A monastery village at the foot of Titlis. Quiet in summer, magic in winter.
Engelberg, Angel Mountain, occupies a high valley that closes at its southern end into the glacier and rock wall of Titlis. The Benedictine monastery at the centre of the village was founded in 1120; it's still active, still the architectural heart of the place. The monks produce cheese from the monastery dairy, a hard alpine variety, sold in a small shop beside the gate.
In summer, the valley is a base for serious hiking and for the Titlis cable car, which reaches 3,020 metres and includes a rotating gondola and an ice cave that stays frozen year-round. In winter, the ski area draws a quieter crowd than the bigger resorts. In either season, the valley has a particular quality in the evenings: the peaks close in, the light turns sideways, and the monastery bells mark the hours as they have for nine hundred years.
It's an hour by train from Lucerne. Leave in the morning. Come back when you're ready.