Engelberg

Located in the heart of Switzerland, Engelberg is a small village around 30 kilometres south of Lucerne, with bucket loads of cutesy charm, pretty enough to be lifted from the pages of a story book. Dotted with traditionally designed chalets, Engelberg’s old town is characterised by the 12^th century Benediction monastery, still with residing monks today; have a peek inside to discover the secrets of serenity – and Switzerland’s largest church organ. Vestiges of Engelberg’s Belle Epoque era still stand, harking back to the glamour of travel in the 19^th century when Engelberg was a stop on the tour for its thermal waters and in winter, ice skating, in which Rudyard Kipling came to Engelberg in 1912 to indulge in.

Surrounding the village are glorious wildflower meadows in summer, and in winter, the region is covered with a dense blanket of snow which transforms the pretty village into a magical alpine wonderland where white drapes every pine tree and icicles decorate overhanging eaves. Whatever the season you can rely on the towering peaks that surround the village, including Titlis mountain with its glacier and Hahnen mountain offering altitudinous adventures either skiing or snowboarding on and around Titlis, Brunni and Fürenalp, accessible by the Titlis Express gondola and Titlis Rotair, the world’s first revolving cable car. At the top, explore the Titlis Glacier, where an artificial cave allows you to get right inside the shimmering blue, cave-like glacier, studded with ice crystals. There are even three different sledding routes, totalling seven kilometres in length.

Summer brings sunshine, warm temperatures and the desire to head up into the mountains on foot. First though, hop on the Titlis Express cable car to give you a head start. Take a hike that includes four lakes: Melch, Tannen, Engstlen and Trüb, which have crystal-clear waters and ideal picnic spots. Or wander the Walenpfad or Whale Trail, a high-altitude hike from Brunni to the Bannalp, known as one of Switzerland’s most beautiful.

In many ways, Engelberg represents Swiss life in a microcosm – come here for a taste of the good life.