Lucerne

Travel Guide
Photo provided by Lucerne Tourism
With towering mountains on oneside and Lake Lucerne on the other, this medieval city is known for its sceniclocation and historic charm.

Flanked by Mounts Rigi and Titlis, the small city of Lucerne is locatedon the shores of Lake Lucerne. It offers water recreation, hiking and mountainsports to visitors throughout the year. Because of its temperate climate, theregion is nicknamed “Lucerne Riviera.”

The central Swiss city is primarily German-speaking. Its roots traceback to the 12th century. Stroll down the cobblestone streets to see some ofthe city’s history in its centuries-old architecture. With its compact nature,Lucerne is easy to explore on foot but you can also admire the city from thewater with a ride on a ferry or rented paddleboat.

Old Town has narrow alleys, quaint storefronts and outdoor cafés. It’salso home to one of Switzerland’s most famous attractions, the 14th-century Chapel Bridge across the Reuss River. ChapelBridge is the oldest covered bridge in Europe and features a variety ofhistoric paintings for visitors to admire as they stroll its length. Be sure toinvestigate the iconic Water Tower, which once served as a prison and torturechamber. Two-thirds of Chapel Bridge was destroyed by a fire in 1993 and hassince been carefully restored.

The Lion Monument is another Lucernehighlight. Designed by Danishsculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, the “Lion of Lucerne” was erected to commemorate600 Swiss soldiers who were killed during the French Revolution. Described byMark Twain as “the most mournful and movingpiece of stone in the world,” the massive monument was carved into thesandstone face of a former quarry.

The Swiss Museum of Transportis beloved by visitors of all ages for its interactive exhibits. In addition toa vast collection depicting the past, present and future of transportation, themuseum also features a planetarium, an IMAX theatre and a wing with works bylocal artist, Hans Erni.

Lucerne has access to most major Swiss cities via the SBB Railway. Thenearest international airport is in Zurich, which is an hour from Lucerne byrail and about 45 minutes by car.

Where to stay in Lucerne

Old Town Lucerne which includes religious elements, a river or creek and a bridge

Old Town Lucerne

Old Town Lucerne is popular for its lake views, and if you're looking for more to see and do, you might think about a trip to Lucerne Town Hall or Mill Bridge.

Old Town Lucerne
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Littau

4/5(1 area review)

Littau is well liked for its restaurants. If you'd like to do some sightseeing in the greater Lucerne area, you might plan a trip to Chateau Guetsch or Mill Bridge.

Littau
Altstadt Hotel Krone Luzern
Altstadt Hotel Krone Luzern
3 out of 5
Weinmarkt 12, Lucerne
The price is S$252 per night from 29 Apr to 30 Apr
S$252
per night
29 Apr - 30 Apr
Stay at this 3-star historic hotel in Lucerne. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and valet parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (996 reviews)
"I like location"

Reviewed on 23 Apr,2024

Altstadt Hotel Krone Luzern
AMERON Luzern Hotel Flora
AMERON Luzern Hotel Flora
4 out of 5
Seidenhofstrasse 5, Lucerne, LU
The price is S$342 per night from 26 Apr to 27 Apr
S$342
per night
26 Apr - 27 Apr
Stay at this 4-star family-friendly hotel in Lucerne. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
"All the staff were helpful and nice. Hotel was clean.. its just that the aircondition wasn't strong enough to be comfortable and if you open the window the heater would kick in.. so the room for us was warm. But location was GREAT!"

Reviewed on 22 Apr,2024

AMERON Luzern Hotel Flora
Hotel Luzernerhof
Hotel Luzernerhof
3.5 out of 5
Alpenstrasse 3, Lucerne
The price is S$283 per night from 29 Apr to 30 Apr
S$283
per night
29 Apr - 30 Apr
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Lucerne. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and room service. Popular attractions Chapel Bridge and Swiss Transportation Museum are located ...
8/10 Very Good! (250 reviews)
"Staff was very helpful with buses."

Reviewed on 10 Apr,2024

Hotel Luzernerhof
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Galaxy Apartments
Galaxy Apartments
3.5 out of 5
13 Gibraltarstrasse, Lucerne, LU
Stay at this 3.5-star apartment in Lucerne. Enjoy free WiFi, an airport shuttle, and a snack bar/deli. Our guests praise the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular ...
7.8/10 Good! (182 reviews)
"It is a very good apartment. Walkable location, easy access and communication with the owner. Parking nearby."

Reviewed on 6 Apr,2024

Galaxy Apartments
Hitrental Chapel Bridge Apartments
Hitrental Chapel Bridge Apartments
3.5 out of 5
Brandgässli 9, Lucerne, Canton of Lucerne
Stay at this 3.5-star apartment in Lucerne. Enjoy 9 bathrooms, a kitchen, and 10 bedrooms. Popular attractions Chapel Bridge and Swiss Transportation Museum ...
9/10 Wonderful! (26 reviews)
"Perfect location. Our room had an amazing view of the town and the lake."

Reviewed on 11 Oct,2023

Hitrental Chapel Bridge Apartments
Lucerne Lake View Apartments
Lucerne Lake View Apartments
4 out of 5
2 Sankt Leodegarstrasse, Lucerne
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly apartment in Lucerne. Enjoy free WiFi, an airport shuttle, and a terrace. Popular attractions Chapel Bridge and Swiss Transportation ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (12 reviews)
Central location, modern apartment, pros/cons
"The apartment is located on the last floor of a building, thus being a duplex (two floors inside with stairs) apartment. Kitchen and dining area are upstairs, where the air gets warmer and you feel less comfortable. There is no central air conditioning in the building, in each room you have standalone ..."

Reviewed on 3 Aug,2019

Lucerne Lake View Apartments
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Lucerne

4.7
Top destination
5 - Excellent
54
" "5 - Excellent 72.97297297297297%
4 - Good
17
" "4 - Good 22.972972972972972%
3 - Okay
3
" "3 - Okay 4.054054054054054%
2 - Disappointing
0
" "2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
4 Mar 2020

Lucerne is a beautiful and enchanting town. Next time, I would stay a bit father out of town. The public transportation is very reliable. Overall it was worth it because of the location, but the hotel was not nice in any sense of the word.

5/5 - Excellent

MrHudson
25 Feb 2020

Beautiful city. Visited Fastnacht - amazing few days!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
21 Jan 2020

Fabulous city for a long weekend In winter or longer in summer.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
19 Nov 2019

Wonderful location but very expensive.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
18 Nov 2019

I attended the Blues Festival at the Casino which was excellent and did not have much time for sight seeing.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
26 Oct 2019

Beautiful place. Easy access to many top attractions. Excellent train convections from Lucerne. Generally very expensive.