Switzerland is a beautiful but expensive country with so much to offer for every kind of traveler and on every budget. Zurich, being the Swiss airline’s hub in Europe, is usually the entry point for anyone visiting this country. Make sure you get out of Zurich and see more of Switzerland. Since I got a Swiss pass for my trip to Switzerland, I knew I had to make sure I get my money’s worth and make the most of my time in Switzerland by making many day trips from Zurich. After a day of exploring Zurich and the nearby Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen, I planned my next trip to visit Lucerne and check out Mount Pilatus and Mount Titlis. Lucerne is a nice but small city in the center of Switzerland which is fun to visit. It also makes for an alternate great base camp area (apart from Zurich) if you want to go all around the country for day trips.

How long to stay

You can easily cover Lucerne in less than a day. If you are visiting both Mount Pilatus and Mount Titlis, add an extra day if you want to take it easy. But if you are like me who doesn’t want to Ski or Hike and is okay with starting super early and ending every late, you can all squeeze it tight in just one day.

Getting there and getting around

Due to its central location, Lucerne is very easy to get to from any other Swiss cities. You can jump on a train from Zurich that leaves every half an hour to get here. I asked around to see if Switzerland had a good inter-city bus system but didn’t get any positive response. Looks like everyone relies on these super-efficient SBB trains to get anywhere in Switzerland. Make sure you get a Swiss pass if you are visiting bunch of places in the country. Even if you aren’t city hopping, check online on SBB’s website to see what discounts you are eligible for (I am pretty sure, you are doing it wrong if you are paying full prices for train tickets in Switzerland) and book your tickets very well in advance.

I was able to walk around most of the city without ever having a need to rely on public transportation. It’s such a joy walking through the city as I felt I got to soak in a lot more than what I had planned. The old town is really small and you are no more than 20 mins away from any attraction or tourist sites. If you are too lazy to walk or traveling with kids, you can take the local buses too.

Where to stay

Unfortunately, since I made a day trip from Zurich, I don’t have any experience of where to find cheap accommodations in the city. However, if I had to pick a good area for sightseeing purposes, I would go with an Airbnb in the old town.

What to buy

Again, I didn’t find anything that is very specific to Lucerne that you should buy which is either a regional specialty or made here. To check what Swiss memorabilia to shop for, check out my Zurich’s post covering all the must buy Swiss stuff.

What to see or do

Lucerne’s old town is very well preserved and a treat to get lost into while you admire the abundant murals painted on pretty much every other building there. Since I was using Lucerne as a stopover on my way to Mount Pilatus and Mount Titlis, I didn’t go in with much of a sightseeing agenda. Here are the spots I managed to see in a couple of hours:

Kapellbrucke/The Chapel Bridge

If you have seen a stock photo or a postcard of Lucerne, it is very likely you have seen this bridge. This bridge holds the record for being the oldest wooden bridge of Europe having been built in the 14^thcentury. I would definitely recommend you to walk over it.

Jesuitenkirche

It’s the first large Baroque church built in Switzerland north of Alps. Since it’s located near the end of the Chapel Bridge, it makes for a good place to start your sightseeing in Lucerne.

Schwanenplatz

It’s the main square in Old town filled with shops and restaurant offering great views.

The Lion Monument

An iconic sculpture in Lucerne which commemorates the Swiss Guards that were massacred during the French revolution. No wonder why Mark Twain praised this mortally-wounded lion as the “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world”.

Swiss Museum of Transport

This might be the only attraction which is farther away than all of the things in old town. But you can easily reach here via boat from the central train station or by bus. You name it and they have it – any kind of transportation. Pro tip: If you are visiting more museum than just this one, please get a Lucerne Museum Pass which costs CHF 36 and covers 7 museums rather than paying CHF 32 for this one. Also, holders of Swiss pass, make sure to get your discounted rate by letting the ticket desk know that you have a Swiss pass.

Mount Pilatus

Overlooking the city of Lucerne, Mount Pilatus is a must visit for every tourist visiting Lucerne area. The best part, the visit to the peak is half off for those holding Swiss pass and want to take the cable car (which is the only option during the winter). Those visiting during the summer have the option of going via the world’s steepest cogwheel railway too. You get an amazing view of the real “Alps” via these scenic routes to the top. Apart from the usual hiking and skiing, there are a bunch of other activities like suspension rope park, bobsledding, snowshoeing and a super long toboggan for sledding. You can easily reach the base of the cable car station by taking a bus from the central station followed by a short walk.

Mount Titlis

To get here, you will take a train from Lucerne to Engelberg which leaves every hour. The train ride itself is a treat since you get to see many of the sights that you have seen in iconic Bollywood and Hollywood movies. I think I was more amazed by the fact that the Swiss had this amazing train network in such a difficult topography and everything was working like a well-oiled machine. Once you reach Engelberg, you can take the free Bus (I think it was Bus number 1) from the station to get you to Mount Titlis.

The scenery here is postcard worthy and pretty much an Instagram heaven. If going during winter, Mt. Titlis is very popular for skiing, tobogganing and snowshoeing. There is a Trubsee snow park for you to try out sit-skis, minibobs and snow tubes. For those interested in snowmobile, there is a closes circuit to get the adrenalin rush. And if you want to go ice skating in an igloo, you can do that too. If you are not a fan of snow activates and just want to enjoy the glacier, you can take the Titlis Rotair (world’s first revolving cable car) to the summit. There is a glacier cave which is pretty much a magical world of ice and has some interesting ice sculptures which are hundreds of years old. You can also go for the Cliff walk which is a 100m long suspension bridge holding the record for being the highest suspension bridge in Europe at 3014 meters above sea level.

What to eat

I didn’t find anything that was really popular or worth eating that you can only find in Lucerne. If you are looking for Swiss food recommendations, refer to the What to eat section of my Zurich’s post.

 

Have you been to Lucerne? What were your favorite things to see or do? Are there any food or drinks that you think are local to the area that one should definitely try?