The Rigi in Switzerland

[Antonmb]

I am in Switzerland this week visiting my aunt and uncle, the last of my father's generation. For the last two days we have been staying at their apartment on the Rigi mountain. For those not familiar with it, the Rigi, called "Queen of the Mountains," is an 1800 meter mountain which sits just east of the Lake of Lucerne, at the northern edge of the Swiss Alps. It has been a tourist attraction for 200 years and is famous for, among other things, it's easy access, cog railway, magnificent views of the Alps and the Swiss countryside, and great hiking. Hiking Swiss-style is a real treat - beautiful, open, well-maintained paths with sign-posts indicating distance and walking time, and little mountain restaurants and hotels along the way. You're never more than an hour away from a beer and a sausage.

Forgive a long-widened personal story: the Rigi is not just a tourist attraction for me, but a nostalgia trip. My great grandfather started a hotel and restaurant business in the 19th century which peaked with hotels on the Rigi, in the village of Vitznau on the Lake of Lucerne, in St Moritz, and the Bahnhofbuffet, a restaurant complex in the Zurich main train station. His first hotel, long gone now, was at the Rigi First, a side peak at about 1400 meters elevation. He also built a path called the Felsenweg as a scenic walk to the hotel, which runs along the edge of the mountain from the hotel towards the nearest railway station in Kaltbad. His name is still on a plaque on the side of the path, as well as my grandfather's name on a bench. He also later built the Park Hotel, in the village of Vitznau at the foot of the Rigi. My grandfather ran this hotel for some years, and my father was born there and grew up in Vitznau. When he passed about 17 years ago, I traveled here to spread his ashes on the Rigi. If you ever travel to Switzerland and have not been to the Rigi, I highly recommend it.

[crwilli]

Fantastic, touching story and thank you for sharing it! Your photos make me want to hop on a plane! Beautiful.

[Higgens]

Very cool to be able to visit your ancestral home. Some of the pictures remind me of the hiking trails near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

[ajdo]

Beautiful story, beautiful adventure. Incredible what the old continent has to offer
Thank you for sharing

[jdandy]

Tony.......Thank you for sharing this historical story with us and the photos. It is clear you have a great love for this place.

Be well in your travels.

[Jerome W]

Tony,
I was at the Rigi 2 years ago. Fabulous place.
Thanks for sharing.

[bart]

Fantastic story and travel tip Tony!
Thank you for sharing.

[Antonmb]

Thanks guys. Having a great time, flying home tomorrow.

[PlanarSpeakerFan]

Nice photos, I love Switzerland!

Here's a climbing photo from the summit of the Monch (Monk) from my last trip to Grindelwald.

Ken