Named the “gateway to Central Switzerland”, Lucerne is lake city within the mecca of fine Swiss watchmaking Switzerland and Swiss chocolates.
And it is known for its many natural wonders, medieval architecture and unique love for art and music, a prominent city in Switzerland quite unlike any other.
So, we’ve decided to fly across the region to take a look what makes Lucerne the city to be when travelling to Europe.
The Natural Wonders of Lucerne
It goes without saying that Switzerland is the place to be for snow-capped mountains and Lucerne is the city that marks the starting point of the Swiss Alps with a long list of amazing snow-capped wonders.
And a must on our the list is Mount Titlis that peaks at 3,020 metres above sea level in the quaint alpine town of Engelberg, it is the perfect place for extreme sports enthusiasts as it even offers mountain biking and devil biking in the summer months.
For winter months and skiing aside, you can opt for to walk deep inside the glacier caves in Titlis, which is a wondrous nature’s spectacle. Maybe take a ride on its Ice Flyer to see the winter wonderland on bird’s eye view or be adventurous and sign up for the Titlis cliff walk!
And Mount Titlis also has the Titlis Rotair, which is the world’s first revolving cable car that you can use to ascend to the winter wonderland.
The Lucerne Old Town
Within Lucerne itself, the place you need to spend at least a day or two in, is the Old Town area, where the most historical landmarks of the city lie, alongside various retail shops and dining spots.
In Lucerne’s Old Town, one of the things to feast your eyes on are the various wall paintings on the architecture scattered in the area, where some even date back to the 17th-century.
And contrasting these medieval murals are the many international and local retailers that found home within the structures and, of course, souvenir shops where you can pick up some gifts for friends and family.
While in the area, remember to take a short hike up the hills to the Zyt CLock Tower, one of the three towers left on a stretch of medieval wall. Here, you can even go inside the tower to marvel at the inner clockwork mechanism!
The Iconic Architectures of Lucerne
When in Lucerne, there are a few important monuments and architectures you absolutely need to see and the first is definitely the Kapellbrücke (or the Chapel Bridge), which is a wooden footbridge that dates back to the 14th century.
A bridge that connects the Old Town and the New Town neighbourhoods, the Kapellbrücke is also an important historical landmark that houses over 150 17th century paintings that depict the history and culture of Lucerne.
And right next to the bridge in the New Town side is the Jesuit Church, an iconic architecture that features a 17th-century Baroque interior that will blow your mind away with its arched ceilings, murals and decor.
Last but certainly not least is the Lion Monument, a legendary landmark that is famed across the globe that is sculpted to commemorate the Swiss Guards who perished during the French Revolution.
Lucerne, The Swiss City of Music
And wrapping up our guide to Lucerne, let’s look at the love for music in this city. If Basel is the city known for its watch-making conventions, then Lucerne is definitely the hub of music in Switzerland, all thanks to the Lucerne Festival, a month-long celebration of all things music.
Comparable to Salzburg in Germany, Lucerne Festival highlights some of the best orchestras, conductors and soloists from around the world including the Vienna Philharmonic and they are all held inside the contemporary landmark of the city, Culture and Convention Center Lucerne (KKL).
Classic music aside, the Lucerne festival also celebrates contemporary and modern music with its many featured events during the festival. A must if you’re in the city in August.
