Bürgenstock

The rich have always headed to Lake Luzern, thanks, in good part, to the famous Bürgenstock hotel resort. This high-end hideaway, perched atop its own Alp, lured many celebs to these parts—Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Sean Connery, and Shirley MacLaine once colonized the chalets around here. Now under complete renovation, the hotel takes a back seat to the area's wonderful hiking. Most Flüelen-bound boats go to the base of the Bürgenstock, where visitors can take a funicular to the isolated resort at the top of a ridge. Though the plateau isn't terribly high—only 1,500 feet—it rises dramatically above the water and offers striking views of the region. Bürgenstock also can be approached by car, up a steep, sometimes dangerous road that connects Luzern and the town of Stansstad. Drive carefully: it was designed with many switchbacks to prevent Ferrari-driving playboys from speeding.