Activities in Lucerne, Switzerland: The Must-Do to Experience Swiss Splendor

Last updated on August 11th, 2024 at 07:40 am

Lucerne makes a fantastic introduction to Switzerland for first-time visitors to the country, as well as a remarkable addition to any returning visitor’s list of visited places in Switzerland. So in this post, we will take a look at this lovely city and the must-do activities in Lucerne, Switzerland to experience Swiss splendor!

About Lucerne

Lucerne is a small city across a lake from the historic town of Altdorf, where legend says folk hero and skilled marksman William Tell shot off an apple from his son’s head.

Lucerne, considered a gateway to central Switzerland, makes a good base for exploring much of this part of the country. Located on the shores of Lake Lucerne and Reuss River, and ringed by snow-capped mountains (Pilatus and Rigi) in the Swiss Alps, it’s a picturesque landscape that provides perhaps the most quintessential Swiss setting and makes it tourist destination-worthy.

Related Post: Best Cities to Visit in Europe: 10 Stunning Destinations

Arriving

Lucerne’s central location makes for easy access. The city’s railway system is well-connected, and its train stations are some of the country’s major terminals.

Lucerne is just around 40 minutes by motor vehicle and 50 minutes by train from the city of Zurich, where Switzerland’s biggest airport is located. 

Zurich’s airport is the hub of Swiss International Airlines and where most international flights arrive. Zurich airport to Lucerne is about an hour. Around 40 trains per day ply the route.

Getting Around

As Lucerne is small, getting around on foot is possible. Also, except for a few, most major sights are just a walk away from each other.

Buses, however, are available around the city and in the countryside.

What is the city of Lucerne known for?

The city of Lucerne is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, centered around Lake Lucerne and the majestic Swiss Alps. Renowned for its well-preserved medieval architecture, including the iconic Chapel Bridge and the poignant Lion Monument, Lucerne also offers vibrant cultural festivals and a plethora of outdoor activities.

Is there much to do in Lucerne?

Yes, Lucerne offers a diverse range of activities for visitors. From exploring historic landmarks like the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument to enjoying outdoor adventures such as hiking, boating on Lake Lucerne, and exploring nearby mountains like Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Activities in Lucerne, Switzerland

1. The Chapel Bridge

The Kapellbrücke or Chapel Bridge is Lucerne’s most notable landmark, along with its Water Tower.

This 205-meter-long covered wooden footbridge diagonally traverses the Reuss River at the lake end and was named after neighboring St. Peter’s Chapel. Constructed in 1333, it was originally one of the city’s fortifications. It is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe.

Inside the bridge, you will find decorative paintings of Swiss history and life in the middle ages. Unfortunately, many of them were destroyed when the bridge caught fire in 1933. It was, however, restored a year later.

2. Water Tower

Across Chapel Bridge is the imposing Water Tower, an octagonal edifice that was built in the late 13th century and thus predates Kapellbrücke. Throughout its more than 700 years of existence, it has served many purposes—a fortification, a lookout post, an archive, a prison, a treasury, and an armory.

Today, you can view this solid structure while out and about in the city and marvel at how its toughness has served Lucerne over the centuries.

3. Spreuer Bridge

Another covered wooden footbridge located downriver is the Spreuer Bridge. It snakes across the Reuss and has a chapel located halfway that also has some interesting, medieval-styled paintings.

4. Historic Center

Lucerne’s historic center is located on the north bank of the Reuss. An expanse of the ancient city walls and several tall watchtowers line a hill along the northern fringe of the area. The watchtowers can be accessed for views of the surrounding landscape.

A number of well-preserved half-timber buildings with painted facades can be found in the Old Town. This cobbled section with its cool squares and quaint storefronts is a charming place to explore and just be.

5. The Rosengart Collection

The Rosengart is a museum featuring the private art collection of art dealer Siegfried Rosengart and his daughter, Angela, of more than 200 works by many classic Modernist artists that include the names of Cézanne, Klee, Miró, and Picasso.

This collection also contains photos of Picasso and his life as taken by British photographer David Douglas Duncan. Artworks from the former Picasso Museum have been added to the selection as well.

6. Lion Monument

One of the famous monuments in Switzerland, the Lion Monument is a sculpture of a dying lion designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen. It pays tribute to the Swiss Guards who died during the 1792 French Revolution when an armed mob stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris, France.

It is located in a small park just a little distance from Löwenplatz.

7. Richard Wagner Museum

The Richard Wagner Museum commemorates the composer’s life in the city during his residence there from 1866 to 1872. Housed in a 15th-century county home located about 1-mile southeast of the town center, it displays an exquisite collection of 17th-19th-century instruments, photographs relating to the artist’s life, some manuscripts, and some letters.

8. Swiss Museum of Transport

As Switzerland’s most famous museum, the Swiss Museum of Transport exhibits more than 3,000 objects related to transportation including automobiles, locomotives, naval, and aviation.

9. Rütli Meadow

Rütli Meadow sits atop a hillside above Lake Uri and overlooks Lake Lucerne. It has historic significance to Switzerland as allegedly being the place where the Oath of Eternal Allegiance was signed by the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Nidwalden, an event that marks the birth of Switzerland. The Swiss celebrate it as a National Day on August 1 of each year.

Rütli Meadow may be reached by boat from Lucerne, but it’s a shorter boat ride (10 minutes or so) if you’re coming from Brunnen (a resort on Lake Lucerne). More information on this can be found on Lake Lucerne.

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Day Trips from Lucerne

1. Schwyz

Around 27 kilometers east of Lucerne is Schwyz, the capital of the canton (political/administrative region) of Schwyz, one of the original cantons that signed the charter that created the Swiss Confederation.

An idyllic summer resort, it is notable as the place where the 1291 charter of the Swiss Confederation can be found, specifically at its Bundesbriefarchiv (Federal Archives).

2. Ital Reading Hofstatt

Another noteworthy place to visit in Schwyz is the Ital Reding Hofstatt, an exquisite 17th-century mansion that was once home to mercenary soldiers. Back in the day, Schwyz soldiers were highly regarded, and employed, by European rulers. This estate is built from the profits of their skills.

Inside its walls are the manor house, the Bethlehem house, the stables, and more, amidst baroque gardens.

3. Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi

Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi overlook Luzern and are both easily accessible.

Mount Pilatus

Jagged Mount Pilatus to the south is taller and provides excellent views of the Swiss Alps. Cable cars and cogwheel railways take you to the top. Hikes (4 hours from the city of Kriens) and boats are also great options.

The cable cars that operate all year round can be accessed from Kriens, while the cogwheel railways that are available all seasons except winter are from Alpnachstad.

Other activities in Mount Pilatus include toboggan and a suspension rope park.

Mount Rigi

Mount Rigi, called the Queen of the Mountains, also offers spectacular views of the Alps. It can be reached by a combination of any of these: boat, bus, train, cable car, and cogwheel rail.

Our Lucerne Trip

We visited Lucerne in autumn. The days were already cool, but not overly so, which was the way we liked it. We explored the whole city, got a good view of Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi, and sampled some Swiss specialties. We visited for four days and stayed at a budget hotel a few minutes walk from the Old Town.

What we loved most about Lucerne was how scenic it was with a beautiful lake dotting the landscape and tall, majestic, snow-capped mountains all around. It was relaxing to spend time at the lakefront watching seagulls frolicking in the water or swans doing their acrobatic thing. Ha.

Guided Activities in Lucerne

Here are more interesting and fun activities in Lucerne that you can book for a complete Lucerne experience.

Are 2 days enough in Lucerne?

Two days in Lucerne can provide a fulfilling experience, allowing you to explore key attractions like the Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument, and enjoy activities such as a boat cruise on Lake Lucerne. However, for a more in-depth exploration and to savor the city’s charm fully, extending your stay would be ideal.

Places to Stay in Lucerne

For places to stay in Lucerne, I just want to share that we stayed at ibis budget in Luzern during our visit. It was a standard accommodation–clean, well-equipped, budget-friendly–nothing fancy, but, for sure, met our needs. We’ve stayed in other ibis hotels before, so we knew what to expect, and that was comforting. Thankfully, this Lucern branch was as satisfying as the ones before it.

You can book your ibis stay here.

You can search for other places to stay in Lucerne below, for other options:

Booking.com

Final Thoughts

In closing, Lucerne is a lovely Swiss city that we so much loved and wish to visit again in the future. We hope you’ll get the chance to visit it, too, engage in these activities in Lucerne, Switzerland, and find the city just as amazing as we did.

Don’t forget to share this post with others, or save or bookmark it for later reference. As always, happy travels!

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