I knew I was going to like Switzerland. I didn’t know I would fall in love at first sight.
When I ventured to do a Europe trip with my friends, Switzerland made it to our ambitious itinerary of five countries in two weeks. The city that introduced me to Switzerland’s breathtaking charm was Lucerne. We arrived late at night in Zurich from Munich, and then took another train to Lucerne. It was already dark when we got there, and we were also worn out from the train ride. We didn’t have enough energy to explore, but we had enough to look for food.
The next day, we were revitalized and ready to conquer Lucerne. First thing on the itinerary was Mount Pilatus. My heart already started to flutter the moment I stepped outside the hotel. That never happens. During the short and leisurely walk from our hotel to central station, this famous postcard-esque view started it all:
If that’s the kind of welcome view I get, then sign me up! This image looked something out of a fairytale book. That’s how the rest of Switzerland was, naturally beautiful.
We took the train from Lucerne to Alpnachstad station which only took seventeen minutes. Seventeen breathtaking, scenic minutes.
There are several ways to get to the top of Mount Pilatus: cogwheel railway, gondolas, and cableway. My friends and I knew we wanted to take the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, and since we have the Eurail Global Pass, we were able to get a pretty good discount on the cogwheel railway ticket. This was only one of the great perks of traveling with a Eurail Pass. I suggest looking into all the benefits of a Eurail pass when planning your trip to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
At this point, it was what I hoped it would be: impressive scenery, pleasant fresh air, lovely people. I also liked the fact that it wasn’t too crowded. There was room to walk around and relax, and not be bogged down by a crowd of tourists. There was just something tranquil about Switzerland.
Luck was also on our side as the weather couldn’t be more perfect. The sun was out, and the beautiful September weather stayed all day. The cogwheel railway is a thirty-minute scenic ascend to Pilatus Kulm, and when I say scenic, I mean beyond-your-imagination scenic.
I’m pretty sure my mouth was open the whole time. The Swiss Alps had been on my bucket list for the longest time, and I couldn’t believe I was finally in the midst of it. I’m not kidding when I say I felt like breaking out into a song and a twirl. The hills are alive…
I thought that was it. I wasn’t prepared for what was waiting for me at the top of the mountain.
It was the most amazing view I’ve ever seen in my life.
360-degrees worth of view. My friends and I were in so much awe that we didn’t know what to do first. Take a photo, look around, which view should I take a photo of!? I admit, it took us quite some time to pull ourselves together and not act like typical tourists. There was just a lot to see and photos to take! After I reeled myself back to Earth (literally), I tried to take it all in. Be really in the moment.
I walked around, and found an area where people were just sitting and looking out at the beautiful mountain range around us. So, I got my own spot, sat down, stretched out my legs, leaned back and lifted my head up towards the sun. That right there was my favorite moment. A priceless moment. Just me and the Swiss Alps. It was the kind of moment where I was again reminded of why I have no qualms in packing a suitcase and jetting off somewhere. This is why I travel. For moments like this. For new discoveries about myself. For breathtaking views. For the peace of mind I get every time I’m away from work.
Switzerland was full of surprises. My quality time with the alps were even made better upon discovering that I was seated where the paragliders jump off. It was a really cool thing to witness.
Just when I thought that was the highlight of my day, I was wrong again. After my amazing experience at Mount Pilatus, the trip back to Lucerne was even more breathtaking. How was that even possible, right?
There are a couple of transportation options available for getting back to Lucerne. You can either take the train again or take the most beautiful cruise along Lake Luzern. You can obviously tell which one my friends and I took. That was the best decision we’ve ever made that day! (PS. Again, if you have a Eurail Pass, this boat ride is already included. The First Class Pass includes the best front row seats in the house. Or should say boat. First Class ticket holders have the perk of dining and drinking on the upper deck level. If that don’t beat all.
Warning: the photos below may cause awe, depression, and jealousy at the same time.
Ok, maybe the warning was really meant for me. Writing this particular entry was tough. As I reminisced every minute and every image of that day, I literally wanted to jump into my photos and transport myself back to Switzerland.
I only had one full day in Lucerne. We were then headed to Italy the next day for the last leg of our Europe trip. Now that was a very unfortunate thing. If I only had enough vacation days, I would have stayed in Switzerland longer. Needless to say, I promised myself to go back, and spend more time exploring this beautiful country.
I have been to a lot of wonderful places, and have seen amazing countries around the world. But there were only a few that have given me that magical-moment feeling, and Switzerland was one of them. It was hard to move on after that trip. It was as if Switzerland was that one ex-boyfriend who got away. Unresolved feelings and no closure. I will always treasure our memories together and look back with a smile and few regrets. So until I find a new love who will give me those magic moments again, I shall always think fondly of Switzerland. Until we meet again.
Where I Stayed: Hotel Falken – Luzern
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Jen is a Chicago-based traveler and creative. She is a full-time development & communications executive specializing in non-profit organizations. Originally from the East Coast, she created The Jetsetter as a place to share her travel stories and photos with friends and family. Now, it is a place for adventurers and dreamers. Its purpose is to inspire and encourage busy professionals to see the world and achieve a better work-life balance.