Lake In Luzern, Switzerland Royalty-Free Stock Photo

An hour south of Basel and Zürich, and boasting invigorating mountain views, lake cruises and a picturesque old quarter, LUZERN (Lucerne in French and English, Lucerna in Italian) has long been one of Europe’s most heavily touristed towns. When Queen Victoria came for a long holiday in August 1868 (checking in under a pseudonym), the town was already renowned, and a century of steady growth has resulted these days in five million admirers passing through each year. Tourism is the leading source of income, and yet the city has adeptly managed to retain all of its charm.