MOUNT RIGI FAREWELL
A Fond Farewell to Switzerland: Lucerne, Lake Cruises & Mountaintop Magic
As my Highlands to Alpine Adventure ends, today was the perfect way to say goodbye.
Early Morning in Lucerne
The day began with an early photo session, and let me just say—it’s hard to take a bad picture in Lucerne. From the flower-lined Chapel Bridge to the pastel buildings of the Altstadt and the glassy lake reflecting the Alps, Lucerne is one of the most walkable, photogenic cities I’ve ever visited. I took time to stroll through the quiet morning streets, soaking it all in one last time.
A little souvenir shopping was next—Swiss army knives, of course, and a few gifts to bring home. Then, back to Aux Merveilleux de Fred for one last warm chocolate chip brioche. Yes, again. Yes, it was that good.
Cruising to the “Queen of the Mountainsâ€
In the afternoon, we boarded a boat on Lake Lucerne, gliding across turquoise waters under cloudy skies. Our destination was Mount Rigi, known as the “Queen of the Mountains.â€
From the lakeside town of Vitznau, we boarded the cogwheel train—Europe’s first mountain railway—up to Rigi Kulm. The ride was dreamy, slowly climbing through forests and fields. The summit greeted us with thick fog, and you could barely see in front of you. We headed to our farewell dinner at the top of Mount Rigi then, like magic, the clouds began to part, revealing sweeping views of the valleys below. And there it was again—that peaceful Swiss soundtrack—distant cowbells echoing through the hills.
A Memorable Farewell
After dinner, we boarded a train and it was just our Collette group. Sine it was just us, our driver even stopped along the way to point out wildlife, waterfalls, and photo-worthy views. On the way down, some tour-mates started singing “The Sound of Music” songs, it was truly memorable.
We caught one last train back to Lucerne, returned to the Hotel Voco to prep for my travel day tomorrow.
From the Highlands of Scotland to the peaks of Switzerland, this twenty-two days journey has been unforgettable.
Until the next adventure…
