Everything about Lucerne: interesting places, people, food, nature

Spectacularly located Lucerne was one of Queen Victoria's favourite places, and it still attracts tourists with the most discerning tastes. This small town of 60,000 people, where a magnificent lake is surrounded by soft green hills and snow-capped peaks of the beautiful mountains of Switzerland.

The best time of year to visit Lucerne

In June, July, August there is good weather with pleasant average temperatures - 20-25 ° C. The warmest month is July with an average temperature of 22 ° C, the coldest is January with an average temperature of 3 ° C. July is the wettest month, February is the driest, August is the sunniest.

How to get to Lucerne?

The most convenient way to get to Lucerne is by plane. There are frequent direct trains from Zurich Airport, the journey time is 50 minutes.

Due to its location, it is easily accessible from any corner of Switzerland, the main centers of Europe by rail or road. Lucerne is located two hours from Interlaken and Bern, three hours from Geneva, less than five hours from Paris.

What to visit in Lucerne?

When planning a sightseeing, visit the Chapel Bridge, the Old Town, the Monument to the Dying Lion, the Swiss Transport Museum, the Jesuit Church. Be sure to set aside time for a relaxing cruise on Lake Lucerne on an old steamboat or a modern motorboat. Mountain hiking is another popular leisure activity among visitors.

• The Old Town is a great place to start sightseeing; it is suitable for small shopping, as the area is filled with shops, boutiques, cafes. Here you will find the most famous Swiss goods: watches, army knives, chocolates. In the Old Town there are offices of famous brands, for example, H&M and Fossil, there is a market for fruits and vegetables, which is held every Tuesday and Saturday. Painted facades, bay windows are a distinctive feature of many buildings of the Old Town. Most people start with a few hours of walking through the colorful center with old buildings, bridges, narrow cobbled streets, magnificent medieval squares.
• One of the most popular attractions is the Kapellbrücke Chapel Bridge, a medieval wooden pedestrian bridge built in 1333 that crosses the Reuss River, connecting the Old Town with the right bank. The fire of 1993 almost destroyed the famous wooden bridge, the damage from the fire is visible on the remaining panels of the XVII century, which are located under the cornice.
• The tower with a height of 34 meters with an octagonal roof next to the bridge is called the Water Tower:named because of its location, although in fact it does not store water. The tower was built around 1300 as part of the city's fortifications, used for a variety of purposes, including archives, treasury and even a prison. The bridge and tower are beautiful all year round: in summer they are decorated with bright flowers, and in winter they are sprinkled with snow.
• The Alpineum Museum is a three-dimensional panorama of the Alps, where you can see the most beautiful alpine peaks: Pilatus, Rigi, Jungfrau, Monte Rosa, Gornergrat, Breithorn, Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.
• The sculpture of a dying lion is called by Mark Twain "the saddest and most touching piece of stone in the world." A dying lion with a spear in its side carved into the rock of a former sandstone quarry is a monument to more than 600 Swiss soldiers who died during the French Revolution in August 1792.
• The art gallery,which took over the building of the former Rosengart bank, is full of works by Picasso, Klee, major French impressionists. Picasso was a great friend of Siegfried Rosengart, who amassed the collection. Rosengart's daughter Angela established a foundation to maintain the collection and present it to the general public.
• The Lucerne Summer Festival is one of the largest music festivals in Europe, taking place from mid-August to mid-September. It invites the best orchestras in the world, outstanding conductors - Marisa Jansons and Sir Simon Rattle, performers - Magdalena Kozhena and Thomas Quasthoff, pianists - Mitsuko Uchida and Lan Lana. Concerts take place in the stunning Jean Nouvel Congress Centre on the shore of the lake.
• The Easter Festival is popular as a celebration of classical music.
• The Jesuit Church has a stunning interior. Located on the south bank of the River Royce, the building with two towers, bulbous domes that rise above the horizon, was built from 1666 to 1673. This church was the first large church in Switzerland built in the Baroque style. Richly decorated with white marble, it features a magnificent painted ceiling with decorative side altars made of artificial marble.

• The Reuss Dam is one of the few remaining needle dams in the world. Built in 1859, a series of thin wooden strips are used to control the flow and level of river water, prevent flooding. In 1998, with the help of the latest technologies, it was converted into a hydroelectric power plant producing 4.3 million kWh per year. This is enough to provide electricity to 1500 local households. Thanks to the dam, lake Lucerne's water level can now be maintained at optimal altitude all year round, regardless of weather conditions.
• Bourbaki Museum – in memory of the 87,000 French soldiers who fled to Switzerland in the winter of 1871, it houses one of the last surviving panoramas. A huge circular fresco 112 meters long and 10 meters high was painted by Edouard Castre. Visitors can view the panorama, enjoy sound effects, comments. The Bourbaki Museum has art galleries, a restaurant.
• The Lucerne Glacier Garden is a surprisingly interesting natural landmark discovered in 1872. The area was formed during the Ice Age, about 20,000 years ago, and consists of polished glacial rock, a group of 32 potholes formed at the foot of waterfalls from melting glacial ice. In the Ice Garden there are fossils of mollusks, palm leaves. In addition to natural attractions, there are a number of interactive exhibits explaining the impact of climate change, as well as a mirror labyrinth, an observation tower, which offers a beautiful view of Lucerne and Mount Pilatus. Visiting the Ice Garden is definitely one of Lucerne's most interesting activities. The garden is located next to the monument to the Dying Lion.
• The Swiss Transport Museum is located right on the shore of the lake - here you will learn everything about planes, trains, cars. Static and interactive displays, attractions, simulators, as well as the IMAX theater and planetarium make this museum one of the most popular (50% discount on entry applies to holders of Swiss Travel Pass, and for holders of Tell Pass tickets - 20%).
• Musegg Wall - well preserved northern part of the medieval fortifications, consisting of an 850-meter wall and its nine towers. Today, four towers, an exhibition wall, museums are open to the public.
• Cruise on Lake Lucerne. Vierwaldstattersee - the name in German translates as "four forest plots", surrounded by the four cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, Lucerne. You can choose one of five historic steamships with a rowing wheel, more than a dozen modern motor boats, a panoramic yacht. Many lake cruises are included in the Swiss Travel Pass.
• KKL, Center for Culture and Conferences– a modern glass building designed by Parisian architect Jean Nouvel, has a cantilevered roof overhanging the lake. Opened in 1998, KKL hosts the annual classical music festival, Lucerne, thanks to its excellent acoustics. Its concert halls, theaters, conference centers hold many events. Kunstmuseum (Art Museum) occupies the upper floors of the KKL building and houses a collection of Swiss paintings of the XVIII-N.XX centuries.
• The festive season is a great time to visit Lucerne, where numerous events take place. The main winter activities are Christmas markets during Advent. This is a great place to buy gifts, try traditional Christmas dishes, enjoy the festive atmosphere.
• Live on Ice – an ice rink built in Europaplatz,near the KKL building. Bright illumination, food stalls, festive atmosphere - the skating rink can be used for free by renting skates on site.
• Lilu Light Festival – Every night for 10 days in January, the buildings of Lucerne are spectacularly illuminated thanks to the Lilu Festival of Light. Tourist attractions, squares and alleys in the old and new quarters of the city and around the bay are illuminated by talented artists from all over the world. The festival usually begins around January 9, and illumination takes place every night from 18:00 to 22:00.

Best day trips from Lucerne

Cable car to Mount Pilatus

Excursion to Pilatus is a popular day trip from Lucerne.

Along with all the wonderful attractions of Lucerne, there are some great day trips out of town, some included in the regional Tell Pass.

Mount Riga

Cruise Lake Lucerne to Witznau, use the coiled railway to the top of the mountain to admire the 360-degree panorama of the Swiss Alps. On the way down, explore the various stations, take the cable car to Weggis and head back.

Mount Titlis

Take the train to Engelberg, then take the cable car to the top of the mountain, where you can admire the view of the Swiss Alps, the rotating cable car, the Glacier Cave. Try winter sports - sleigh rides, snowtubing, walking along the cliffs with a guide.

Mount Pilatus

Take the bus to Zentrum Pilatus and then take the cable car to Pilatus. Along the way, you can stop at several stations, each with many different attractions, including a playground, a rope park, sleigh rides, hiking trails, restaurants.

Jungfraujoch

Although it is best to come from Interlaken, if you are only going to Lucerne, you can still visit the summit of the Jungfraujoch. From Interlaken, get to Kleine Scheidegg, climb to the top on a gear wheel – this in itself is worth a look. Attractions include the Snow Amusement Park, the Ice Palace, and the observation terrace.

What to eat in Lucerne?

Lucerne's gastronomy is known for its diversity. You'll find traditional Swiss delicacies along with creatively presented gourmet dishes from around the world. Whatever the institution - a cozy guest house or a chic restaurant - the chefs demonstrate a deep passion for their work. Spend evenings in countless bars, clubs, some overlooking the rooftops of the city.

• Try one of Lucerne's most famous local dishes, the Luzerner Chügelipastete. This is a shell of puff pastry stuffed with diced veal, mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
• Alpine Macaroni with apple sauce is a typical Swiss dish that has spread from mountain dwellers to valley kitchens for many years. It consists of potatoes, macaroni, cheese, onions. The classic recipe fell in love with the locals.

Transport in Lucerne

The trolleybus system is an integral part of the public transport network of Lucerne, the capital of the canton. Opened in 1941, by 1961 this system replaced the tram network. The system consists of six lines, one of which leads across the city border to the neighboring towns of Emmen, Horv, Kriens. The total length of the route is 37,634 km, it carries 27 million passengers annually. The system is complemented by bus lines operated by a single transport company.

The public transport network includes buses and commuter trains. The ticket system is quite simple: the regional network is divided into zones, you buy tickets not for the trip, but for the zone. Lucerne is zone number 10, which includes the whole city + part of the agglomeration.

Seasonal markets, fleas and souvenir shops in Lucerne

• The popular weekly market(Wuche-Märcht in the local dialect) in Stans is held every Saturday morning from late April to early November. This is an ideal place to look for cheese, dried sausages, rings of dried apples.
• The Swiss are known for their watches, and what could be better than a Bucherer! The hotel is located near the lake in a charming historic building: multilingual staff, so shopping here is sure to be an unforgettable event.
• Spend money on gifts from the Casagrande gift shop – this is the best place to buy gifts for family and friends. There is a wide selection of Swiss handicrafts, souvenirs, chocolate, jewelry, knives, watches, paintings.
• Visit Willisegerto buy traditional German nutcrackers from Erzgebirge. The store is a treasury of antique music boxes and other handmade decorations for the house.
• From May to October, tourists flock to the flea markets in the lower part of Burgerstraße, Reusstega, Reusspa. Between November and April, you can visit the famous Luzern Tourismus AGmarket to buy local crafts.

Mobile operators in Lucerne

Three main operators, each with its own network, offer cellular services in Lucerne - Swisscom, Salt Mobile, Sunrise Mobile. There is a growing number of MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) that operate using one of these three core networks. Many operators offer discounts if you purchase a package of services (home Internet + TV).

Swiss mobile operators include:

• Swisscom
• Sunrise
• VTX
• Salt
• Aldi Mobile
• M-Budget Mobile.