Switzerland 2024, part 2 (Uetliberg, Zurich, Lucerne, Weggis, Kriens)

In the vicinity of Zurich, there are a few hills from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the city and the lake of the same name. One of them is Uetliberg and I got there by taking a local train that I caught at the main train station in the city.

Zurich, a detail

It is a mountain peak with an elevation of 874 meters above sea level and by train you can reach the station at the top in about half an hour.

Actually, from the station, you still need to walk a little uphill to reach the very summit, but although it’s occasionally steep, it’s all worth the effort.

Uetliberg, a detail

Because when you reach the viewpoint, you are truly rewarded with a wonderful view of Zurich and Lake Zurich, as well as some more distant parts of Switzerland.

View at Zurich

View at Lake Zurich and distant heights

On the other hand, it’s worth taking a walk around the area at the top, because the view stretches in all directions.

View from the top of Uetliberg

And everything is especially more beautiful when the setting sun adds to the scene, illuminating the surroundings with specific colours.

View from the top of Uetliberg

While I was walking around and capturing the surroundings, I also noticed a few charming flying residents collecting crumbs scattered on the ground. I took a photo of one of them, a male Eurasian chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs).

Eurasian chaffinch

At the top of Uetliberg, where the viewpoint is located, there is also some kind of repeater station, as well as a large tower from which you can also view in all directions. However, I wasn’t interested in climbing any further. There is also a hotel there and I even considered stopping for a coffee or something similar, but I decided against it because I was still quite full from that lunch.

Uetliberg, a detail

So at one point, I simply started to slowly head back towards the train station.

Uetliberg, a detail

Along the way, I now paid attention to some details, as this entire area is clearly intended for recreation and outings. However, it’s definitely more enjoyable when it’s a bit warmer and there’s not too much mud.

Uetliberg, a detail

Upon returning to the centre of Zurich, it had already started to get dark. I took a short walk through the central streets and then went to a supermarket to buy a few little things that made my stay in the rented room even more pleasant. Afterwards, I took them to my room and on the way, I crossed the pedestrian bridge over the Limmat River, where there was a lovely view of the picturesque parts of Zurich.

Zurich, a detail

After a short break in my room, I went out for a walk around the neighbourhood. I was a bit surprised to see that many tables were arranged outside, yet I didn’t notice any heaters. As I would see in the following days, the Swiss must be quite resistant to the cold. You often see people sitting outside, drinking things like beer, even when the temperature is around 0°C. And without any heating devices. I occasionally enjoy the cold, but I’m not that resistant.

Zurich, a detail

Moreover, I was quite cold, even though I wasn’t sitting but walking. I think this was a result of having gotten up very early and, in fact, being tired. So, I didn’t stay out for long and went back to my warm room, where I slowly prepared for the night.

After a wonderfully restful sleep, I started the day very leisurely. I knew there was no need to rush anywhere, so I took my time. I checked all my electronic devices and the news they provided, had a coffee and ate a couple of pastries I had bought the previous evening. At some point, I made my way to the nearby train station. Today’s plan was to go to Lucerne.

Morning in Zurich

I had already been to Lucerne once with an acquaintance from Bern, who took me on a wonderful day trip through central Switzerland. That was a long time ago, but the biggest difference was that I was in Switzerland at the end of August back then – the weather was fantastic, the colours were significantly different, and there were flowers and greenery everywhere...

Here are a couple of photos from that time to showcase both the beauty of the weather and, even more so, the beauty of the landscapes and buildings. The following two photos were taken in the town of Thun.

Thun at the end of August 1997

After visiting Thun, Michael and I also went to Lucerne and we took a little walk there as well.

Lucerne at the end of August 1997

Now, the situation was quite different. Snow had even been forecasted for the afternoon, but I thought it would be best to experience it in the beautiful and picturesque Lucerne.

I hadn't come up with any specific plan for exploring Lucerne before leaving on this trip, but in addition to occasionally looking out the window along the way, I also had enough time on the train to read about what was most interesting in the city and the surrounding area. At least, what seemed interesting to me.

On the way to Lucerne

I really liked the idea of taking a boat to an interesting spot on the northern shore of Lake Lucerne, but my phone showed that the boat lines only operated earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon. I was disappointed that I would miss it.

However, Lucerne is an exceptionally well-organised city, especially when it comes to public transportation infrastructure and the most interesting details you should see in this charming town. As soon as you leave the train station, you come across the terminal where the boats depart. I decided to stop by there anyway and then I saw that the boats, even on the winter schedule, operated all day. So, I could still easily follow my original plan. I immediately bought a return ticket, but I had a bit of free time. Just enough to visit the nearby Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), the most famous symbol of Lucerne.

First, I captured it from the large traffic bridge that is raised above the spot where the Reuss River flows out of Lake Lucerne and soon after I took a walk across it.

Lucerne

This is an old, covered wooden bridge that was built at the beginning of the 14th century and is over 200 m long. A part of the bridge is also an octagonal tower called the Wasserturm (Water Tower).

Lucerne: Kapellbrücke

As part of the city's fortifications, the bridge essentially served as a rampart, protecting the city centre. As for the Wasserturm, it was used as a dungeon, an archive, and a treasury vault.

Along the bridge, under the roof, there are paintings on wooden panels in a triangular format, as they are placed between the roof beams. These paintings were created at the beginning of the 17th century and vividly depict the history of Lucerne, as well as Switzerland itself. However, of the 111 paintings, 81 were destroyed in a fire that broke out on the bridge in 1993. Some of the damaged paintings have been restored.

Lucerne: Kapellbrücke, a detail

In addition, the bridge offers a great view of parts of Lucerne and I particularly paid attention to the Old Town or Altstadt.

Lucerne, a detail

Once I reached the end of the bridge, I had just enough time to take a pleasant walk along the southern bank of the Reuss River and admire this beautiful bridge for a while longer, as well as the city of Lucerne.

Lucerne

Then, I headed to the boat terminal and boarded the boat that travels on Lake Lucerne. Although I found a nice spot and ordered a coffee, I quickly rushed to the deck to capture what the beginning of the lake, a part of the city, looks like.

Lake Lucerne, a detail

Here is what the departure from Lucerne looks like in video format:

While I was filming that, the coffee had already arrived and we soon set off.

Coffee on the ship

I specifically went to Weggis because I found in my guidebook that it’s a charming place and worth visiting. You can reach it by train or bus, but I definitely found it much more interesting to go by boat.

The trip takes about 40 minutes and it was very pleasant, but I found it hard to sit still and enjoy the coffee I had ordered. I constantly felt inspired to go outside to take photos of the surroundings, as the landscapes were very beautiful.

Lake Lucerne

Among other things, I had a great view of Mount Pilatus, which is 2,128 m high, and one can reach its summit by cable car. That was my plan for the afternoon and the main reason was that it offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area. I found that quite attractive.

Lake Lucerne and Mount Pilatus

For now, I enjoyed the landscapes around Lake Lucerne.

Lake Lucerne, a detail

Although the boat was moving and it was quite windy while I was outside, fortunately, it wasn’t too cold. I think the reason for this, and what adds to the charm of Weggis, is that this area experiences the Föhn wind (a type of warm wind), which gives the place on the southern slopes of Mount Rigi a relatively warm climate.

When I disembarked in Weggis, I first admired the beauty of the lake and the surroundings a bit more, and then, together with a seagull, I waved goodbye to the boat I had arrived on.

Lake Lucerne, a detail

And then I started a walk along the lake. In the summer, when the weather is nice, Weggis is quite a popular place for both walking and boating on the lake. In the second half of November, everything was fairly quiet, almost deserted, and I was practically the only person walking around.

Weggis, a detail

Soon, I came across a part where you could see how much this place stands out climatically from the surrounding snow-covered peaks.

Weggis, a detail

At one point, I came across a good spot and I was able to take a proper photo of myself with my camera.

On the shore of Lake Lucerne

Since there wasn’t much for me to see here, I decided to go for coffee and cakes. I found a nice pastry shop, but it was closing soon, so I just bought a couple of cakes to take with me.

Cakes in Weggis

But this wasn't in vain, as I realised that there are cakes named after Lucerne – Lucerner Lebkuchen. Moreover, their taste reminded me of a cake I really used to love eating in England, so I immediately decided that when I got back home, I would try to make my own version. I even managed to find the specific spice mix for these cakes while in Switzerland, while the rest of the ingredients I could find in Belgrade.

However, the recipes that can be found on the internet were simply not good. I did make one version (coming from a “serious” source) and they were tasty enough, but did not resemble the original at all.

I don’t quite understand why people like to post inaccurate recipes online, but that’s part of the 21st century mentality.

As for Weggis, I walked some more around there before heading for a cup of tea. First, however, I visited St. Mary's Church.

Weggis, a detail

The interior of the church looks beautiful and elegant, but there were also a few details that caught my eye.

St. Mary’s Church

First, the chairs were arranged in a circle in the presbytery or the chancel. I have to admit, it reminded me of the AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings I’ve seen in films and TV series. I hope I’m wrong, but that was the association I had.

St. Mary’s Church, a detail

Then, there are some very contemporary details that don’t stand out at all and actually blend in very nicely with the space.

St. Mary’s Church, a detail

And then, I went to the back of the church and there, on the shelves, were books for children, as if it were a library or a kindergarten. Although this is quite different from churches in my country, I found it rather charming. Perhaps, in modern times, this is the only way to attract believers.

St. Mary’s Church, a detail

As I’ve mentioned earlier, after visiting the church, I went to a restaurant where I had tea and it was really enjoyable. Soon, the boat I was taking back to Lucerne arrived. As we were approaching the city, I realised that I had been quite lucky in terms of having the chance to admire the beautiful surroundings, as the clouds had by then started to roll in. Although I could still see the green coastal areas, Mount Pilatus was by this point completely hidden by clouds.

Lake Lucerne, a detail

After all, snow had been forecasted for the afternoon, I already knew that, and when I disembarked from the boat in Lucerne, snowflakes were already flying in every direction.

Once back in the city centre, I first went to the stop for the city trolleybuses. I had a little trouble locating it precisely, but in the end, I managed to find it.

City transportation in Lucerne

I transferred to the nearby village of Kriens, which is practically a part of Lucerne. The place itself wasn’t that important to me, but the cable car to Mount Pilatus departs from there. After getting off the trolleybus, I walked a bit and reached the spot where the cable car begins. Although the gondolas were running up and down, the woman selling tickets told me that everything would close earlier because a snowstorm was forecasted and for safety reasons the cable car wouldn’t operate its full hours. I could go, but I would have to return immediately.

Cable car system in Kriens

Although I was a bit sorry to give up, it was also clear to me that it would be foolish to pay a fairly expensive ticket to ride up the mountain, only to find everything around me white and gray, and even when I reached the top, I would have only five minutes to enjoy the fresh version of white and gray.

So, I gave up and headed back toward the centre of Kriens. As can be seen from the next photo, I didn’t suffer much.

Selfie in Kriens

And the snow kept falling, more and more...

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