Panorama Trail through Vitznau

One, two, or three: on every step of the Panorama trail through Vitznau, you can discover varied architecture and spectacular views. 

First stage:

• Distance: 2 km
• Duration: 40 mins
• Starting point: ship station Vitznau

The path starts at the boat station, goes along the lake and then right past the Rigi depot in the direction of Gersau. The first striking building is the Rigi Bahn depot, facing the lake. It was built by the architect Boyer Marus from Lucerne from 1983 to 1991. A few years ago, apartments and villas were built on the roof of the depot.

At the end of Seestrasse, turn right and see the next stately building, the Hotel Vitznauerhof. The property used to be a shipyard where the paddle steamers Germania and Italia were built and launched in 1870. In 1896, the hotelier family Franz Michel bought the property and built the Hotel Vitznauerhof in Art Nouveau or Swiss house style according to the plans of the Mannheim architect F. Kühn. The facade still bears witness to this today. The Vitznauerhof was opened in May 1901.

We continue in the direction of Gersau to the Altdorf part of the village, past new buildings and also the villa quarter on the lake side. On the site of today's Villa Dossengrund, the first villa behind the Vitznauerhof, there used to be a sawmill. The owner family has an interesting connection to the Titanic:

In 1912, Max Stähelin-Maeglin had to go to New York on business because the local branch of the Swiss embroidery company, Arnold B. Heine & Co., was in financial difficulties. He embarked on the voyage aboard the Titanic. He stayed in cabin B-50 and survived the accident on lifeboat number 3. On May 7, 1912, he returned to Europe aboard the Deutschland.

We continue along the road to the protective dam at the end of the village. To the right it goes up to the vantage point on the dam with an overwhelming view over Lake Lucerne. On the bottom left you can see the old lido of Vitznau.

Back on the path, we cross the Seestrasse and hike onto the protective dam, which was built in 1986 after a rock fall, up to point 550 - Rüti. Arrived on the forest road, turn left down towards the village.

There is a climbing wall by the bridge, which is very popular with children. Next to it is a cozy barbecue area with a fireplace, a store of wood and benches.

After the bridge, continue down to the left, past the stations of the Wissifluh and Hinterbergen cable cars to the sports field. From here you can go straight back to the bus and boat station in the village or continue the leisurely walk on the second stage.

Second stage:

• Distance: 0.6 km
• Duration: 15 mins

Turn right at the sports field and follow the path to Mühlebach. The creek leads directly to a waterfall. When looking at the waterfall, you discover openings in the rock - former gun openings of the Mühlefluh Fortress, which was built in the Second World War.

The path continues up to the Plattenbänkli. From here, hikers can enjoy a unique view of Lake Lucerne and the mountains under old and newly planted chestnut trees.

As we continue, we cross the tracks of the Rigi Bahn. Arriving on the road, you either go right over the bridge over the Plattenbach to the third stage, or turn left in the direction of the village and boat station.

Third stage:

• Distance: 4 km
• Duration: 70 mins

After the bridge over the Plattenbach the trail goes up to Wylenstrasse. On the road, the path runs steadily uphill to the Tal farm. To the right of the courtyard, turn left. Two odd field names appear in this area: Räckholderwilen and Speuzibach. The moss-covered Speuzibach accompanies hikers on their way through the forest down to the lake.

Arrived at the Seestrasse, you are at the Lauisegg. The wooden shed next to the stream used to be a cable car station for a pension in the Wilen.

The path continues along the lake in the direction of Vitznau. The Grabacher house is on the left-hand side of the street opposite the Park Hotel. It's one of the oldest residential buildings in the canton of Lucerne and can look back on around 550 years of history.

Several analyses date the well-preserved residential building to the years 1469/70. In essence, it has undergone only a few structural changes. However, most of the facades have been newly clad. Only the unclad west facade shows the construction method of the densely joined log building. Inside, the tiled stove in the large living room by the potter Josef Sutter from Weggis, dating to 1780, is an impressive feature.

Along the lake, past the imposing Parkhotel, beautiful villas and the boat harbor, you now head back towards the village center.