Mineralbad & Spa Rigi-Kaltbad

Capitalising on the longstanding history of wellness tourists ‘taking the water’ on the Rigi mountain near Lucerne, this spa, opened in 2012, offers modern-day visitors the chance to luxuriate in the mineral waters of the Kaltbad spring while taking in the superlative view of the mountains from its indoor and outdoor pools. Built by star-architect Mario Botta, the building is super slick and ultra-modern, but nevertheless fits fairly discretely into the mountainside and is reached in age-old tradition by the quaint cogwheel train from Vitznau. The adults-only spa area offers a herbal sauna, treatment rooms and a rather nifty crystal spa for floating in serene contemplation. If you’re staying at the attached Hotel Rigi Kaltbad then for two hours each morning you (and your fellow guests) can have the mineral waters all to yourself.