Top things to do and see in Lucerne Switzerland

During a road trip through Europe we got to spend a few days in Lucerne, Switzerland, and it was the most amazing experience!

Lucerne is known for its well preserved medieval architecture, and its snow capped mountains along Lake Lucerne.

Since it’s located centrally in Switzerland, it’s the perfect base when exploring the country.

On the blog I will highlight some of the top things to do and see in Lucerne Switzerland, to help you plan your trip to one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland.

*Read about how to spend one day in Zurich Switzerland, which is a fun day trip from Lucerne.

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Best time to visit Lucerne

I think a visit to Lucerne is beautiful in any season, but to beat the crowds, I suggest and early spring or fall visit.

We were here in the spring and the weather was perfect, plus there was still some snow in the mountains, which was perfect, since we also planned a day trip to Mt. Pilatus as well.

We stayed here for four days and felt it was enough time to see most of Lucerne’s main attractions. But if you’re short on time, a day trip to Lucerne is enough time to see the top attractions in the city.

Where to stay in Lucerne

Switzerland is one of the most expensive places to visit, so if you’re on a budget, plan ahead of time and research for more affordable places to stay.

During our visit to Lucerne, we stayed at the Hotel Ibis Styles Luzern city. It’s location just a walk away from Lake Lucerne, and the old town was perfect, since we could walk to most of the main sights.

It was one of the most affordable places we found in a great location.

Book your stay in Lucerne here:

How to get around Lucerne

You can easily see most of the city’s main sights on foot. Lucerne is a small compact town, and everything is within walking distance.

But if you want to explore more of Lucerne and the neighboring towns, take advantage of the Visitor Card Lucerne.

When you check into your hotel in Lucerne, you receive a FREE Visitor Card Lucerne,and is valid for up to fourteen days of your stay.

This ticket entitles you to free use of buses and trains within zone 10 of the city network, which we took to Kriens on our visit to Mt. Pilatus.

Top things to do in Lucerne Switzerland

Take a stroll through the Alstadt (Old Town)

One of the best things to do in Lucerne is a stroll through the picturesque streets. Admire the colorful Alstadt with its beautiful painted buildings.

Get lost and explore every square inch of the town. It’s old world charm and beautiful architecture, surrounded by majestic mountains make for a memorable experience.

Make sure to explore Lucerne in the evening as well, and see the city all lit up at night. It looks so different when it gets quieter at night.

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Where to eat in Lucerne

One of the best things to eat in Lucerne is Fondue! It is served pretty much everywhere in the city and tastes amazing.

Since everything in Switzerland is so expensive, we opted to only eat at a restaurant once daily.

For breakfast and lunch, we visited the COOP grocery store, which was located just a walk away from our hotel.

We stocked up on fruits and pastries, as well as ingredients for sandwiches.

There are also bakeries and pastry shops around Lucerne, where you can grab a ready made sandwich and yummy bread as well.

Cross the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)

One of Lucerne’s main attraction is the Chapel Bridge. As you pass through the Chapel bridge, look up and admire the 17th century paintings depicting Lucerne’s history.

This 14th century bridge straddles the Reuss river and is the oldest covered bridge in Europe. Half way across the bridge is the Wasserturm or water tower.

The 13th century water tower was used as fortification and also served as a dungeon, an archive and a treasury vault until the 19th century.

 Visit Mühlenbrücke (Mill Bridge)

Another one of the points of interest in Lucerne is the Mühlenbrücke bridge. This bridge also straddles the Ruess River, and is located just upstream from Chapel bridge.

This 14th century bridge features a series of medieval-style, 17th century plague paintings. From here, you get the most amazing views of the old town, and the needle dam along the river.

Visit the Church of St. Leodegar

We love visiting churches wherever we visit, and one of the top things to do in Lucerne is a visit to the Church of St. Leodegar.

This church was built in the early 17th century on the foundation of a Roman basilica which had burnt in 1633.

The twin towered church sits atop a small hill above the lake front, and is ornately decorated with a rich art history from the late renaissance period.

 The interior of the church was so beautiful, and from the outside you get the best views of Lucerne.

Take a stroll through Lake Lucerne

One of the best things to do in Lucerne is a stroll along the lake front promenade of Lake Lucerne.

On your stroll be sure to admire the majestic snow covered Alps, and the beautiful and elegant Swans swimming by.

It was one of the most peaceful places in the city. On your visit to Lucerne, make sure to sit on one of the benches and watch the sunset over the Alps.

It was one of the highlights of our day!You can also go on a sightseeing, or a sunset cruise on Lake Lucerne.

Book a cruise on Lake Lucerne here:

Visit the Lions Monument

On your sightseeing stroll of Lucerne, don’t miss a visit to the Lion Monument. The Monument is of a dying lion carved into the rock ledge on a small hill.

Located in a small park just off the Löwenplatz,the carving commemorates the hundreds of Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when an armed mob stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

Explore the Museggmauer (Town Walls)

One of the most interesting places to visit in Lucerne is the Old Town Walls, the Museggmauer in particular.

Built in the early 13th century, these Historic city walls, with its nine towers are located on a fortification overlooking the city.

From here, you get the most spectacular panoramic views of the city, the Alps, and Lake Lucerne.

You can also visit one of the towers, the Zytturm in particular. It houses the city’s oldest clock, which was built in 1535.

Hike Mt. Pilatus

One of the best day trips from Lucerne is a visit up to Mt. Pilatus. Take a cable car up and visit one of the most magnificent mountains in Lucerne.

You can easily take a bus from the city, into the town of Kriens, and from there take the cable car up to the mountain. You get the most amazing views of the town, the lake and the majestic Swiss Alps.

For more information on how to get to Mt. Pilatus, read about our day trip to Mt. Pilatus here. I go into more detail on the many ways to get here.

*Check out this post on a visit to Bern Switzerland, which is a fun day trip from Lucerne.

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