CENTRE STAGE

From lakes to mountain peaks, Central Switzerland delivers blissful nature-based adventures, writes Natasha Dragun.

Nature has this inexplicable way to heal and make you feel, well, good. We’ve known it for centuries, and now science proves it. Whether it’s the soothing sound of birds and waterfalls, the coolness of the wind and warm touch of the sun, the feeling of grass beneath your feet or the clarity of the light, being outdoors delivers a high – both emotional and physical. Small wonder Switzerland’s spectacular William Tell Trail trek is like a salve for the soul.

Show and tell …

This epic adventure in the Lake Lucerne region is nature writ large: eight days and 208 kilometres weaving through the heart of the country with wild and humbling landscapes as your backdrop.

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what it’s like to hike the William Tell Trail.

One of which is Lake Lucerne, an immense sparkling waterway wedged between mountains and valleys and dotted with castles and historic towns like Altdorf, your starting point for the trek.

This place could have slipped from the pages of a fairytale, it’s that pretty. Among other travellers, it attracted William Tell in the 14th century (hence the trail’s name), who came here with his son, a visit immortalised in a monument standing proudly in the town’s market.

As difficult as it is to leave, the route beckons through the kind of rolling fields you see on Swiss postcards – endless green only broken by doe-eyed cows and petite villages where you can refuel on alpine cheese (this part of Switzerland is famous for it) and a refreshing regional beer.

Mountain magic

The next week becomes a blur of mountains, each one more majestic than the last. In fact, the trail weaves across central Switzerland’s ‘Big Six’: Stoos, Rigi, Pilatus, Stansernhorn, Titlis and Brienzer-Rothorn, the latter the end point of your journey.

Completing the entire route is a rite of passage, but you can still savour the trail even if you just have a day or two – cog railways, aerial cableways and public transport offer a glimpse of this bucolic countryside in just a few hours. But believe me; that won’t be enough time.

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Rigi for all seasons

You could spend a week alone revelling in the natural wonders of Rigi, a web of more than 120 kilometres of trails. Rigi is known as ‘Queen of the Mountains’ for good reason: dreamy vistas of lakes Lucerne, Zug and Lauerz; wildflowers in spring and snowy fields in winter. Plus the click-clacking of Europe’s oldest railway, an experience that epitomises the old adage about journeys being just as enjoyable as the destination.

Luxe Lucerne

Champagne? Fondue? Egyptian cotton sheets? Is there any better tonic for mountain-weary limbs

01 Glorious Tell Trail vistas 02 Exploring Lucerne 03 Refreshing dip along the Tell Trail. Images 01-03 © Silvano Zeiter 04 Lovely Lucerne © Elmar Bossard 05 Engelberg backdropped by Titlis © Zentralbahn 06 The plush Deluxe Suite at Grand Hotel National. All images © Switzerland Tourism

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Did you know?

It’s a breeze to explore central Switzerland with the convenient Swiss Travel Pass, which includes three mountain excursions in the region: Rigi, Stanserhorn and Stoos.

than a little luxury? You’re in luck, because Lucerne and surrounds offer a dedicated portfolio of upscale accommodations, courtesy of Lake Lucerne Luxury Hideaways.

Wander to Rigi Kaltbad station, zip down to Vitznau and jump aboard a boat to cruise to Lucerne, its atmospheric alleys of boutique stores, Swiss chocolate shops and coffee houses all leading to your choice of luxe lodgings.

Check in, perhaps, to the Grand Hotel National, perched lakeside and with dramatic alpine views. Or Hotel Schweizerhof, enjoying a prime perch in the Old Town, just a short stroll from the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument.

Day-tripping to Titlis

When it comes time to stretch your legs again, you can do it in a day – from Lucerne, it’s a scenic 45-minute train ride to the town of Engelberg, where an aerial cableway (the world’s first rotating cable car) transports you to the top of Mount Titlis.

If the views of the glacier and its legendary cave don’t take your breath away, then the crisp mountain air will – the only way your heart will beat faster is if you catch a ride on the Ice Flyer chairlift or wander out on the Titlis Cliff Walk, with its vertigoinducing views.

So this is what it means to feel alive again…

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“This place could have slipped from the pages of a fairytale, it’s that pretty.”

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Check in to Lake Lucerne Luxury Hideaways.