Question 1

Which are the best things to do in Lucerne?

Accepted Answer

1. Do the Goldene Rundfahrt TourMount Pilatus is a major peak situated to the south of Lucerne and stands at a staggering height of 2,128 metres above sea level! If you are in Lucerne for the summers, you must definitely do the Goldene Rundfahrt or the Golden Tour. For the tour, you start on a paddle steamer from Lucerne and then take the world’s steepest cogwheel railway to the mountain. The summit is then accessed by the ‘Dragon Ride’ aerial cableway and once you have enjoyed your days amidst mesmerizing views, you can come down on a gondola cableway. Location: Mount PilatusPrice: Starting from 103 CHF or 7,500Timings: May to October (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM)2. Visit the Swiss Museum of TransportThe Swiss Museum of Transport has made its place in the top things to do in Lucerne as it is not just a display of Switzerland’s best transportation but is much more than that! The museum is home to Switzerland’s first IMAX theatre, a planetarium, a 1:20,0000 scale photo of Switzerland taken from space and Swiss Chocolate Adventures. On the transport front, you can expect to encounter one of the country’s earliest trains, cars and aircraft at the museum. Location: Lidostrasse 5, 6006 Luzern, SwitzerlandPrice: 26 CHF or Rs. 1,900Timings: Daily; 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM3. Walk on the Chapel BridgeThe Chapel Bridge is not only the oldest monument of Lucerne but also the world’s oldest surviving truss bridge! The bridge stands on the Reuss river and connects the edges by running diagonally for 200 metres. The covered wooden bridge dates back to the 14th century and has several portraits on its roof that date back to the 17th century. There are only about 30 paintings that remain after the bridge caught fire in 1993, leading to heavy destruction. Walking on the bridge is one of the most popular things to do in Lucerne and you can visit a souvenir shop in the basement to buy memorabilia!Location: Kapellbrücke, 6002 Luzern, SwitzerlandPrice: Free4. Visit the Glacier GardenIf you are looking for things off the beaten track, then visiting the Glacier Garden is definitely amongst the top 10 things to do in Lucerne. Glacier Gardens have been made at a natural site which was discovered back in 1872. The highlights of the place include a group of potholes that were created during the last ice age, some 20,000 years ago. What makes the place even more interesting are the fossils of shellfish and palm fronds found in the area which date back some 20 million years. This place is believed to be the shore of a subtropical sea that existed millions of years ago. When here, you can also climb the observation tower to enjoy uninterrupted views of Lucerne and the surrounding peaks.Location: Denkmalstrasse 4, 6006 Luzern, SwitzerlandPrice: 15 CHF or Rs. 1,100 Timings: Daily; 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM5. Dine on Lucerne LakeLucerne Lake is the fourth largest lake in the country and stretches on for miles! You can choose to ride a boat, ferry or steamer and enjoy your day cruising. Depending on the cruise you go for, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset on the waters along with dinner or choose to have breakfast or lunch as you sail. Location: Lake Lucerne6. Walk around the Old TownThe Old Town of Lucerne is a vibrant place where you will find something to do at practically any time in the day! The town is situated between the river and the city walls that stand intact to this day! You can spend your day walking past gorgeous buildings, visiting historic monuments and walking on scores of old bridges! You can always take a break from site-seeing by spending your time sipping on excellent Swiss coffee, relishing exquisite fondues or enjoying sit-down meals! The place is packed with some of the city’s best cafes and restaurants. Location: Old Town, LucerneClick Here to Book: Walking Tour to Chapel Bridge & Old Town in Lucerne7. Get Clicked against the Lion MonumentThe Lion Monument is a fascinating site and a visit to the monument is a must thing-to-do in Lucerne. The monument shows a wounded lion that has been carved entirely out of a stone that forms the side of a cliff. The lion commemorates all the Swiss soldiers that were wounded or martyred during the French Revolution. Beneath the lion, you can see the names of all the soldiers that participated in the war. The list includes names of the 760 killed and 350 wounded soldiers. Location: Denkmalstrasse 4, 6002 Luzern, SwitzerlandPrice: FreeTimings: Open all-day8. Spend time at Bourbaki-PanoramaThe list of things to do in Lucerne is incomplete without the mention of the Bourbaki museum of art. At this museum, you can learn more about the history of the German-French war of 1870 through one of the oldest mediums found in human history, panorama. The museum is home to 112 metres by 10 metres large painting which depicts the different aspects of the war. You can spend time admiring the art form and educating yourself more about the history of the place. Location: Löwenpl. 11, 6004 Luzern, SwitzerlandPrice: 12 CHF or Rs. 877Timings: Daily, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM9. Attend a Concert at KKLIf you want to check out the local music and art scene when in Lucerne, there is no better place to go, than KKL. KKL or the Lucerne Culture and Congress Center is a large hall which has the city's concert hall, convention centre, art museum and a handful of restaurants. The place is almost always hosting a gig or a concert and is filled with a youthful crowd. So, if you happen to be here during a performance, try not to miss it! Apart from the vibrant music scene, KKL also impresses with its contemporary architecture; therefore, if you are an architecture enthusiast, you must visit the place at least once!Location: Europaplatz 1, 6005 Luzern, SwitzerlandPrice: Depends on the concertTimings: Depends on the concert

Question 2

What are the things to do in Lucerne at Night?

Accepted Answer

1. Visit the Grand CasinoVisiting the Grand Casino is one of the top things to do in Lucerne at night if you want to get a taste of the city's vibrant nightlife! The casino is grand in every sense of the word. Not only is it situated on Europe's largest lakefront, offering some spectacular views of the waters, but it also excels in gastronomy and gourmet delights. You can spend a fun evening at the casino, trying your luck and simply have a great time at one of the city's prime locations.2. Go Pub Hopping at RoadhouseWhen in Europe, you must, at least once, pay a visit to a pub as there is nothing that compares to the experience of downing a drink at an authentic European pub! For this purpose, and for many more, Roadhouse in Lucerne has been dubbed as 'the place to be’ by many! The pub is open throughout the week and you every night has its own theme. When here, you can enjoy scrumptious pub food, dance to your heart's content and meet locals over a pint!3. Enjoy a meal with a view at PenthouseThe Penthouse is a rooftop bar in Lucerne that not only promises excellent booze but also some amazing views of the city. You can marvel at the beauty of the city wall or point out different monuments scattered around the city as you listen to the background music and chat away the entire day’s tiredness. If you truly want to party, then you can visit the place during the weekends and dance to your heart’s content, for free!4. Attend a Concert in CasineumIf you are in the city during the weekend, this is probably one of the best things to do in Lucerne at night. Every weekend, the Casineum hosts a range of events, from carnivals, DJ parties, fashion shows, you name it! When here, you can spend your time dancing, eating, socialising and having a great time in general!

Question 3

Which are the best places to enjoy shopping in Lucerne?

Accepted Answer

1. PilatusstrasseThis is a popular shopping place in the newer part of the town. At Pilatusstrasse, you can shop at the high-end departmental store, Globus, visit the Casagrande Gift Shop with multiple floors filled with souvenirs or shop for accessories at Bucherer. The place is filled to the brim with cafes, grocery stores, jewellery stores and fashion boutiques where you can easily spend an entire day shopping to your heart’s content.2. Old TownIf you want to move away from the shopping malls and enjoy a quintessentially European shopping experience, then you can cross the bridge and head over to the old town. This place has smaller shops that line the street which extends from the Hotel Schweizerhof to the Schwanenplatz. Here, you will find antique shops, shoe stores and clothing boutiques.3. RathausquaiThere are several farmers markets that crop up around the town, during the weekend. The one at Rathausquai is quite popular and frequented by both the locals and the tourists. Here, you can buy everything from fresh produce of fruits and vegetables to flowers, meat, cheese, fresh pasta and sauces.4. WeinmarktWeinmarkt hosts a handicrafts market on every first Saturday of the month, every year, from April to December. If you are in Lucerne around the time, do make sure to visit the place for some exquisite souvenirs and knick-knacks sold at the market.5. Hirschenplatz’ Christmas MarketThis market crops up on the lower ground floor of the Hirschenplatz train station, only in the month of December. If you happen to be here around the time, check out the market for its vibrant displays, several pop-up shops and kiosks selling everything from jewellery, clothes, footwear to confectionary goods!6. Burgerstrasse Flea MarketIf you love bringing home flea market finds, then you must visit the flea market at Burgerstrasse. This is a monthly market which is set up on the first Wednesday of every month, from March to December. When at the market, you can shop for everything from clothes, toys, ornaments, spices and sweets.

Question 4

Which are the must-visit museums in Lucerne?

Accepted Answer

1. Glacier GardenThis garden can be best described as the ‘garden of frozen time’ as it has been created around elements that date back to the last ice age! The garden has natural potholes that were created due to the alternating periods of hot and cold in the Earth’s history. When here, you can also spot fossilized palm fronds in the potholes which offer invaluable information about the planet’s history.2. Bourbaki PanoramaThe Bourbaki museum holds an impressive collection of panorama paintings, the largest reaching 112 metres in width! The entire collection of the museum is themed around the time when 87,000 french soldiers fled to Switzerland in the year 1871.3. Kunstmuseum LuzernThis is an art museum which is located on the top floor of the Culture and Convention Center Lucerne. The impressive building of the museum was designed by the Parisian architect Jean Nouvel and puts on display rotating exhibits that deal with works of modern art. You can expect to see international pieces of art belonging to the 19th and 20th century.4. Richard Wagner MuseumWhat was once the country manor of the celebrated composer Richard Wagner, has been converted into a museum about the personal and public history of the celebrity. You can choose to take a guided tour around the well-preserved house and learn more about the inspirations and family life of Wagner.5. Transport MuseumThe transport museum in Lucerne has a host of interesting aspects to it, from different modes of transport to forms of communication. The displays include locomotives from Switzerland’s first railway company, the most powerful electric engine from the 1930s, several automobiles and aircraft and a satellite too! The many fun displays which also include a chocolate-themed adventure, a planetarium and a large-format cinema amongst others make it Switzerland's most popular museum.

Question 5

Which are the best Adventure Activities to do in Lucerne?

Accepted Answer

1. Paragliding over Lake LucerneYou can choose to paraglide over the beautiful, shimmering waters of Lake Lucerne. You can choose to go for shorter flights that last for around 15-20 minutes or if you are feeling adventurous, you can take the longer flights that can go up to 3 hours in length! If you are in Central Switzerland, tandem paragliding is one of the best things to do in Lucerne, as you can enjoy views of the Swiss Alps and of the mammoth lake!2. Hiking Mt. RigiThe Lake Lucerne region is dotted with several trails which offer panoramic views of the mountains, water and the sky! The loop that starts from Rigi Kaltbad and goes through Kaenzeli to Rigi Kulm and Chaeserenholz before coming back to Rigi Kloesterli is one such route. The trail runs through high peaks with 360-degree views, old dairy farms and centuries-old chapels that have sat nestled in the picturesque hills for a very long time!3. Skydive over LucerneWhen in Lucerne, you can fly to the height of 4,000 metres above Lake Lucerne and then take a dive right towards the Earth! You can do this through tandem skydiving where you are strapped to a flying expert that takes care of your safety and offers instructions as you take in the sensation of free-falling and then flying! The views from the top are truly spectacular as you get to watch the Alps and the lake from a bird's-eye view!4. CanyoningCanyoning is a relatively new adventure sport in which you get to make your way through gorges and canyons with special gear strapped to your body. A typical canyoning trail can include anything and everything from cliff-jumping, rappelling, rock climbing, swimming and sliding through waterfalls. When in Lucerne, you can go on the canyoning tour through the gorges found along the Kleine Schlieren near Alpnach or the incredibly deep Grosse Melchaa gorge.

Question 6

How can I reach Lucerne?

Accepted Answer

1. FlightsIf you are planning to fly into Lucerne from an international destination, you can fly to Zurich. The Zurich airport is at a distance of around 55 kilometres from Lucerne and takes around an hour to travel by road. On the other hand, if you are flying from a domestic location, you can also fly to Berne Airport. The Berne Airport lies at a distance of 123 kilometres from Lucerne and takes around one and a half hours to travel the distance.2. TrainsLucerne is very well-connected to the Swiss Railway Network. You can reach Lucerne from Zurich via the express train in less than 50 minutes! If you are travelling from Bern, the train journey takes around an hour and a half. Interlaken and Lucerne also have excellent interconnectivity with hourly trains running between the two cities.3. RoadSwiss roads are a delight to drive upon. If you are travelling from Zurich, you can take the N14 highway and if you are coming from Bern, then you will be taking route number 10.

Things to do in Lucerne

Lucerne Activity Packages

Swiss Continuous Pass

Swiss Museum of Transport Entrance Tickets, Lucerne

Mount Titlis Tour From Lucerne

Half-Day Mount Titlis Tour From Lucerne

Panorama Yacht Saphir Lucerne

Day Trip to Jungfraujoch From Lucerne

Trip to Interlaken and Grindelwald

Mt Pilatus Day Trip From Lucerne With Cogwheel Railway Ticket

Lucerne Orientation Tour

Mount Titlis Cable Car Tickets

Lucerne Packages