Surroundings, Lucerne

A 16th C. gallows was excavated in the suburb of Emmen in 1988-89. This was the first to be found in Switzerland and had been in use until the 18th C.

The Richard Wagner Museum, once a country house rented by Wagner himself from 1866 to 1872, contains valuable manuscripts, original scores, paintings and as well as a collection of instruments.

Southwest of Lucerne is the industrial suburb of Kriens (alt. 482 m/1,581ft), with the little castle of Schauensee (1595, with a 13th C. round tower).From here there is a funicular up the Sonnenberg (780 m/2,559ft), which affords superb views. Here too is the lower station of a cableway up Mt Pilatus.

5km/3mi southwest of Kriens at Hergiswald there is the beautiful 17th C. pilgrimage chapel of Maria Loreto (flight of 1,000 steps; timber ceiling with more than 300 symbolic images of the Virgin by K. Meglinger, 1654). The road continues to the mountain resort of Schwarzenberg (831 m/ 2,727ft).

The Bürgenstock is a limestone ridge 10km/6mi long and between 1.5 and 3km/1 and 2mi broad, covered with forests and Alpine meadows, which forms a peninsula in Lake Lucerne. Its north side rises steeply to a height of 500 m/1,641ft above the lake; the south side slopes more gently down to the Stans valley.This select health resort and magnificent viewpoint can be reached by road from Stansstad (5km/3mi) or from the landing-stage of Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock (30 minutes from Lucerne) by funicular (944 m/3,097ft, gradient 45%, seven minutes). At the upper station of the Bürgenstock funicular, the oldest in Switzerland (opened in 1888), are the Bahnhofsrestaurant, the Park-Hotel and the Palace Hotel; 300 m/328yd southwest is the Grand Hôtel, the furnishing of which include a notable collection of pictures.

Route: Lucerne-Interlaken-Zweisimmen-Montreux and vice versa.Length: over 237km/147mi; duration 5.5 hours. Highlights: The Golden Pass route is one of the classic rail journeys in Switzerland. Passing through magnificent scenery, it runs from the banks of the Lake of the Four Forest Cantons as far as the Swiss Riviera.Special Points: You first travel by the narrow gauge Brünig line to Interlaken, and then continue on the Lötschberg Railroad (administration in Berne); previously belonging to the BLS; as far as Zweisimmen and then continuing on a narrow gauge railroad of the Montreux-Oberland Railroad (MOB) to Montreux. This last stretch is particularly enjoyable since panorama coaches (Panoramic and Super-panoramic Express) were introduced.

A forum for history, art, photography and video plus photo documentation of the growth of the region.

The Museum of Clock Making in Puidoux presents watches and clocks of Swiss and foreign design from the 16th-20th C plus tools of clock and watch makers.

The Agriculture Museum in Alberswil features an array of agricultural objects that illustrate the changing technology and lifestyle of the farming population.