No doubt Switzerland is a beautiful country. Every time I visit one of those romantic swiss escapes, it continues to surprise me with its jaw-dropping natural beauty, and Lucerne is nothing less. So enjoying a few days in lovely Lucerne on a stunning lake surrounded by magnificent mountains was unforgettable. I have no words or photos that can come close to what I have experienced in real life, but the pictures I captured can definitely help me prevent my memory from fading away over the years. It is absolutely a photographer’s paradise because there are stunning panoramic views to capture in every direction you look and every turn you make. Or regardless you are a photographer or not; you can spend hours pondering the heartfelt, natural beauty surrounding you.
Sharing A Few Pictures from Our Lucerne Trip
I have been to Switzerland many times already, but this is the first time I am heading to Lucerne; therefore, my excitement has been highest since I boarded the plane from New York Airport. My Connecting Swiss Flight from Dusseldorf landed at Zurich Airport at 11:30 am. It was an overnight flight with a short layover and then a short flight of an hour to Zurich.
I withdrew local currency from the airport ATM and went downstairs to buy a train ticket from the airport to Lucerne via Zurich Bahnhof. At that time, the train fare was 28.00 CHF (1 CHF = 1.1 US$).
Arrival in Lucern
I Arrived at Lucerne around 1 PM. It was Saturday, and the crisp spring weather in Lucerne was beautiful. Since I knew that my hotel was only a 10 minutes walk from the train station and the view along the way was beautiful; so I decided to walk. But it took me much longer than 10 minutes. We stopped a few times along the way to enjoy the lakeside activities like the Sunday Market, having a drink at an outdoor restaurant, and taking advantage of the beautiful sunny weather for a photoshoot.
Hotel Check-in
I checked into Tourist Hotel (currently known as The Tourist City & River Hotel Lucerne), located in a neighborhood in Lucerne’s old town on the Ruess River. The hotel room was perfect with a beautiful mountains view balcony. Freshen up a little and again went out to explore the surrounding historic district. The lovely little town by the Lucerne Lake was full of visitors and very much alive. I could see the snow-covered mountain tops on the horizon and people enjoying the weather and having fun at those lakeside outdoor restaurants. I took many pictures and made frequent stops in between for a drink here and there. It was a fantastic experience.
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Top Things To Do In Lucerne
Fantastic Day Trip To Mount Rigi from Lucerne
Mount Rigi (also known as the Queen of Mountains) is located 22 kilometers North East of Lucerne, along with the town of Kussnacht. The mountain has a height of 5,899 feet (1,798 meters) above sea level and is accessible via hiking trails and a funicular railway (Rigi Railways) from the town of Kussnacht. In addition, there is another exciting route from Lucerne by crossing the beautiful Lucerne Lake to the village of Vitznau by boat, then a cogwheel train from Vitznau directly to Rigi Kulm that we took. But for a great experience on my way back, we took the same cogwheel train down only halfway to Rigi Kaltbad (about 10 min), and from there took a gondola/cable car down to the town of Weggis (about 10 min), from Weggis, where we took another boat back to Lucerne.
Must Experience the Steepest cogwheel train to Mount Pilatus
Lucerne is absolutely beautiful, but your trip is incomplete without going up 7000 feet to the top of Mount Pilatus on a Sunny day. It is one of the most stunning places in Central Switzerland. And undoubtedly one of the most beautiful mountaintops. The mountain offers a panoramic view of 73 Alpine peaks on a clear day.
It’s pretty easy to get there from Lucerne. From Bahnhof, just cross the Bahnhofstrasse to the boat terminal. Boat to Alpnachstad is available throughout the day; check for the Current Pricing. It’s that easy from Alpnachstad getting on to the Cogwheel train and climbing uphill to Pilatus Kulm. The most popular round trip package is The Golden Round Trip runs from May to October.
Walking Along River Reuss
The Reuss River is one of the Main Attraction of Lucerne, the historic wooden Chapel Bridge, which crosses it and ends at the Jesuit Chapel. The Reuss River promenade runs along Bahnhofstrasse and Rathhausquai at both banks in Lucerne, from where you can take amazing panoramic photos of the surroundings. Therefore while in Lucerne, you should not miss the opportunity to walk alongside the river because the waterfront views are spectacular on both sides of the River Reuss.
Historical landmark The Kapellbrücke – Chapel Bridge
The famous Chapel bridge stands out as an icon of Lucerne, and crossing the wooden bridge is a dream come true. The 14th-century bridge is believed to be the oldest wooden bridge in Switzerland, where the waters of Lake Lucerne flow into River Reuss. The Water Tower is located a little way along the Bridge, and that and the Bridge were part of the medieval city ramparts. Hence, the flower baskets on the sides of the Bridge make it very pretty, in addition to the old paintings on the wooden wall and ceiling.
Cross the Rauthaussteg Bridge by the Rathaus
This Bridge has nice wrought iron railing and street Lamps and good views of Chapel Bridge.
Spreuer Bridge – Enjoy the “Dance of Death” Paintings
The Spreuer Brucke (bridge) is an old covered wooden bridge with ancient paintings under its roof. The bridge is not the original bridge erected in 1408 but was destroyed by a storm in 1566 and rebuilt in 1568. The small chapel on the bridge also dates back to 1568, and it was renovated in 1889.
The Spreuer Bridge has under its roof 67 paintings dating from 1626 to 1635 representing a “Dance of Death.” Death is described as a skeleton or as the “Great Reaper,” depicted trying to get everybody to dance with him, so they die. The Dance of Death was designed by chief painter Kaspar Meglinger.
Geissmattbrucke Bridge
Geissmattbrucke Bridge is another busy Car bridge. If you turn onto the Tower road, you get to drive through the Tower. Not far from the Tourist hotel where I was staying.
Schweizerhofquai Bridge by the Lake Lucerne
Schweizerhofquai Bridge is the main through traffic bridge where the River Reuss enters Lake Lucerne. It is busy, and it’s nearby the pier where you will find the Cruise boats.
Museggmauer – Musegg Wall, Lucerne
A part of the rampart walls was built in 1386; the wall is still almost entirely intact. Four towers are open to the public: Schirmer, Zyt, Wacht, and Männli. The oldest city clock, built by Hans Luter in 1535, is in the Zyt tower. This clock is allowed to chime every hour, one minute before all the other city clocks. It is absolutely exciting to see and walk along the wall associated with so much history.
Hofkirche – Abbey Court Church, Lucerne
The Roman Catholic Church St. Leodegar is one of the most important churches and a landmark in the city of Lucerne. You can’t miss it as it got two unique-looking prominent towers. The Church was built in 1639 AD upon the ruins of a previous Roman church which was destroyed in 1633 AD, and the church survived the destructive thirty years war between the Catholics and the Protestants (1618-1648) in Europe and of the only remains of the old church are the Only the towers, St. Mary’s altar, and a few religious objects remain.
Rathaus – Town Hall, Lucerne
The Lucerne Medieval city hall was built in 1606. It sits along the river and can be spotted throughout the old town due to its prominent clock tower. Out front is a medieval era square with many frescoed buildings.
Rathaus means Town Hall in German and swiss german is similar to standard German. The Rathaus of Lucerne is located along Konrmarkt and the post office. The Rathaus was built in 1606 in Italian Renaissance style and covered with an overhanging roof) the town hall is open for business only, and tourists are not allowed inside; you can take pictures of the town hall from outside.
Château Gütsch, Lucerne
A prominent landmark along the western bank of the River Reuss along a Hillside is the spectacular and glitzy Chateau Gutsch, which resembles a Cinderella’s Castle in Disneylands worldwide as it was copied from the Bavarian castle Neuschwanstein, which was the inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle in Disneylands everywhere. The Chateau, a luxury hotel in Lucerne, and a room here cost a mind-boggling 450 swiss francs a night for the regular rooms and 1,300 Swiss francs for the queen Victoria suite. Visitors can go to Chateau Gutsch by driving along Kanonenstrasse, and visitors can also take the hotel-woned funicular.
Old Town Frescos
Many of the buildings in the old town are adorned with elaborate frescos. This was a local custom in the 19th century, and many of the old town buildings are adorned this way. The frescos range from simple patterns to elaborate stories painted on the walls.
Visit Vitznau by the Lake
Vitznau lies in an idyllic bay of Lake Lucerne at the foot of Mount Rigi, a famous holiday resort located in central Switzerland. It is a popular starting point for numerous excursions around the lake, mainly Rigi. If you are taking a trip from Lucerne, then from where people will take the Cogwheel train going up to the Rigi Kulm or coming down to catch the Ferry Lucerne.
Where to stay in Lucerne, Switzerland
Ameron Luzern Hotel Flora, Lucerne
Ameron Luzern Hotel Flora is conveniently located in the Lucerne Metro Area, and this property puts you close to attractions. Conveniently located in the Luzern Metro Area, the famous Chapel Bridge and the railway station are only minutes away. This 4-star property features restaurant to make your stay more indulgent and memorable. They provide parking at the hotel, which is good news for those guests who are driving. We definitely enjoyed our stay here.
Ibis Budget Luzern City, Lucerne
The Ibis Budget Hotel Luzern City is a short 15-minute walk from Lucerne Main Train Station, Lake Lucerne, and the Old Town. There are direct bus services to the train station from Brunigstresse Bus Stop (line 4) right outside the hotel. The famous attractions such as the Chapel Bridge over the Reuss River and the most photographed iconic water tower are just half a mile away. You will find A grocery store next to the hotel. Above all, the hotel is in a perfect area to explore Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s most charming and cultural sights and attractions. If you are driving on-site public parking is available at less than CHF 20 per day.
My Opinion and Last Word
Have you been to Lucerne, Switzerland? Any cool tips to share?
I loved being in Lucerne Switzerland, and want to go back again. I hope my story has motivated you to visit Switzerland.
Please leave a comment below! I’d love to hear from you to improve my knowledge.
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