Lucerne's Lessons in Swiss HistoryLucerne was the most historic stop on our tour, known for its well-preserved Medieval city center, Lion Monument to Swiss mercenaries, and location near to where modern Switzerland was "founded." One of our favorite parts of Rick Steves Tours is always getting to interact with local guides, who provide memorable perspectives on their hometowns. On the first morning of our tour, we took a walk with local guide Claudia, who led us through Switzerland's oldest street market, into a beautiful Baroque church, and across the famous Chapel Bridge. Inside Lucerne's wooden bridges are a series of 17th century plague paintings that depict a dance of death. While the paintings are often described as macabre, Claudia affectionately called them "quite psychedelic." We also visited the moving Lion Monument, carved into a cliff face to honor the 800 Swiss guards who died defending the King Louis during the French Revolution. We left Lucerne via a boat ride to Rutli Meadow, where three chieftains swore an oath that united their people into the first "Swiss Confederation," then a bus ride to the Nidwaldner Museum, a hidden mountain fortress used to defend Switzerland in World War II.
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About LucerneLanguage: Swiss German Population: 81,400 Elevation: 1,385 feet Region: Canton of Lucerne in central Switzerland Nearest Mountain: Mt. Pilatus, 6,982 feet Claim to Fame: One of the original cantons that formed the Swiss Confederation |
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The Fabulous Fabian Rueger: Tour Guide Extraordinaire
Fabian once told us that “Deep in their hearts, all Germans wish they were Swiss” and he was no exception. However, unlike most Germans, his knowledge of Switzerland surpasses that of most natives. His information has great range, as he could converse with Jill about gelato or with Justin about nuclear physics. He entertained us with stories of Wilhelm Tell and the origins of Switzerland in the humble Rutli Meadow, impressed us with how frequently he could work the words chasm and crevasse into a conversation, took us strolling to Gimmelwald and bought us a beer in an authentic Bern beer garden. Together we enjoyed the French pastries in Lausanne, the German spaetzle in Engleberg, and had a “fine Italian dinner” together in Lugano. He proved to be a fierce competitor at the risotto cooking class throw down-show down at the Grotto San Rocco. Sharing stories about his family living in Maine, he introduced us to Rudy who is part of his nightly Facetime with his daughter. During our trip he became our fearless leader, our knowledgeable mentor, our entertaining friend, and chief supplier of “adventure chocolate”.
Mt. Pilatus and Hiking in Soccer ShoesIn the afternoon, Justin and Elyse hopped a cable car to the summit of Mt. Pilatus. We had been told that the mountain was infested with dragons! It's also the best place to look out over the cross-shaped Lake Lucerne, which serves as the inspiration for the Swiss flag. The trip to the summit involved two cable cars. Justin irked the Swiss clerk, who sold tickets, when he tried to book a ticket to the top rather than a roundtrip ticket. "No," she said as she looked down at his "Samba" indoor soccer shoes, clearly annoyed that this presumptuous American could possibly think he was capable of hiking down from the snowy summit. We rode to the top of the mountain amidst a haze of clouds, which miraculously parted as we reached the peak. After some spectacular views from the top, we rode halfway down and hiked the rest of the way. We thought of it as a compromise with the Swiss.
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The Best Chocolate in the World!"We are on an adventure, and adventures deserve chocolate," said our Switzerland tour guide, Fabian. Much of our time in Lucerne was rainy, making for an excellent opportunity to enjoy various forms of our favorite Swiss delicacy: chocolate. (Sorry, cheese.) First, our tour group went to a chocolate tasting at Max Chocolatier, an upscale chocolate shop that still handmakes its chocolates. We tried some crazy combos (the milk chocolate, caramel, lavender and sea salt got mixed reviews from our group but was certainly memorable) and decadently scrummy treats (the dark chocolate, raspberry jam and chocolate mousse flecked with candied raspberry bits may be the best chocolate we've ever tasted). After a walk around town, we stopped for hot chocolate in a fancy café called Heini, which serves bread, baked goods and gorgeous chocolate drinks. |
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Rutli Meadow: Tell Us the Story of Wilhelm TellThe early morning boat ride across Lake Lucerne dropped us near the birthplace of Switzerland, the Rutli Meadow. Our group gathered in the woods on the spot where the founding fathers of the three cantons (similar to our states) met to "swear their oath" to the Swiss Confederation. It is the beginning of Switzerland as we know it. The legend of folk hero Wilhelm Tell begins shortly after this time and the story fuels rebellion against the tyranny of the Habsburgs and Austria. With a shot from his famous crossbow into an apple sitting atop his son's head, Wilhelm sets into motion the events leading to the revolution and evolution of modern Switzerland.
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Nidwaldner MuseumSwitzerland, being a series of mountains and valleys, is a topographical nightmare to defend. Practicality would dictate that the most important items to defend would be the roads and bridges (not cheese and chocolate that first came to mind), which are Switzerland’s routes of trade with the outside world. Our tour of the Nidwaldner Museum's Fortress Furigen gave a glimpse into the defense system built into the rocky hillsides lining the trade routes to protect the Swiss from the Nazis and later used during the cold war. This series of bunkers, of which Fortress Furigen is a part, had cannons and munitions as well as food and shelter for 100 soldiers. In the event of an invasion, the cannons could be used to defend or even blow up bridges and tunnels, if needed.
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