Mount Rigi

About

Rising 1,798 meters above sea level, and nearly completely surrounded by lakes, Mt. Rigi offers some of the best views in the world. From its peak, visitors can see 13 lakes, the entire Swiss Mittelland, and into to Germany and France. Fortunately, one needn’t be Sir Edmund Hillary to reach the summit, as the surrounding area offers several mechanized modes of transport. One option is to take Europe’s oldest mountain railway from Arth-Goldau and Vitznau. A gondola from Weggis offers aerial views as you make your way to Rigi-Kaltbad, while a cable car from the Kräbel station terminates at Rigi-Scheidegg. For the slightly adventurous, a one-hour hike from Rigi Kaltbad along the "Floral Trail" takes trekkers along a picturesque path with up to 200 different plants pointed out along the trail, some of which are incredibly rare.