Switzerland is best known for the incredible mountain ranges of the Alps. We did experience a bit of it during our two days in Zürich. But a destination which we did not wish to miss was the city of Lucerne. And this picturesque city situated north of the Alps by Lake Lucerne will certainly win your heart over too. Therefore travel with us and check out how to experience the best of Lucerne in One Day.
The hotels in most destinations in Europe have a check-in time of 2 PM and so did ours too. But our plan was to spend the entire day in Lucerne. Therefore we had an early breakfast at our hotel and set out for Zürich station. The 9 AM train to Lucerne reached in 40 minutes and the beautiful city was ready to welcome us.
The beautiful Lucerne Station
Lucerne in One Day – Where to stay in Lucerne
Lucerne is a compact city and there are some great options for your stay depending on your budget. However you should choose a hotel which is close to the Chapel Bridge over the Reuss River. Therefore we decided on this nice three star hotel right in the heart of all the action and just a 2 min walk from the iconic Chapel Bridge. Moreover Boutique Hotel Weisses Kreuz was just a 4 min walk from the station. We dumped our luggage at the reception to come back and check-in later in the afternoon before moving out to enjoy the day.
Boutique Hotel Weisses Kreuz
Our spacious Double Room
And this nice in-house Italian restaurant
Lucerne in One Day – How to get around
Lucerne’s public transport network includes buses, trolleybuses and local trains. The Visitor Card Lucerne that comes for free with an overnight stay in one of the city’s hotels includes free use of buses and trains within the city (zone 10). Therefore we too received ours from our hotel. But Lucerne is such a compact city that we hardly used it except once while visiting Lucerne Lake. All city’s attractions are in around Old Town and you won’t need to even walk around much. However if you wish to purchase a day pass for zone 10, it is valid for a calendar day and costs 8.20 Sfr.
Lucerne in One Day – Things to do
Although one day is too short to experience a city, Lucerne is just right for such an itinerary. Because the city is small and centered mostly around its Old Town. Therefore we decided on a self-guided walking tour but you could also opt for a ‘2 Hour Walking Tour’ if you wish to.
Chapel Bridge
Lucerne Chapel Bridge is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe dating back to the 14th century. Although the bridge on Reuss River looks beautiful from far, the real learning is when you step on to the bridge. As you walk down the wooden planks past the window boxes, you will notice the triangular artworks from the 17th century which tell stories from Lucerne’s past.
Jesuit Church
As you cross over Chapel bridge to the other side you will notice this eye-catching landmark with onion-shaped towers. It’s the Jesuit Chuch founded in Lucerne to help keep Swiss Catholics from converting to Protestantism and built in a series of phases from the 16th to 19th centuries.
Walk along Reuss River
Spend time in Old Town
Kornmarkt-Town Hall
Historisches Museum
Click a few memories
Lunch time in Old Town
We always tend to have a light lunch to avoid lethargy after a heavy meal. And therefore we settled for a Pizza Lunch in the best Pizzeria in town. Valentino at Metzgerrainle 3, Lucerne. You of course could opt for your choice from a host of riverside restaurants.
Walk to Lion Monument
Leaving Old Town we head to the modern part of Lucerne where Lion Monument is located. This monument features a carved dying lion above a still pond. Created in 1821, this historical monument commemorates the Swiss Guards who were killed on duty during the French Revolution of 1792. It’s a touching tribute to the fallen soldiers and a sight not to be missed while in Lucerne. Have a look.
Head to Gletschergarten
Gletschergarten is a garden where you travel back in time and discover what Lucerne looked like when glaciers covered the land. The Glacier Garden contains kettle basins dating from the last Ice Age 20,000 years ago, as well as fossilized shells and palm leaves from the subtropical ocean region of 20 million years ago. Also visit the Museum which bears witness to the diverse interests of the Amrein family, the founding family of the Glacier Garden.
Visit Lake Lucerne
What’s up for Dinner
If you are keen for an Indian Dinner, you could head to ‘Indian Restaurant Luzern’ at Obergrundstrasse 73. However to reach there avail Trolleybus 1 from Schwanenplatz which is a 5 min walk from Old Town. The bus goes to Obernau, Dorf and you need to alight at Paulusplatz and then it’s just a 1 min walk to reach the restaurant. The reviews of the place is quite encouraging. However you could check out the Lucerne Restaurant Options on TripAdvisor if you wish to try out something different.
Our choice though was the only Chinese restaurant in Lucerne, Li Tai Pe at Furrengasse 14 just opposite our hotel. Moreover it’s owned by ‘Boutique Hotel Weisses Kreuz’ where we had put up and offers all resident guests a 10% discount. Check out what we feasted on.
Lucerne. The lake, the river and the charm of Old Town coupled with the scenic beauty that Switzerland is always known for. Moreover it’s a city that you would love walking the whole day and yet late in the evening you would still be fresh to start all over again. Therefore we were soon back on the streets of Lucerne experiencing this beautiful city by night.
We were very sorry we did not get to Lucerne on our visit to Switzerland. Great to know that you can use the Visitor Card for transportation. With so much to see I might need a break from walking. We would certainly try to get out on the water for a different view. On our next visit for sure.
You would love Lucerne for sure Linda. And not too much of walking around either.
The walk along the river exploring the churches and the buildings seem perfect to enjoy a day. Unfortunately, I did not get to Lucerne when I was in Switzerland. The place looks stunning and another place that needs to be added for my next visit.
Lucerne is definitively worth a visit. It’s beautiful.
This looks like the ideal day trip. Would love to see that iconic bridge that Lucerne is so famous for. I would wander all day long in Old Town and try as many restaurants as I could. The pizza you got looked delicious.
Lucerne is one of my favorite destinations in Switzerland. The ancient Chapel Bridge is literally the icon of this quiet small town. I have visited this place many years ago and Gletschergarten and the lake brought back fond memories. Would love to visit this place again! Well-captured images! 🙂
I have visited Lucerne in a day trip from Zurich years ago and have very fond memories of the wooden Chapel bridge. But I was not aware of the Gletschergarten – it looks fantastic! Maybe I go back to Lucerne on my next trip to Switzerland.
I had never heard of lucerne before but it looks beautiful! I love the lion monument and the beautiful bridge. The whole river area looks a great place to spend time. Thanks for the tips
Lucerne looks lovely! And it’s great you were able to see so much in one day! I love places where you can walk everywhere.
Luzerne is such a beautiful place to visit.The old chapels and bridges look so iconic and the interesting facts on Gletchergarden makes it worth exploring.
There are many different boat trips available at the 38 km long Lake Lucerne. Options range from one-hour round trips between Lucerne and Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock with the modern Bürgenstock catamaran, to 3-hour trips from Lucerne to Flüelen, and anything in between. Whatever you choose, a boat trip is a great way to enjoy the beautiful region at a slow pace.
When we visited Lucerne, we opted for a lazy three hour afternoon trip aboard one of the historic paddle steamers. We have fond memories of the afternoon, out on the top deck sipping champagne as we took in the incredible panoramic scenery surrounding the lake!
Thanks for the information. We missed taking a boat ride due to shortage of time. How we wish we had.
Whenever I see any Switzerland view, it would tug my heart. There’s no place here that won’t hit your heart. Whether that’s the alps, the skies, the buildings, the pavements, the chapels, I will find them captivating. Thanks for showing this Lucerne tour!