Lovely Lucerne

When you think of Switzerland, do you picture snow capped mountains, majestic lakes, and picturesque scenery? Then you have the right image of this beautiful country!

But you must visit Switzerland in person to truly appreciate its beauty and everything this enchanting country has to offer.

We recently spent 3 days in Lucerne and just touched the surface of all there is to see. While Switzerland is known to be a rather expensive country, and we did find that to be true, it is absolutely worth a visit. And savvy travelers can find ways to cut costs when budgets are tight.

Lucerne is located in the German speaking portion of central Switzerland, so you may also see the German spelling of the town: Luzern. Situated along Lake Lucerne and amidst the Swiss Alps, views of Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi delight tourists and those lucky to call Switzerland home.

Everywhere you turn there is an Instagram worthy photo op!

Our party of 6 stayed in a spacious and comfortable 3 bedroom AirBnB about a mile from Lucerne’s Old Town. From our perch high atop a hill scattered with charming houses and apartment buildings we got to enjoy amazing views with our morning coffee.

Lucerne has a fabulous bus system that easily transported us to the edge of Old Town anytime we opted not to navigate through town in our rental car. Walking to Old Town was also possible, but with the steep incline on the return trip to our lodging I opted to give my calves a break! With a strong penchant for exploring European’s old world charm, I wanted to save my steps for Old Town.

Old Town

One of the most iconic sights in Lucerne’s Old Town is the Chapel Bridge with the adjacent water tower. Formally known as Kapellbrücke, the Chapel Bridge is a covered walking bridge that crosses the River Reuss and leads directly to Old Town.

This is the oldest wooden covered bridge in all of Europe. Tourists should look up as they cross the bridge to gaze upon the historic artwork in the bridge’s rafters.

Unfortunately, a fire in 1993 destroyed a large portion of this famous bridge as well as the paintings, but it has been restored nearly to its original glory.

While the water tower is beautiful, we learned of its not so glamorous past when it was used as a prison and torture chamber. I’m thankful that now the primary function of the water tower is as a backdrop for tourists taking selfies!

Venturing into Old Town I was stuck by the juxtaposition of old and new.  The amazing architecture has been maintained or restored, reminiscent of days gone by. Yet there are plenty of modern day shops and cafes to appease the most discerning of tourists.

On our first night in Lucerne we savored a round of beer and cider as we dined on fish and chips at Mr. Pickwick Pub. We sat at a table along the river so we could take in the beauty of our home for the next few days.

With a Starbucks just a few doors down, one morning we did enjoy a familiar taste of home while in Lucerne, but the views were quite unlike anything we see in Indiana.

 

Never one to pass up a chance to shop, I meandered in and out of the array of shopping options. From upscale boutiques to vintage stores to souvenir shops and storefronts filled with tasty treats.

We went home with several pounds of Swiss chocolate and quite a few Swiss army knives.

 

I drooled in Bachmanns Chocolate World as I gazed upon the flowing chocolate wall and purchased a box of tasty miniature macarons.

With several Bachmanns’ stores littered throughout Old Town, we found another one later in the day and the whole gang enjoyed delicious gelato.

When in Europe gelato is one of the required food groups!

While the rest of our group enjoyed a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne one afternoon, my husband and I got our heart rates up as we climbed the steep path to the Musegg Wall with its nine towers that line the city.

While it was quite a hike up the hill and then numerous sets of stairs inside the Männli Tower, the view was so worth it!

I didn’t think Lucerne could get any more beautiful, but from this vantage point it was absolutely breathtaking. Not to mention windy!

We were blessed with perfect weather and could see for miles out into the Swiss Alps and down onto the magnificent city below.

While I did pay for this experience with a little sweat equity, no Swiss Francs were required!

Lion Monument

A trip to Lucerne is not complete without visiting the impressive Lion Monument.  In the thriving tourist area of Löwenplatz, or Lion Square, the garden containing the Lion Monument seems to pop up out of nowhere.

The monument serves as a memorial to the hundreds of Swiss soldiers who died at a massacre in Paris during the French Revolution. Much larger than it seems in photos, the Lion Monument is an impressive work of art.

Carved into a wall of sandstone, the lion lays dying with a broken spear piercing its side. Secluded in a garden and reflected in the pond at the monument’s base, the setting is serene and provides travelers with an opportunity to reflect on their journey.

The Lion Monument is yet another free attraction in Lucerne and one not to be missed.

Stadtkeller Restaurant

On our final night in Lucerne we took in some authentic Swiss culture along with a variety of Swiss cuisine at Stadtkeller Restaurant.

I savored a delicious 3 course fondue meal (cheese, meat, and chocolate) while we were entertained with a variety of traditional forms of Swiss music. From cow bells to spoons to alp horns and several other musical instruments, the performers showcased their talents and even got the audience involved.

Brent and Michael from our group gave the alp horn a try, perfectly demonstrating that playing this impressive instrument should be left to the professionals!

Michael did redeem himself as he showcased his yodeling ability as well as his beer guzzling skills! And what Brent lacked in musical ability, he more than made up for with enthusiasm as both he and his mom joined other eager diners in dancing and weaving through the festive dining hall.

Watch this video for several clips from our fabulous night at the Stadtkeller Restaurant.

Another well-known restaurant in Lucerne is the Old Swiss House. While we did not have time to dine, we did pop in briefly to check out this opulent restaurant. If time and money allow, we will be sure to enjoy the fine cuisine of the Old Swiss House on a future visit to Lucerne.

Mount Titlis

The hardest part about scaling to the top of the Swiss Alps is deciding which mountain to ascend. But when in Switzerland, up the mountain you must go!

Near Lucerne the options included Mt. Pilatus, Mt. Rigi, and Mt. Titlis. We chose Mt. Titlis, which was about an hour away in Engelberg, Switzerland.

No mountain gear is required as a variety of fun and unique modes of transportation effortlessly take you to the top of these majestic mountains. Since we had a rental car we opted to drive to Engelberg rather than taking the train.

After purchasing our tickets at the base of the mountain, we rode in the 8 seat TITLIS Xpress cable car up the first 2 levels of Mt. Titlis. We then transitioned to a much larger rotating cable car, which provided one-of-a-kind 360 degree views as you slowly revolve and ascend to the highest peak.

Once at the top and after adjusting to the change in altitude, we explored the Glacier Cave and enjoyed lunch and a glass of hot Gluhwein at the full service restaurant. We made more sweet purchases in the chocolate shop, carefully crossed the windy cliff bridge, and marveled at God’s handiwork, while taking tons of mountain photos.

Enjoy a glimpse of Mt. Titlis in all its snow-capped glory in these video clips.

Nightwatchman Walk

After our trip high up in the Swiss Alps, it was time to learn more about the history of Lucerne, back on solid ground.

While we enjoy exploring new cities on our own, we also like learning from locals with short walking tours. One of the highlights of our trip to Lucerne was our time spent with Ralf on the Nightwatchman Walk. This was the perfect way to learn the history of this beautiful town and spend time strolling through its quaint streets after dark.

The Nightwatchman Walk was chock full of insightful information shared in an entertaining and engaging way, ideal for tourists of all ages.

To do it justice I wrote a whole post about our walk with the Nightwatchman so be sure to read that as well!

I’d like to express a HUGE thank you to Ralf for hosting our crew on his Nightwatchman Walk! As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Now are you ready for your own Swiss adventure?!

We absolutely fell in love with Lucerne, so there is a good chance that a return trip to Switzerland is in our future.

Enjoy even more photos of our time in Lovely Lucerne with this slide show…then go ahead and add Switzerland to your travel bucket list!

Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya

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