Occupying a narrow strip of land between Lake Lucerne and the Rigi mountains, Vitznau is a historic settlement in the Swiss canton of Lucerne. It has been a popular tourist destination since the 19th century when a mountain railway was built, connecting Vitznau to the 1,797-metre-high summit of Mount Rigi.
Things to do in Vitznau
Learn about the people and events that have shaped the town at the Regional Museum Vitznau-Rigi, which occupies an attractive, green-shuttered building. It details the herdsmen and pilgrims who have traditionally inhabited the Rigi mountains and the construction of Europe’s first cogwheel railway. The museum also houses exhibits about Lake Lucerne’s tourism heyday during the late-19th-century Belle Epoque period.
Adjacent to the Regional Museum Vitznau-Rigi is the Reformed St. Mark's Church, which is the oldest Protestant church in the Lucerne region. It was designed in a Neo-Romanesque-Gothic style by the Basel-based architect Paul Reber and held its first service in 1904. In addition to its elegant facade, the church features a beautiful clock tower that is visible throughout Vitznau.
No visit to Vitznau is complete without a ride on the Vitznau-Rigi Railway, which connects from the shore of Lake Lucerne to Rigi Kulm station. From the summit, there are 360-degree views across the region, including the lowland lakes and snow-capped mountains of the Swiss Alps. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Germany and France.
Getting around Vitznau
Vitznau is around 30 minutes’ drive from Lucerne and an hour from Zurich Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Vitznau railway station while ferries travel from Vitznau to destinations around Lake Lucerne. The centre of Vitznau is compact enough to explore on foot.