the Queen of the Mountains, on this special outing.

Board a vintage paddle steamer in Lucerne, sit back and enjoy the trip to Vitznau. Sail past historic hotels, vineyards, little villages and famous mountains at a leisurely pace. If you look back, you can see Lucerne City with the Chapel Bridge, the KKL Luzern and the Pilatus in the background. Ahead of you is the Rigi – your destination today. On arrival in Vitznau, you change to Europe’s first ever cogwheel railway: the Rigi Railway has been conveying visitors up to Rigi Kulm (at an altitude of 1,797 metres) since 1871.

The stunning views of Lake Lucerne, the Swiss Central Plateau and the Alps are superb. Take your time to explore the surroundings. Have a meal in a restaurant or walk along one of the many footpaths.

Take another deep breath of fresh mountain air before you head down the valley. Climb aboard the blue Rigi Railway to Arth-Goldau, from where you have regular train connections to Lucerne.

It’s particularly interesting being on the Rigi when the lowlands are carpeted in low-lying cloud. On days like that, the mountain’s bathed in sunlight and the views of the sea of clouds from above with peaks jutting out of it are a sight to behold.