Here’s how to live in a fairytale for a day. Visit Lucerne (or Luzern, as it is also spelled), at the foot of the Swiss Alps. Wander through the medieval old town with its flower-bedecked historic architecture, stroll across the pretty bridge and eat heartily. Then, ride the cableway up to Mount Pilatus for jaw-dropping alpine views.

Make the most of one day in Lucerne and Mount Pilatus – here’s your go-to guide.

Mount Pilatus

It’s best to start your day with Mount Pilatus, saving time to tour Lucerne in the afternoon and evening. To reach this rugged mountain that overlooks Lucerne, there are four options:

• Hike
• Take the cogwheel railway
• Ride the cableway
• Go by boat

Once you’re at the top, you’ll be able to visit a number of viewpoints, go hiking and ride Switzerland’s longest summer toboggan – at 4,429 feet long, it’s a fun and lengthy ride, plus you’ll get towed back up to the top, past the grazing cows and their tinkling bells.

Cogwheel Railway

This is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world! In 30 minutes, you’ll summit Mount Pilatus at an average grade of 48 percent. Consider buying a “Silver Round Trip,” which includes the cogwheel railway and cable car route in one roundtrip.

Cableway to Mount Pilatus
Take the cableway to the top of Mount Pilatus (Pilatus Kulm) from Frakmuntegg. It’s also called the Dragon Ride. Tickets are available for the full roundtrip to the summit or just take in the views from Frakmuntegg itself.

Add in a Boat Ride
The “Golden Round Trip” includes a cogwheel rail ride, an aerial cableway ride and a boat trip on Lake Lucerne. From Lucerne, you’ll cruise to Alpnachstad to board the railway. At day’s end, right the cable cars back to Kriens, from which a short bus ride will take you back to Lucerne.

Hiking Up Mount Pilatus
A strenuous, but worthwhile endeavor if you’re an avid hiker, these trails take more time and energy than the railway or cable cars. If you still want to have a few hours for touring Lucerne, opt for the latter.

Hiking A top Mount Pilatus
Just because you didn’t hike to the summit doesn’t mean you can’t hike around once you’ve ridden up the aerial cableway or railway. Grab a map or talk to a guide inside the station at the information desk. There are several short hikes from the station to various viewpoints, one of which is Esel, from which you can see Lucerne and the Alps.

Another option is Tomlishorn, a short, scenic walk along the rugged landscape. Much of the trail is paved and it’s relatively flat. It will take about 40 minutes total.

Lucerne Highlights

Once you’ve ridden to the top of Mount Pilatus and enjoyed a nature break, head back down to Lucerne to explore this fairytale city. The city is at the north end of Lake Lucerne on the River Reuss.

Kapellbrucke
Walk across the iconic covered wooden Kapellbrucke bridge that runs diagonally across the Reuss River. The bridge dates back to 1333 and boasts more than 100 17th-century art pieces that hang from the rafters of the bridge. You’ll see scenes of patron saints and significant moments in Lucerne’s history. Look, too, at the octagonal Wassertum, a 13th-century water tower and an original part of the town’s fortifications.

William Tell Express
Take a boat ride combined with a train ride through the St. Gotthard Pass, linking Central Switzerland to attractions in the Ticino region. The William Tell Express is a particularly favorite. Or, travel by paddle-wheel steamer between May and September from Lucerne to Fluelen, enjoying a three-course meal along the way. If you like, add on a rail journey to Locarno and Lugano.

Old Town
Spend a couple hours in the Old Town of Lucerne on the right bank of the Reuss River. Admire the timber-framed buildings and their flower boxes and bright colors, which give the Aldstadt its storybook appeal. Check out the Altes Rathaus – Old Town Hall – at the Kornmarkt. It was built in 1602 to 1606 in the Italian Renaissance style. From the Kornmarkt, look west to the Weinmarkt and Late Gothic fountain. Visit, too, Kappellplatz, where you’ll find St. Peter’s chapel, Lucerne’s oldest church.

Spreuerbrucke
Love covered bridges? There’s another one to visit in Lucerne. This one, the Spreuerbrucke, was built in 1406 and features triangular panels with 45 paintings of the Dance of Death (or Totentanz in German). It’s the largest example of a Totentanz cycle known to exist.

Swiss Transport Museum
After riding all those cogwheel railways and aerial cableways, check out the exhibits at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne. You’ll learn about the construction of the St. Gotthard rail tunnel, as well as see examples of ships, aircraft, rockets and automobiles.

Visit the Museggmauer and Turme (Town Walls and Towers)
Go back in time when you climb four of the 14th- and 15th-century towers that were built along the old town wall of Lucerne. Atop Schirmer, Zyt, Wacht and Mannli, you can see the city, lake and surrounding area. Lucerne’s oldest clock is in the Zyt tower and was built in 1535 (from inside the tower, you can see its mechanism working).

Hofkirche
Considered the most important Renaissance church in Switzerland, the 16th-century Hofkirche sits on the site of an 8th-century Benedictine monastery. It was rebuilt between 1634 and 1639, but the 1525 towers were preserved. Notice the incredibly ornate baroque gold altars, an interesting juxtaposition against the otherwise austere interior of the church.

Museum Sammlung Rosengart (Rosengart Collection)
Art lovers won’t want to miss the Post-Impressionist art of the Rosengart Collection. You’ll find many pieces by Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, as well as the works of several 19th- and 20th-century greats, including Cezanne, Monet, Chagall and Matisse. Get insight into Klee’s artistic career through his 125 painting and drawings represents all of his periods.