Lucerne

Two Perfect Autumn Days in Lucerne, Switzerland

Lucerne is a captivating city located nearly smack center in the middle of Switzerland that offers tourists a complete package of rich cultural sights, medieval history, incredible natural beauty, and so much more. It is the fourth largest city in Switzerland, but is very compact and feels quite manageable for first-time visitors trying to find their way about.

*This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on my site at no additional cost to you.

I visited Lucerne during a trip that included many other stops throughout Switzerland, but Lucerne was the biggest city thus far. What surprised me most was that despite its size and modern lifestyle, it still felt utterly charming and welcoming. I think I could actually live there.

My husband and I visited Lucerne in early autumn. As I mentioned in some of my other Switzerland posts, this time of year was ideal for comfortable temperatures, fewer crowds, and slightly better hotel rates. That being said, I have no doubt that Lucerne is a really great summer destination with all of the Lake Lucerne water activities and day trips out to the surrounding mountains.

Without further ado, this post will cover:

• Where to stay in Lucerne
• Things to see & do in Lucerne
• Where to eat in Lucerne
• Day trips from Lucerne
• Additional travel resources

Where to stay in Lucerne

Given the compact city center of Lucerne, it isn’t too terribly important to situate yourself in a certain area. It is always nice to be within walking distance of the train station and the historic landmarks. That being said, there are some really amazing properties surrounding Lake Lucerne. So, broaden your search as much as you’d like!

We decided to stay about 5 minutes away from the train station on the right bank at the Renaissance Lucerne Hotel. I like staying at Marriott properties in major cities because the amenities are modern and the quality is predictable. I also enjoy historic properties and always try to find a hotel that has a story behind it. The Renaisssance Lucerne offered all the above. It is housed in the century old City Palais, which has been restored and converted into the 87-room hotel.

Above photos: Renaissance Lucerne Hotel

15 Things to see & do in Lucerne

We had a fairly unhurried visit in Lucerne and were able to visit everything on our list at a relaxing pace. I know we didn’t exhaust everything there is to see and do, but what we did see, we fully took in and enjoyed. Below are the highlights of our itinerary – and the order in which we saw them – just to keep things efficient for anyone who wants to follow in our footsteps:)

• Jesuitenplatz
• Jesuit Church
• Franciscan Church
• Spreuer Bridge
• Old Town
• Mussegg Wall & Towers
• Lion Monument
• Glacier Garden
• Church of Saint Leodegar
• Lakeside Promenade
• Lucerne Fountains
• Chapel Bridge
• Lake Lucerne
• Swiss Transport Museum
• Meggenhorn Castle

Jesuitenplatz

The plaza directly in front of the Jesuit Church is known as Jesuitenplatz. The area is part of a longer river-front walkway where you can stroll and admire the historic buildings that line the River Reuss. We stopped here to take photos before going inside the Jesuit Church.

Above photos: River Reuss, Lucerne with the Hotel Château Gütsch on the hill in the background

Jesuit Church

The Jesuit Catholic Church was the first large Baroque church built in Switzerland north of the Alps. It followed the building of the Lucerne Jesuit College, which was established on request by the Lucerne City Council in response to the Protestant Reformation.

Above photos: Jesuit Church

Today the church is mostly a venue for organ concerts and is open to visitors who wish to see the architecture, ornate rose plaster work, and painted ceiling frescos. It is considered to be the most beautiful church in Switzerland. And, I can certainly vouch for that. It took my breath away!

Above photos: Jesuit Church

Franciscan Church (Franziskanerkirche)

Just a few steps away from the Jesuit Chuch is Franziskanerplatz where the Church of St. Mary is located. It is now referred to as the Franciscan Church because it was built the heart of the Franciscan Monastery. The church dates to 1270 and is predominantly Gothic style, although Renaissance and Baroque styles are also present due to the many renovation works that the church has undergone over the centuries.

Above photo: Entrance to the Franciscan Church in Franziskanerplatz

Above photo: Franciscan Church

The nave features an incredible wooden carved pulpit, choir stalls, and mural paintings of banners and flags (replicas of the tapestries that once hung there when the church doubled as the City Hall).

Above photos: Franciscan Church

My favorite part of this church was the area to the left of the altar. The ceiling features a relief of angels that leads into another side altar displaying the skeletal remains of St. Celestine, which had been transferred to the church from Rome. The jeweled skeleton was originally found with many others in catacombs beneath Rome in 1578, and later distributed by the Vatican as replacements under the belief they were Christian martyrs to churches that had lost their saint relics in the Reformation. It is all so very fascinating, albeit a little dubious.

Above photos: Franciscan Church

Spreuer Bridge (Spreuerbrücke)

The Spreuer Bridge is a covered, wooden footbridge dating to 1407. It is very similar to another wooden bridge just up river, Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), that was destroyed by fire in 1993, but has since been re-built (more on Chapel Bridge to come).

Above photo: Spreuer Bridge with the Männliturm in the upper right corner of the photo

Above photos: Spreuer Bridge

The underside of the bridge’s roof is decorated with 45 17th-century paintings by Caspar Meglinger depicting scenes from the Dance of Death, although originally there were 67 paintings. Interestingly, there is a little chapel in the middle of Spreuer Bridge called, Brückenkapelle Maria auf der Reuss.

Above photos: Spreuer Bridge

We crossed the bridge from Herrenkeller (the granary) towards Mühlenplatz (the former mill area), where the bridge ends at a hydroelectric power plant, which was also rather interesting to stop and observe.

Above photo: Spreuer Bridge entrance at Mühlenplatz

Above photo: Hydroelectric plant

Old Town (Luzern Altstadt)

The Old Town of Lucerne is beautiful, historical, romantic, and full of points of interest. Located on the left bank of the Reuss River, the pedestrianized cobblestone streets are lined with shops and cafes that sit under gorgeous painted buildings depicting knights, court jesters, Swiss maids, and historical scenes.

Above photo: Hirschenplatz, Old Town Lucerne

There are numerous squares that are especially pretty and harken back to medieval times. The ones we enjoyed the most were Weinmarkt-Brunnen, Hirschenplatz, Kornmarkt, Sternenplatz Square, and Kapellplatz.

There is also a cute little tourist train that will take you around to all of the top spots in case you’d like a narrated guide without any walking. The train tour is about 40 minutes in duration and departs from Franziskanerplatz multiple times each day between April through October. Tickets for the Luzern City Train can be purchased online here for CHF 15.

Above photo: Mühlenplatz, Old Town Lucerne

Above photo: Weinmarkt-Brunnen, Old Town Lucerne

Above photos: Old Town Lucerne

Mussegg Wall & Towers

The Musegg Wall and its nine towers are part of Lucerne’s historic fortifications from the 14th century. During the warm months, you can visit four of the towers and walk along the top of the wall, all the while enjoying amazing views of Lucerne. We started out on the far western side at the Nölliturm and worked our way down to the Männliturm (the one with the little man at the top), the Wachtturm, the Zytturm, and the Schirmerturm.

Above photo: Facade of Nölliturm (left); Views of Lucerne from Villa Musegg (right)

Above photos: Illustration of the Musegg Wall (left); Looking west towards the Männliturm (right)

Above photos: Musegg Wall (right); Bell from 1788 strikes one minute before all other bells in Lucerne

The Zytturm is one of Europe’s most remarkable clock towers. The mechanisms were made in 1535 and it is still working! It strikes the hour a minute early and before all of the other clocks in Lucerne so it stands out in that respect, as well. The views from the top of the Zytturm tower are the best. Looking east, you can see the next four towers and the Old Town below.

Above photo: Painted facade of the Zytturm clock tower

Above photos: Zytturm clock

Above photo: Views of Lucern from the Zytturm clock tower

Lion Monument

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sculpture or monument that evokes as much emotion as the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal). The lion that lay dying is an allegory to the 800 Swiss mercenaries who gave their lives defending the Tuileries in Paris during the French Revolution in 1792. The sculpture was carved from stone by Lukas Ahorn based on a design by Berthel Thowaldsen.

Above photos: Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal)

Glacier Garden

Adjacent to the Lion Monument is the Lucerne Glacier Garden, a small park that contains natural remnants from the last Ice Age. At first glance, it doesn’t look like much. However, posted signs explain the formations, polished boulders, and deep glacial potholes to help visitors understand and visualize how they were formed. It’s a fascinating stop for the natural history buff, but kids are probably going to be more interested in the Mirror Maze that was originally part of the Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva — and is now housed here along with “Rock World,” an underground portal that takes you through a space & time exhibit.

Above photos: Glacier Garden

Church of Saint Leodegar (Hofkirche St. Leodegar)

The landmark Church of St. Leodegar is considered to be the most important church in Lucerne. It was built between 1633 to 1639 on the foundation of a Roman basilica that was destroyed by fire. The church was one of only a few built north of the Alps during the Thirty Years’ War. The twin steeples were preserved from the former basciica, along with St. Mary’s altar and a few religious objects.

We were there at sunset as the church bells were chiming and parishioners made their way inside for mass. There is not a lovelier way to see a church than when it is actively being used for worship.

Above photo: Church of St. Leodegar twin steeples

Above photos: Interior views of the Church of St. Leodegar

Above photos: Building from 1695 in the courtyard (left); the grave hall adjacent to the Church of St. Leodegar and Leonhardskapelle (right)

Above photos: Church of St. Leodegar (left); stone fountain in the courtyard of the Church of St. Leodegar (right)

Lakeside Promenade

Lucerne’s lakeside promenade is the best place to take a stroll. The most well-known spots along the promenade are the Schweizerhofquai, Nationalquai, and the area in between. During the summer there are free, public concerts in the music pavilion on Tuesdays and Fridays – a tradition that has been going on since 1908.

The chestnut-tree lined promenade continues for quite a stretch and eventually leads to the Swiss Transport Museum, about a 30 minute walk unless you get distracted and stop to visit with the ducks. We stopped here after visiting the Church of Saint Leodegar early in the evening. There wasn’t anything going on, but it was easy for us to see why its a favorite spot to unwind.

Above photos: Lucern Lakeside Promenade

Water Fountains

In every nook and crevice throughout Lucerne there are water fountains — over 200 fountains! The water is high quality and suitable for drinking. The old well network has provided the overwhelming majority of the city’s fountains with spring water from Kriens since the Middle Ages. If you are skeptical, it is only a matter of time before you see other people filling up their refillable water bottles and are convinced to give it a try.

Above photos: Fountains in Lucerne

I lost count of the number of fountains we saw. But, there were many that stood out because of their intricate spouts and ornate designs. Don’t you wish every place had clean water available like this?

Above photo: The Fritschi Fountain (Fritschibrunnen) in Kapellplatz

Chapel Bridge

Lucerne’s most iconic landmark is Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), which spans the River Reuss connecting the residents of the Old Town and the Right Bank. The bridge is the oldest wooden bridge in Europe, dating to 1365, and was originally part of the city’s military fortifications along with the Water Tower (Wasserturm), which stands in the water next to the bridge.

Above photos: Chapel Bridge Kapellbrücke

The hallmark of the bridge are the triangular paintings that line the underside of the roof, depicting scenes from Lucern’s history and used to advocate allegiance to Catholicism. In 1993, a fire tragically destroyed more than half of the paintings. Burned pieces are still in place along the bridge to bookend the central segment that has been restored.

Above photos: Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)

We walked over the bridge multiple times at different times of the day. Whether seeing it in the morning light, the glow of golden hour, or after dark with the lights reflecting off the water, it is a very special place.

Above photo: Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)

Lake Lucerne

The singular most amazing thing to see in Lucerne is its namesake lake. Surrounded by mountains, grassy green slopes, lakeside resorts, and charming suburbs, it is as scenic as landscapes come. The best way to see the lake is to hop onto any of the several boat rides on the lake itself. With our Swiss Travel Pass, we were able to take the round-trip ferry to Bürgenstock, which is one of the longer rides. More information on Lake Lucern cruises can be found here.

Above photos: Cruise on Lake Lucerne

When we arrived in Bürgenstock, we stayed on the boat, but had the opportunity to watch the funicular railway that links the lake and mountain-top resort. Note to self: must go back and stay at resort.

Above photos: Bürgenstock funicular (left); sailboat on Lake Lucerne (right)

Swiss Transport Museum

We didn’t make it here. It was on our list and we shoulda, but we ran out of time. So, I’m passing the idea along as a top attraction. The Swiss Transport Museum is Switzerland’s most-visited museum. There are numerous exhibits, interactive installations, and even a planetarium. All the history you’ve ever wanted to know about traversing land, sea, and air can be found here.

We passed the museum en route to Meggenhorn (more about that further down) and didn’t make it back before closing. So, while I did lay eyes on it, it doesn’t count unless you go inside. If you go, let me know your thoughts!

Above photo: Swiss Transport Museum

Meggenhorn Castle

Before leaving for our trip, I had not even heard of Meggenhorn. However, it caught our eye while out on our Lake Lucerne cruise and we had to figure out what it was. And so after some Google searching, we discovered Meggenhorn and found the right local bus to take us there.

Above photo: Meggenhorn Castle

Meggenhorn Castle was built in 1868 by industrialist Edouad Hofer-Grosjean. Soon after, it was sold to Countess Amélie Heine-Kohn who added a neo-Gothic chapel to the property. The gardens and vineyard cover the hillside between the castle and Lake Lucerne. It is reminiscent of the chateaux of the Loire Valley in France.

Above photos: Meggenhorn Castle

Above photos: The neo-Gothic chapel at Meggenhorn Castle

The castle interior has been preserved as a museum and can be visited every Sunday afternoon from April to October. Since we were there on a Tuesday, we weren’t able to do this. However, we were able to freely walk all over the grounds. The dahlia cutting garden was spectacular!

Above photos: The gardens and grounds at Meggenhorn Castle

We also followed the walking path leading down to the lake, which was a bit like being deep in the forrest because it is heavily wooded. The path ends at Lake Lucerne where you can see the charming boat houses and a statue of Christ. This would be a wonderful place to bring the family, have a picnic, and perhaps go for a swim. We loved it!

Above photos: Lake Lucern (top left); Christ statue (top right); Boat houses (bottom)

Where to eat in Lucerne

Ristorante La Fenice Steakhouse & Pizzeria

Our first lunch in Lucerne was at Ristorante La Fenice, located in Old Town near Hirschenplatz. It is a very warm, casual restaurant with a very cool pizza oven. Honestly, I had a hankering for pizza and that’s what drew us in. We were able to get in-and-out quickly, which was nice because we were excited to continue on our walking tour of the historic sights.

Above photos: Ristorante La Fenice Steakhouse & Pizzeria

Hotel des Balances

After a long first-day of walking, I was glad I didn’t have to think too hard about dinner plans. We had reservations at Hotel des Balances and had specifically requested a table looking out over the Reuss River. The hotel and restaurant are housed in an 18th-century old town building with a facade painted in the style of Hans Holbein. It’s stunning!

Our meal here was very memorable. The menu is primarily French-Mediterranean cuisine. We immensely enjoyed the view of the Reuss River with all of the evening lights reflecting off the water as we ate our meal, which was also so, so good. Reservations can be made here.

Above photos: Hotel des Balances Restaurant

Wirtshaus Taube

Our second lunch in Lucerne was at Wirtshaus Taube, a rustic traditional tavern located just a block or two away from the Jesuit Church. If you are looking for authentic Swiss cooking, this is it. We split an entree because we had big dinner plans and didn’t want to overstuff ourselves. The portion size was generous and we could never have finished off separate plates.

Above photos: Wirtshaus Taube

Old Swiss House

Our final hurrah in Lucerne was dinner at the Old Swiss House. The restaurant is housed in a historic building from 1859 and is chock full of antique crystal and silver serving pieces. The table settings were gorgeous!

The menu was amazing, featuring European and traditional Swiss cuisine. Their specialty is Wiener schnitzel, prepared and cooked table side. It came as no surprise that the Old Swiss House is a Michelin-rated restaurant and is a must for many visitors who come to Lucerne. Reservations are essential and can only be made by telephone.

Above photos: Old Swiss House Restaurant

Day trips from Lucerne

Lucerne is a popular place to stay while venturing out for day trips to the surrounding mountains. The well-connected and efficient Swiss transportation system of trains, funiculars, trams, and boats makes it so easy – and so fun – to get to the dreamiest places.

Mt. Titlis

We decided to take a day tip to Mt. Titlis because the idea of walking through an ice cave was too amazing to pass up. To get to Mt. Titlis from Lucerne, we took a train to the town of Engleberg where a series of cable cars connects visitors to the peak.

Above photo: Mt. Titlis

Besides the amazing views, there are also many activities offered at Mt. Titlis, which vary a little between the winter and summer months. Obvi, snow sports are the draw during the winter. But, during the summer, visitors can still walk through the Glacier Cave, cross the Cliff Walk Suspension Bridge, and go tubing at Glacier Park (which always has snow!).

Read my complete post about our day trip to Mt. Titlis here.

Mt. Pilatus

The Mt. Pilatus Golden Round Trip was an experience we looked into, but ultimately decided in favor of our day trip to Mt. Titlis. It was a tough choice! The Golden Round Trip is a full-day outing that includes riding on a boat, cogwheel train, and cable car. The round trip is really more of a circle because the cable car takes you up one side of the mountain (from Lucerne to Alpnachstad (by boat) to Pitaus), but you come down on another side (from Pilatus to Kriens to Lucerne). Or, you can also travel in the opposite direction depending on if you would prefer the boat ride on the front end or back end of your journey.

Interlaken

Day trips to Interlaken from Lucerne are also very popular and highly recommended. We spent three days in Interlaken prior to visiting Lucerne. If you aren’t able to allocate an overnight stay, a day trip is a great option.

Interlaken is a playground for adventure enthusiasts, but is also just a beautiful place to visit even if adventure isn’t quite your thing. Located in between Lake Birenz and Lake Thun, Interlaken is full of Swiss charm, the gorgeous blue Aare River, and stunning scenic vistas.

Above photos: Interlaken

To read my complete post about our visit to Interlaken, click here.

Additional travel resources

Thank you for reading my post! Please feel free to add friendly comments or questions below!