Lucerne is a city in the center of Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of Switzerland. Lucerne is the capital of the canton of Lucerne. It is the most populous city in Central Switzerland and a nexus of economics, transportation culture, and media in the region.
In our opinion, Lucerne was the most beautiful city of all the cities we have visited. Of course, people’s ideas about beauty differ from one another. To us, beauty means nature, greenish hills, and various places to visit.
Something very interesting about Lucerne is that Lucerne is almost empty of malls! So all your focus will be on nature, hiking, and museums. Of course, there are many shops outdoors and you can enjoy shopping.
1. Bürgenstock
Bürgenstock is a mountain in Switzerland. The mountain is almost entirely surrounded by Lake Lucerne. We went for a two-hour hike in the mountain with a backpack. I highly recommend taking binoculars with you. The viewpoints are absolutely marvelous and breathtaking that you can’t take your eyes off. Bürgenstock is an excellent destination for nature lovers and hikers. The area offers numerous hiking trails with varying difficulty levels, allowing visitors to explore the beautiful Swiss countryside.
One of the amazing experiences for tourists would be Hammetschwand Elevator. The Elevator is situated on the Bürgenstock peninsula, on the eastern shore of Lake Lucerne in the canton Nidwalden, central Switzerland.
The main attraction of Hammetschwand Elevator is the awe-inspiring view it provides from the top. It is one of the highest outdoor elevators in Europe and offers a stunning panoramic view. you can witness a 360-degree panorama of Lake Lucerne, and the surrounding mountains such as Mount Pilates, Mount Rigs, and the Swiss Alps, suitable for photographers and nature enthusiasts.
It is part of the Bürgenstock resort complex and is easily accessible from the resort area. To reach the Elevator, visitors can take a boat to the Bürgenstock resort from Lucerne or use the Bürgenstock funicular from the lake. A short hike or a shuttle service will help you to head to the elevator’s lower station.
The elevator is made of glass, it allows passengers to enjoy uninterrupted views during the ascent. The ride is relatively quick, taking only a minute or two to reach the top. There are also viewing telescopes available to get a closer look at distant landmarks.
The elevator was designed by the German architect Richard Gans, and it was completed in 1905. It was initially built to facilitate the transport of guests from the lake to the viewing platforms.
To ride the Hammetschwand elevator, tickets cost 15 CHF way snd 18 CHF per return trip per person, children 6–15 are half price, and children under 6 is free.
There are plenty of hotels up there ( some in my opinion are overpriced) around 1000–1300 CHF per night! Though, you will find cheaper with a free car park for around 180–200 per night.
One of the highlights of Bürgenstock is its Alpine spa, which provides a range of wellness treatments and therapies. The spa area is designed to maximize relaxation. It has got indoor and outdoor pools, saunas. Since we are talking about the hotels let’s discover some pretty good ones.
Here are a few Luxury hotels with information and price list;
1.1 Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa
It is located 450 meters above lake Lucerne, This is one of the luxurious hotels in Burgenstock, a combination of modern comfort and a traditional Swiss ambience. You will benefit from free access to Bürgenstock Alpine Spa. Around 1,200 CHF per night and depends on which season you are eager to stay.
1.2 Burgenstock Hotels & Resort — Waldhotel
It is situated 450 m above Lake Lucerne on the Bürgenberg mountain, in the Bürgenstock Resort, the Waldhotel & Spa was designed by star architect Matteo Thun and features the Waldhotel Spa and Verbena Restaurant with its own bar on site. There are other 9 other restaurants/bars located in walking distance. This one is much cheaper than the first one almost half price for one couple per night.
1.3 Hotel Villa Honegg
This hotel was built in 1905 and reopened for business in 2011. I would like to stay in this one since it’s big and it has a fitness center with gym / workout room. Depending on the date, you need to pay about 800–900 CHF per night for a couple.
We haven’t stayed in an of them since we were staying at our friends’ place. There were also hotels with cheaper prices that you may find in booking.com
2. Lucerne’s Old Town
The old town city of Lucern was founded in the early 13th century, and many of its buildings, streets, and squares still retain their original character.
In Lucern’s old town, you can find various paintings on the facades of historic buildings, each with its own unique significance and story. These paintings are often known as “frescoes” or “murals” and serve as colorful decorations that add to the charm and character of the area.
Some paintings depict historical events or significant moment ceremonies, or notable figures from the city’s history. Besides, Lucerne’s old town has a strong religious heritage and many religious themes. You will find paintings of religious symbols, saints, or scenes from the Bible adorning the buildings.
Swiss folklore and local legends are often represented in the frescoes. These paintings might depict mythical creatures, folk heroes, or popular folktales that are part of the region’s cultural heritage. They sometimes reflecting different scenes of rural life, Showcasing traditional Swiss countryside activities, celebrations and festive.
The free-car Old Town’s streets are lined with cobblestones, adding to its historical charm. Strolling through these narrow streets and alleys is a wonderful experience with many boutique shops, cafes, and restaurants to explore.
The street is surrounded by a mix of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. There are many shops, boutiques, and souvenir shops, mostly the sellers are Chinese even some Swiss-made watch shops, simply it’s because of its Chinese visitors! There was a crack onthe Rolex’s window. It wasn’t shattered but made us think! There were an amazing collection of Rolex watches, there was a unique pink Rolex that I’d never seen before.
The Lucerne Town Hall (Rathaus) is an impressive building located in the old town square. Its Renaissance-style facade is adorned with colorful murals, and the interior can be visited during specific hours.
In the old town, there are several museums that offer insights into Lucerne’s history and culture. The Richard Wagner Museum, the Swiss Museum of Transport (We have spent a whole day in it, It is brilliant.). I have written a blog about all the museums we have been to.
The Rosengart Collection ( displaying works by Picasso and other artists that we have been to this one as well) is amazing if you are into art. I bought some postcards with Picasso’s paintings on them and we sent some to my sister who lives in England.
last but not least, The Bourbaki Panorama Museum, a European cultural monument, portrays the internment of 87,000 French soldiers who fled to Switzerland during to winter of 1871. Visiting this museum is like immersing into the end of the 19th century. This painting story is depicted on the 10 x 112 m (originally 14 x 112 m) Circular painting by the painter Edouard Castres in 1881. The story is narrated by the painter. These are just a few examples.
There are a few bookstores inside the old town plus we have bought some books, I was under the influence of Einstein. I was so exited for visiting Einstein’s museum in BERN the next day that we had planned to go ( you might find our blog about Bern) so I bought “The Other Einstein” from the bookshop. I finished it in a month, it’s definitely a page-turner yet I needed to know more about Einstein apart from his love life so it led me to buy Einstein written by Alter Issacson when I got back home.
Lucerne’s old town is a vibrant and lively place that hosts various festivals and events throughout the year. Attracting both locals and visitors.
2.1 The Lucerne Festival
The Lucerne Festival is one of the most famous music festivals in the world. It is known for its exceptional classical music performances. It takes place across Lucerne, including the KKL Lucerne located near the old town. The festival runs in the Summer months.
2.2 Fasnacht
Fasnacht is also known as the Lucerne Carnival, is a lively and colorful carnival celebration that takes place in the old town and throughout the city. It usually starts in late February or early March and lasts for several days. During Fasnacht, the streets become alive with elaborate costumes, music, and parades. The participants wear distinctive masks known as “Larven.”
2.3 Blue Balls Festival
The Blue Balls Festival is a popular music and arts festival that runs in and around the old town. Many diverse musical performances take place, art exhibitions, film screenings, and other cultural events. The festival usually occurs in July and offers a mix of international and local talent. There are also Lucerne Fest, Lucerne Marathon, and Christmas Market.
Back to the stores, one interesting shop which wasn’t very far away from the old town was a watch shop which you could see while they were being made. We’ve tried going a couple of times, but the nearest to us was closed. I hope you make it, I assume it is one of the tourist attractions. I have never seen this many people willing to buy watches, and if you are into watches you might enjoy walking along these cobblestoned streets with plenty of Rolex, Cartier and etc… stores. If you want to add up some watches to your collections this is probably the best place to go!
More about watch hunting, Bucherer is a well-known Swiss luxury watch and jewelry retailer, and they have a prominent presence in Lucerne. The Bucherer shop is one of their flagship stores and is located in the heart of the city. You find a wide range of prestigious watch brands, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Omega, and more. In addition to watches, Bucherer also offers a selection of fine jewelry, diamonds, and other precious gemstone pieces.
Bucherer shop in Lucerne is often considered a tourist attraction in itself due to its reputation and the luxury brands it represents. Visitors to Lucerne, especially those interested in luxury watches and jewelry, often make a point of visiting the store during their trip.
There was also a tobacco shop with unique collections just across the street. we don’t smoke, however, it was so tempting that made us go inside and look around. We didn't buy anything still we thought it was worth going! Everywhere looked so vintage as if you were buying cigarettes in the 80s. customers inside the shop were fascinating too. The experience was like time traveling.
We have tried chäschüchli in the old town, meaning chees ecake/tarte, Chäschüchli is a popular snack or appetizer in Switzerland. To my surprise, it was actually delicious! Our friends were surprised too, They thought it might have been too much for us, since not many people are into these cheese tarts, let alone with I am not a very cheese person although it was just before traveling to Switzerland, the cheese there omg they are really something. All in all, try it! later I will also tell about a couple of cheese cousins from Switzerland as well!
The old town is not so big but the paintings on the buildings are picturesque.
3. Chapel bridge
Not very far away from the Town Hall you come across one of the most iconic landmarks in Lucerne, the Chapel Bridge. The wooden bridge stretches across the Reuss River. It was constructed in the 14th century and features a series of triangular paintings depicting historical scenes.
As we were walking along the bridge with our lovely Swiss couple of friends, they told us the bridge story that we didn’t know before. Apparently, on the night of August 18, 1993, a devastating fire broke out on the bridge, caused by an electrical fire igniting a nearby boat moored along the river. The fire quickly spread along the wooden structure, consuming which caused destroying two-thirds of its interior paintings. This was a significant loss of cultural heritage, as the paintings were hundreds of years old and held great historical and artistic value! After the fire, the bridge was reconstructed and repaired.
The rebuild aimed to preserve its original appearance to the public in 1994, and since then it continues to be a popular tourist destination and a symbol of Lucerne’s history and resilience.
As we were walking through, I couldn’t recognize which ones were repainted and which ones were the originals. The fire resulted in the loss of 47 out of the 67 paintings!
They are absolutely rich in history and as works of art. The paintings portray significant history mythology, and religious, events, battles, and figures from Swiss history. If you are interested in history and painting this place is for you.
I feel the Chapel Bridge is a must-see and the heart of Lucerne. If you’ve ever landed in Lucerne, take time to walk across it.
Visiting Switzerland was the best decision we’ve made to Celebrate The New Year 2023 with our Swiss friends’ couple. Let me make a saying right now when you have good company to help you out with where to go and what to do, your time and money is saved! I hope We do the same for you by helping you with traveling! If you have packed up and are ready to visit Switzerland!
You might find other Blogs about Switzerland in our stories.
