a Day In Lucerne Switzerland, BAckpacking Europe
A Day in Lucerne was a great experience to visit this picturesque city in Switzerland. Lucerne is a compact city in Switzerland on the banks of River Reuss. It is known for its preserved medieval architecture and snow-capped mountains on Lake Lucerne. Many people touring Switzerland spend at least a few days in Lucerne. However, two to three days is plenty of time to explore all the main Lucerne tourist attractions. I visited Lucerne after visiting Zurich.
How to Get To Lucerne Switzerland?
Lucerne is reachable from Zurich, Interlaken, Bern, and Geneva. Most travelers come to Lucerne after visiting Zurich. There are three common ways to reach Lucerne, i.e. bus, train, and car. However, the train is a more convenient way to reach Lucerne from Zurich, Interlaken, or Bern. Alternatively, you can take a Flix bus to reach Lucerne from Zurich in one hour for 24Eu. Last but not the least, a private car or a Blabla car is more favorable if you are flexible in your travel.
- Zurich to Lucerne is about 50km and can be reached in 40 minutes. However, there are other ways to reach Lucerne by public transport too.
- Interlaken to Lucerne is about 2 hours by train, 1.25 hours by bus, or 1 hour by car.
- Bern to Lucerne is about 1 hour by train or car and 2.25 hours by bus.
How to Get Around in Lucerne Switzerland?
The center of Lucerne is split into Altstadt (Old Town) and Neustadt (New Town) connected by several bridges on River Reuss. This central place is quite walkable. Alternatively, you can take a tram, bus, or taxi to roam around the suburbs of Lucerne.
Where to Stay in Lucerne Switzerland?
While my short stay in Lucerne, I stayed in Barabas Luzern. This property was a previous prison. Moreover, there are still some rooms with original architecture and prison doors. However, the property is run by very efficient and cooperative staff. So, you can book your accommodation without any fear to stay in a prison. Backpackers Luzern as well as the Luzern Youth Hostel are other better options for backpackers to stay in the heart of Lucerne.
How To Spend A Day in Lucerne Switzerland?
Old Town Lucerne
Lucerne’s old city is a historic core on the right bank of the Reuss River. It is famous for its cobblestone streets and well-painted homes. It is a good experience to spend and relax your time while wandering around the old town. Most of the part of old town Lucerne is a traffic-free zone, so you can find the hordes of shoppers and sightseers here.
Bridges of LucernE
Several bridges on River Reuss connect the Old Town with the New Town of Lucerne. The most famous among these bridges is the Chapel Bridge and the Spreuer Bridge. The others are Rathaus Bridge, Reuss Brucke, See Brucke, and Giessmattbrucke
Spreuer Bridge
After checking into my hostel, I went to Spreuer bridge first. It was very close to the old town. The Spreuer Bridge was built in 1408 as part of the city’s fortification. Apart from the Chapel Bridge, the Spreuer Bridge is another best attraction to see in Lucerne. It has a most fascinating series of paintings on it. These kinds of paintings are often related to death and this series is referred to as Dance of Death.
Chapel Bridge lucerne
The Chapel Bridge is probably the most photographic attraction in the city of Lucerne. It is a covered wooden bridge that dates from the 14th century AD. The Bridge has a length of 200 meters and runs diagonally. There are 17th-century paintings depicting events from Lucerne’s history. These paintings are hung on the ceiling of the wooden bridge. In 1993, due to a fire incident, a major part of the bridge got damaged. We can still see the fire damage on different parts of the bridge.
Furthermore, there is a 34m high Water Tower at the one end of the bridge on the left bank of the Reuss River. This tower dates back to the early 13th century. While The Chapel Bridge was also a part of the city’s fortifications. Whereas it has been used for a range of purposes including an archive, treasury, and even a prison.
Jesuit Church Lucerne
While going from the Spreuer Bridge to Chapel Bridge on the left side of the Reuss River we walk along with a beautiful landmark of Lucerne. It is the first baroque church in Switzerland in the north of the alps. We Saw its first look while crossing the Spreuer Bridge. We can take an impressive picture of the church with the alps in the background.
Lake Lucerne Switzerland
Lake Lucerne is a lifeline of Lucerne town. This emerald body of water is also known as the “Lake of the Four Cantons”. No doubt it is a must-do in Lucerne to take a cruise on Lake Lucerne. Lake Lucerne is a postcard-perfect Swiss lake with its sparkling blue water and surrounding snow-capped peaks. there is a range of options to explore this 38 km long lake. Here you can find many locals playing Bocce. Indeed, it is an interesting game that involves iron balls hitting a small ball. Seems interesting.
Taste A gelato in Lucerne
On the right bank of Lake Lucerne, We can taste the best Gelato Ice cream in the town. In my opinion, to take a Gelato from the many available shops is the first thing. Consequently, you will sit somewhere on the banks of Lake Lucerne and make a combination of Gelato with Snow-covered peaks at a distance.
Hof Kirche Lucerne
Hof Kirche is the name of the Church of St. Leoderger. It has very distinctive twin towers and it dates back to the 16th century AD or even older than that. Some parts of the original church were restored to the 17th-century design. It includes the two towers that date back to 1525. It has an impressive entrance and it is free to visit inside the church.
Lion Monument Lucerne
From Hof Kirche, we took 5 minutes to walk north to reach the Lion Monument. Whereas The Lion Monument is the most appealing monument in Lucerne. It is a monument of a dying lion that was carved into a rock in 1820. Moreover, this lion represents the Swiss Guards, which were massacred while trying to protect Louis XVI at the time of the French Revolution in 1792. American author Mark Twain once described the Lion of Lucerne as the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world. There is a beautiful water pond beside the Lion Monument.
Glacier Garden Lucerne
While visiting the Lion Monument we can also visit the Glaciar Gardens. It is a natural site for Geological nature. The Glacier Garden, Lucerne, is a remarkably interesting natural attraction that was discovered in 1872. Besides, it is a group of potholes that were believed to be formed during the last ice age 20,000 years ago.
Musegg Wall Lucerne
The northern section of Lucerne’s medieval fortifications consists of the 850-meter-long Musegg Wall. Moreover, it has well-preserved nine towers. Although, we can visit the top of the towers by wooden upstairs. However, four towers and the Wall are open to the public to view the exhibitions and museums within. The views from the top over Lucerne are well worth it. Even so, we can spot most of the tourist attractions from the walls and towers.
Day Tours from Lucerne Switzerland
While keeping a close eye on the weather of Mount Rigi, Mount Titlis, or Mount Pilatus we can consider any trip into the mountains.
next Destination to Visit After Visiting Lucerne
Finally, I left Lucerne for some other destinations in Switzerland. So, Interlaken was my next destination which offers a lot to do things on its own. While I have a plan to visit a couple of towns near Interlaken. Whereas Lauterbrunnen and Iseltwalsd will be my prime visit there.
