From Interlaken to Lucerne: the best of Switzerland's “Pre-Alps” region

Gourmet Restaurant Alpenblick

A short drive from Victoria Jungfrau in a charming town called Winderswil (even the name sounds straight out of a fairytale), is Hotel Alpenblick. It’s a quintessential Swiss inn with its low-pitched gable roof, overhanging eaves and balconies with carved balustrades which, in summer, bloom with native flowers. 

But we’re not here for the architecture. We’re here to eat, and the hotel’s restaurant—Gourmet Restaurant Alpenblick—is superb. Owners Richard and Yvonne Stöckli have put their heart and soul into this hotel since 1980, but it’s at the restaurant that they really shine. She works the dining room, never missing a beat when it comes to wine recommendations and introducing the provenance of ingredients in each dish, while he showcases his skills in the kitchen. Emerging sporadically to say hello to guests and give his wife a loving peck on the cheek. 

On the terrace, casual hearty Swiss cuisine is served: bright red pots of cheese fondue, plates of crisp rosti ladled with stroganoff and generously-sized schnitzel. Inside the restaurant, and in its covered winter garden—where we were sat—Richard prepares seasonal tasting menus. And just, wow. 

During our visit, we enjoyed pepper meringues filled with soft cheese—crunchy, creamy flavour bombs; Perch from the waters of Ringgenberg, a six-minute drive from Interlaken, served with wild garlic leaf and white asparagus; Ravioli stuffed with a briny Alpine cheese made from the milk of Richard and Yvonne’s two cows. “They live there, just up the hill,” she tells us, pointing to a patch of green in the near distance. 

It’s not surprising that this humble restaurant is well-decorated with awards, including a Michelin star and three Touques by Gault & Millau. What is surprising is how little known it is - with just 44 Google reviews. While we don’t want to blow this place up, if you do happen to be in or near the enchanting village of Winderswil, we highly recommend paying a visit. 

Next stop Lucerne 

Take the scenic route on the Luzern–Interlaken Express, part of Switzerland’s wider GoldenPass Line. The main draw is its oversized windows, which extend to cover half of the train roof. First Class is worth the splurge as it’s less crowded and offers more spacious seating to enjoy uninterrupted views of the five crystal-clear lakes, waterfalls and alpine panorama that you’ll pass on your journey.

Mandarin Oriental Palace, Lucerne

Originally built as the Palace Hotel Luzern between 1904 and 1906, Lucerne’s Grand Dame emerged renewed in 2022 as Mandarin Oriental Palace, following an incredible renovation by local architects Iwan Bühler Architekten and London-based interior designers Jestico + Whiles. The designers tasked with transforming the belle époque beauty maintained enough of its original design elements to appease locals that hold the old “Palace in great affection while giving it a sleek modern polish. Late Romantic-era oil paintings from the original hotel’s collection are juxtaposed against interpretations of the same works by contemporary Swiss artists.

Its 136 rooms and suites all come with views of Lake Lucerne and the towering shards of Mount Pilatus, and feature parqueted Swiss oak floors and ivory-white panelled walls. Its 1,400 sq ft Presidential Suite is dressed in indigos and golds, housed inside the top floor of the turret under the Palace’s copper dome.

The Spa Bellefontaine offers treatments blending advanced science and natural ingredients, including the use of Swiss edelweiss stem cells. The hotel doesn’t have its own pool (gasp) but guests are given access to the adjacent Fitnesspark with its spa and pool facilities—don’t worry, it’s far more luxurious than its name suggests. 

Mount Rigi

A trip to Mount Rigi by cogwheel train is a popular day trip from Lucerne. As Europe’s first mountain railway, it has been taking visitors up Switzerland’s Queen of the Mountains since 1871. You’ll pass vibrant alpine meadows dotted with grazing cows and charming chalets, and from the summit, you’re rewarded with a breathtaking vista of 13 shimmering lakes and a sea of jagged peaks including the distant Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. 

The ride is pure, delightful nostalgia, accompanied by the steady rhythm of the train and the occasional huff of a passing restored steam locomotive. Train enthusiasts can book a trip up or down the mountain on one of these, too. 

Regina Montium 

Get off the Rigi-Bahn railway at Staffelhöhe and head to Kräuterhotel Edelweiss. Similar to Hotel Alpenblick, this humble inn has a stellar restaurant that champions Swiss bounty: Regina Montium. The restaurant serves exceptional terroir cuisine rooted in its natural surroundings and a deep respect for the land. 

The owner, Gregor Vörös, is a passionate horticulturalist who describes himself as a “druid”; tall, slender and with wild curly hair, he could pass as such. He spends most of his time in the hotel’s garden, where he grows more than 400 varieties of herbs and vegetables. He took us on a tour, picking from his crops for us to smell and taste: shiso, thyme, a breed of sorrel that tastes like lemon-flavoured candy, and southernwood, a flowering plant that tastes like Coca Cola. During our tour, we pass one of his farmhands who’s gathering petals from a Persian rose bush. “This is the most beautiful job in the world,” she tells us. “I smell roses, and I say hello to the bees.” 

Where possible, Regina Montium uses ingredients from the farm in its dishes—like fish from Lake Zug cured with koji, a mould used in Japanese cuisine and sake-making, served with fennel, cicely, pineappleweed and a lemon verbena sauce; or a nasturtium sorbet with bell pepper salad and puffed barley malt. Guests can also opt for a five- or nine-course “herb surprise” menu, which highlights the farm’s diverse bounty.  They don’t skimp when it comes to sourced ingredients either, choosing only to work with Swiss producers and farmers whose methods align with their values. 

Make time to wander the hotel lobby, where you’ll find tucked-away rooms and corners housing Vörös’ creations—a mix of dried goods and soaring shelves of colourful infusions and ferments. His gin workshops, where he introduces unique infusions using different herbs and fruits, are especially popular. 

Bürgenstock Spa and Resort 

Getting to Bürgenstock Spa and Resort is an adventure—and it’s so worth the effort. First, you board a futuristic-looking catamaran which takes you from Lucerne to Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock, then a fire-engine-red funicular takes you 500 metres up, to the palace of limestone, bronze and glass that is the resort. 

It’s all very Bond villain, which is fitting, given it was a primary filming location for the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, providing the backdrop for the famous opening scenes at the Hollywood Pool—which you can still visit today—and Bull’s Eye bar.

But I digress. 

Inside the resort, materials such as American walnut and Italian marble create elegant spaces, while floor-to-ceiling windows ensure the breathtaking mountain and lake views are the true stars of the show. 

Speaking of stars, for over a century, Bürgenstock has been a playground for the rich and famous, with guests including former American president Jimmy Carter, former prime minister of India Indira Ghandi, and countless Hollywood actors such as Charlie Chaplin, Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren. Hepburn even got married in the on-site chapel in 1954, later residing in a private villa on the property.

The resort was also the setting for a number of international events, including the 2004 Sudan peace talks and, most recently, the 2024 Ukraine Peace Summit, which was held mostly in the resort’s Diamond Domes, an architecturally striking indoor tennis court with a geometric, diamond-patterned timber roof designed by Swiss architecture firm Rüssli Architekten.

Fitness and wellness are what draw most visitors to Bürgenstock, and more specifically the 10,000 sq m Alpine Spa. The crown jewel is the heated outdoor infinity pool, which appears to float over the cliff’s edge, with panoramic views of the Alps and Lake Lucerne. Guests can also enjoy hydrothermal circuits—I personally loved the saunas that look out to forest views—and plush resting lounges with soft textiles and floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Given the resort’s remote location, there need to be plenty of dining options: there’s pan-Asian cuisine at Spices Kitchen & Terrace, which features an open kitchen and stunning views; for fine dining, Oak Grill and Pool Patio delivers a farm-to-table, nose-to-tail concept; classic French gastronomy at Brasserie Ritzcoffier; and authentic Persian food at Parisa. 

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