Lucerne

The Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument of Lucerne, with Lake Lucerne reflecting snowy Pilatus and Titlis: the Swiss stop most visited by Chinese travellers.

Lucerne (Luzern) lies in central Switzerland at the northwest end of Lake Lucerne, where the Reuss River flows out of the lake and the old town spans both banks. It is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and the Swiss stop most visited by Chinese travellers. The city is compact: the old town, Chapel Bridge, the Lion Monument and the Musegg Wall can all be linked on foot. The real highlights are in the surroundings: Mount Pilatus to the southwest, Mount Rigi to the east, the Titlis snow peak above Engelberg to the south, and the network of Lake Lucerne boats that connects them. As for the climate, May–Oct is the best time for lake and mountain scenery, with Jul–Aug the hottest and most crowded; spring and autumn have fewer people and friendlier prices. Winters in the city are cold and gloomy, but Titlis has skiing and Rigi is often above the sea of clouds. Getting there: from Zurich Airport or Zurich station, trains run direct to Lucerne station in about 45–65 minutes, and from Interlaken the GoldenPass Express takes about 2 hours. Allow 2–3 days: on day one stroll the old town and take a lake cruise; on day two do the Pilatus "Golden Round Trip" or Rigi; on day three go up Titlis. The Swiss Travel Pass is strongly recommended: Lake Lucerne boats and the whole of Rigi are free, and Pilatus and Titlis are half price. Note: Switzerland is expensive, with a simple meal costing about CHF 25–35, and you can stock up at the Coop/Migros supermarkets. Accommodation is tight during the Lucerne Festival in Aug–Sep each year, so book ahead; before going up a mountain, always check the live webcams on the official website to judge the weather.

Top sights

• Chapel Bridge – Built in 1333, one of Europe's oldest wooden covered bridges. Together with the octagonal Water Tower, it forms Lucerne's most iconic landm…
• Lion Monument – A dying lion carved into a sandstone cliff to commemorate the Swiss mercenaries who died in 1792 defending the French king. Mark Twain call…
• Lake Lucerne – Switzerland's fourth-largest lake, ringed by the shores of four 'Forest Cantons'. Steamboats link Pilatus, Rigi and the legendary sites of…
• Mount Pilatus – The 'Dragon Mountain' at 2,132 m, reached by the world's steepest cogwheel railway. The Golden Round Trip links a boat, cogwheel train and…
• Mount Rigi – The 'Queen of the Mountains' at 1,797 m. It opened Europe's first mountain cogwheel railway in 1871, and is known for sunrises, sea of clou…
• Musegg Wall – A well-preserved 14th-century city wall with nine towers, four of which you can climb for free, with views over the Old Town, the covered b…
• Swiss Museum of Transport – The most-visited museum in Switzerland, with trains, aircraft, boats, space exhibits and a chocolate experience. A good choice for families…
• Spreuer Bridge – A wooden covered bridge built in 1408. Its 67 triangular Dance of Death panels are well preserved, and it is quieter than the Chapel Bridge.
• Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche) – A Baroque church on the south bank of the Reuss. It was the first large Baroque church in Switzerland, and its interior is bright and ornat…
• Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche) – Lucerne's most important Catholic church, known for its twin spires and cloister cemetery. Its organ has about 5,000 pipes.
• KKL Luzern & Kunstmuseum – A lakeside landmark designed by Jean Nouvel. Under its huge cantilevered roof are a world-class concert hall and the Lucerne Art Museum.
• Lucerne Old Town (Weinmarkt) – A pedestrian Old Town on the north bank of the Reuss. The painted houses and fountains around Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt are especially photog…
• Rosengart Collection – A private museum holding about 300 works by Picasso and Paul Klee, along with masterpieces by Monet, Cézanne and Chagall.
• Bourbaki Panorama – A circular panorama 112 metres long that recreates the 1871 scene of the French Bourbaki Army retreating into Switzerland and being taken i…
• Glacier Garden – A museum of glacial remains beside the Lion Monument, with glacier potholes, fossils of an ancient sea and a mirror maze.
• Richard Wagner Museum Tribschen – The lakeside villa where Wagner lived from 1866 to 1872. He completed Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg here, among other works.
• Stanserhorn – Reach the summit by a century-old cable railway and CabriO, the world's first double-decker open-top cable car, for 360-degree views over t…
• Bürgenstock & Hammetschwand Lift – A cliff-top resort above Lake Lucerne. A cliff path leads to Europe's highest outdoor observation lift, which rises 152 metres to a viewing…
• Stoos Funicular & Fronalpstock – The world's steepest cable railway, with a gradient of 110%. After reaching the car-free mountain village of Stoos, continue to the summit…
• Rütli Meadow – A meadow on the lakeshore where the three cantons of Switzerland swore their alliance in 1291. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Swis…
• Tell's Chapel – A small chapel on the shore of Lake Uri, where legend says William Tell leapt ashore to escape. It has 19th-century murals depicting the Te…
• Brunnen – A small lakeside town at the bend of Lake Lucerne. The views over the open water are wide, and it is home to the flagship store of Victorin…
• Lucerne Lakeside Promenade (Nationalquai) – A tree-lined promenade along the lake, from Schwanenplatz to the lakeside bathing area. Feed the swans, watch the boats and look out to Mou…
• Château Gütsch – A fairy-tale castle hotel on the hill west of the Old Town. Ride a century-old funicular to the top for views over the Reuss, the Old Town…

Where to eat

• Wirtshaus Galliker – A family-run institution now in its fourth generation, famous for Lucerne's pastry-crusted meat pie and generous tradit…
• Old Swiss House – A half-timbered old house beside the Lion Monument, where the table-side Wiener schnitzel is the signature dish. Lucern…
• Wirtshaus Taube – An old inn beside the Reuss weir, serving Lucerne home cooking from traditional recipes at affordable prices. The summe…
• Zunfthaus Pfistern Restaurant – One of Lucerne's oldest guild houses, with a balcony right beside the Reuss and the Chapel Bridge. Cheese fondue and ca…
• Rathaus Brauerei – A house brewery beneath the arcades of the Town Hall, facing the Chapel Bridge. Its beer is only served here, with roas…

Itineraries

• Classic Swiss Alps & Lakes: Zurich to Geneva – In via Zurich and out via Geneva, connecting Lucerne, Jungfrau, Zermatt, and Lake Geneva.
• Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – Follow the official scenic rail loop, riding the GoldenPass, Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gotthard Panorama Ex…
• Grand Tour of Switzerland Self-Drive – A clockwise self-drive journey through four language regions, crossing high mountain passes to connect snow-capped peak…
• Jungfrau, Lucerne and Bern Region – Base in Interlaken for a week, with three major peaks, a day trip to Lucerne and Oeschinen Lake, and a stop in Bern on…