Kapellbrücke
You haven’t really been to Lucerne until you have strolled the creaky 14th-century Kapellbrücke, spanning the Reuss River in the Old Town. The octagonal…
Pete Seaward
Lucerne
Recipe for a gorgeous Swiss city: take a cobalt lake ringed by mountains of myth, add a well-preserved medieval Altstadt (Old Town) and a reputation for making beautiful music, then sprinkle with covered bridges, sunny plazas, candy-coloured houses and waterfront promenades. Lucerne is stunning, and deservedly popular since the likes of Goethe, Queen Victoria and Wagner savoured its views in the 19th century. Legend has it that an angel with a light showed the first settlers where to build a chapel in Lucerne, and today it still has amazing grace.
One minute it’s nostalgic, the next highbrow. Though the shops are still crammed with what Mark Twain so eloquently described as ‘gimcrackery of the souvenir sort’, Lucerne doesn’t only dwell on the past, with a roster of music gigs keeping the vibe upbeat. Carnival capers at Fasnacht, balmy summers, golden autumns – this ‘city of lights’ shines in every season.
Explore Lucerne
- Kapellbrücke
You haven’t really been to Lucerne until you have strolled the creaky 14th-century Kapellbrücke, spanning the Reuss River in the Old Town. The octagonal…
- SSammlung Rosengart
Lucerne’s blockbuster cultural attraction is the Sammlung Rosengart, occupying a graceful neoclassical pile in the heart of town. It showcases the…
- LLion Monument
By far the most touching of the 19th-century sights that lured so many British to Lucerne is the Lion Monument. Lukas Ahorn carved this 10m-long sculpture…
- MMuseggmauer
For a bird’s-eye view over Lucerne’s rooftops to the glittering lake and mountains beyond, wander along the top of the old city walls that date back to…
- VVerkehrshaus
A great kid-pleaser, the fascinating interactive Verkehrshaus is deservedly Switzerland’s most popular museum. Alongside rockets, steam locomotives,…
- KKultur und Kongresszentrum
French architect Jean Nouvel’s waterfront arts and convention centre is a postmodern jaw-dropper in an otherwise historic city. Inside, the tall, narrow…
- OOld Town
The medieval Old Town, with its ancient rampart walls and towers, 15th-century buildings with painted facades and two covered bridges, is fascinating…
- SSpreuerbrücke
Downriver from Kapellbrücke, this 1408 structure is dark and small but entirely original. Lore has it that this was the only bridge where Lucerne's…
- IInseli
Just a stone’s throw from the train station, Inseli is a leafy lakefront park where locals congregate in sunny weather to lounge on the grass, play ping…
Latest Stories from Lucerne
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Lucerne.
See
Kapellbrücke
You haven’t really been to Lucerne until you have strolled the creaky 14th-century Kapellbrücke, spanning the Reuss River in the Old Town. The octagonal…
See
Sammlung Rosengart
Lucerne’s blockbuster cultural attraction is the Sammlung Rosengart, occupying a graceful neoclassical pile in the heart of town. It showcases the…
See
Lion Monument
By far the most touching of the 19th-century sights that lured so many British to Lucerne is the Lion Monument. Lukas Ahorn carved this 10m-long sculpture…
See
Museggmauer
For a bird’s-eye view over Lucerne’s rooftops to the glittering lake and mountains beyond, wander along the top of the old city walls that date back to…
See
Verkehrshaus
A great kid-pleaser, the fascinating interactive Verkehrshaus is deservedly Switzerland’s most popular museum. Alongside rockets, steam locomotives,…
See
Kultur und Kongresszentrum
French architect Jean Nouvel’s waterfront arts and convention centre is a postmodern jaw-dropper in an otherwise historic city. Inside, the tall, narrow…
See
Old Town
The medieval Old Town, with its ancient rampart walls and towers, 15th-century buildings with painted facades and two covered bridges, is fascinating…
See
Spreuerbrücke
Downriver from Kapellbrücke, this 1408 structure is dark and small but entirely original. Lore has it that this was the only bridge where Lucerne's…
See
Inseli
Just a stone’s throw from the train station, Inseli is a leafy lakefront park where locals congregate in sunny weather to lounge on the grass, play ping…
Guidebooks
Learn more about Lucerne
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