We only had 24 hours to see everything that Lucerne Switzerland had to offer and answer the question, is Lucerne Switzerland worth visiting? The answer is yes! It makes a great stop for a night or two. Here is everything we fitted into our 24 hours in Switzerland!
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Best month to visit Lucerne?
We were in Lucerne in May and it was lovely. It was cool, not cold and the sun was out. It is a great month to visit for pleasant weather.
Is Lucerne expensive?
It can be and really depends on how you visit. We definitely stuck to a budget and thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Read on to find all our tips and tricks for sticking to a budget in Lucerne!
Most of your costs will be accommodation and food. Restaurants and nice hotels can add up quickly here. We chose to shop and eat alfresco! By this I mean we bypassed the beautiful restaurants and cafes and shopped at Aldi. We ended up going to both Aldi Suisse stores. The one in central Lucerne was great for quick grab lunches, we bought meat and cheese and bread and made up sandwiches. We took them and had our meal by the beautiful Lucerne waterfront!
Budget Tip-They have a coffee machine that had 1CHF coffees. They tasted great and were super cheap! Coffee is definitely something that adds up. When we see an option like this we make use of it.
We walked out to the second Aldi across the river. There were more packaged foods and a few more gluten free options. It wasn’t overly worth it and I would not bother next time. The Aldi in town has enough range to keep you going.
How to get to Lucerne?
We used the train system! Although we took one wrong train when our Australian accent confused a train conductor, it was simple. We caught the train from Germany to Lucerne and then went on to Lauterbrunnen by train. We used the Swiss Travel Pass to get around Switzerland and it couldn’t have been better! One ticket included trains, buses and even some museums and boat cruises.
Where to stay in Lucerne?
We stayed in a budget friendly option that was a short walk to the centre of town. It was ok, not great. We always book with Booking.com as they have great prices and we have never had any problems at all. For budget options I would look at ibis budget. Below is a Booking.com map to check availability of all hotels for Lucerne on your dates!
Where ever you stay make sure to get a city map booklet that has discounts and freebies for shops in Lucerne. There are free chocolates from the Lindt store, keyrings and more. It makes a fun activity when strolling the city. The Swiss Travel Pass also includes museums, boat cruises and more!
What to do in Lucerne and why it is worth visiting?
Is Lucerne, Switzerland worth visiting? Yes, this is everything we did when visiting Lucerne.
The Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)
The Kapellbrücke, called the Chapel Bridge is a covered wooden footbridge crossing the Reuss River in the middle of Lucerne. It is one of 2 wodden bridges left in Lucerne, the third is destroyed. A pretty place to walk and look at the river and town beyond. It has paintings unique to Lucerne. They date to the 17th century and show the history of the town painted by local Hans Heinrich Wägmann. No other wooden footbridges in Europe has these features.
Musegg Wall
We walked up and went inside the towers. It is a medieval landmark of Lucerne, built in the 13th century as a city fortification. Most is free to enter and there are some interesting artifacts inside. The staircases are a little rickety and they are quite high! You can walk along the top of the wall to see the views of Lucerne. There are nine towers, below are my favourites. It is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. between 1 April and 1 November. There is Musegg Farm behind it as well which is nice to visit.
Zytturm Tower
This is the most famous tower, it contains a large working clock inside. You walk up to see the internal workings and read the history. The mechanism was made in 1535 and works today. It strikes the hour one minute before all the other clocks in Lucerne. We met a very friendly and helpful guide here. He is employed by the towers and will happily help you with information.
Nölliturm Tower
We viewed this one as we walked by, it is a lovely tower set beside the river. We walked up and around it to enter the Musegg wall.
The Männli Tower
This tower has the most beautiful views. You’ll climb up a lot of stairs and it is worth it! It measures 33m from ground to pinnacle and there are beautiful views from every angle at the top. There is an iron figure of the Männli (little man) on top of the tower.
Take a tour of the town or Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne is huge and really pretty. There are tons of boat tours and options to get out and experience it. We always book with Get Your Guide, they have a great range and you can read reviews to find out if others liked it. Below is a range of tours they offer in Lucerne.
We loved strolling the pretty streets of Lucerne! It is a town filled with flowers, old buildings, and gorgeous scenes everywhere.
The Lion Monument
The Lion Monument is one of my favourite things in Lucerne. It is a serene and solemn place that was erected in 1821 and depicts a lion impaled with a spear. It was created as a tribute to Swiss soldiers who died defending the French King in 1792. This is why the lions paws rest on shields featuring the French and Swiss Coat of Arms. It bears the Latin inscription Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti (to the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss). I was not expecting to feel as moved in this space as I did. The lion is mournful yet proud and the setting is incredibly peaceful.
Walk the old town of Lucerne
You will see all the beautiful facades of the old buildings. They are decorated with frescos depicting milkmaids, courtjesters and knights. You’ll find the best ones at Sternenplatz, Hirschenplatz, Krammgrasse and Metzgerrainle.
Rathaus (Old Town Hall)
The Rathaus is a beautiful building that was the town hall of Lucerne.
The Spreuer Bridge
The Spreuer Bridge is the other wooden footbridge in Lucerne, it is lovely and quaint. The views are great and there are some paintings here as well. Definitely worth a visit.
The Franziskanerplatz
The Franziskanerplatz is a lovely spot by the river to sit and watch the sunset. We spent an hour here watching it slowly sink and people watching. It seems to be a locals spot to chill, people started bringing down glasses and bottles of wine, placing them in the river to keep them cold. There are restaurants and cafes along the river here.
Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche)
I tried to enter the Jesuit Church and it was locked, from pictures it looks lovely. The outside is beautiful and it sits right by the Reuss River and Franziskanerplatz.
Franciscan Church (Katholische Franziskanerkirche)
We wandered past the Franciscan Church, it is a peaceful spot to rest in the shade.
Lakeside Promenade
The lakeside promenade is a beautiful walk that takes you along Lake Lucerne. Perfect for a scenic and peaceful stroll and somewhere to take your coffee. Lined with trees it provides shade in the summer sun and you’ll see all the elegant houses built in the area. To be very honest as a child I had only ever heard of Lucerne as Lake Lucerne. I was really keen to stroll along here and really feel it is one of the reasons that Lucerne, Switzerland is definitely worth visiting!
One last tip- there is a public toilet in town, it is right under the buildings at the water. When you have seen these arches you are in the right spot!
Things we didn’t have time to do and would next time!
If we had more time we would have gone on the cogwheel train, the funicular Gutsch and see the views from the hotel, go up Mouth Titius, Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus! These mountain excursions are also discounted with the Swiss Travel Pass! These all look incredible and we would love to come back too see them. For those who are asking “is Lucerne, Switzerland worth visiting?”. Stop asking and book that trip, it definitely is! If you would like any other information or have any questions just comment, we are happy to help!
Where to next:
Why you should visit Lauterbrunnen
How to visit Murren and Grimmelwald
Should I visit Lucerne or Interlaken?
Why Swiss Travel Pass is the best way to travel Switzerland
How to travel Switzerland on a budget
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What to do in Lake Thun Interlaken
How to spend a morning in Interlaken
3 day itinerary for Interlaken
What to do in Interlaken when it rains
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Best hotel in Bern Switzerland
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