Travels in Switzerland: Lucerne

Switzerland is a gorgeous country and, lucky for the traveler who wants to see everything, it is small enough to easily cover in a relatively short period of time.

Lucerne

Switzerland is not part of the European Union, but it is a Schengen area country. The Swiss Franc is the country’s currency. The various geographic locations and proximity to neighboring countries make the regions of landlocked Switzerland quite culturally diverse. Three major languages are spoken within the country; Zurich, Basel, Bern, Interlaken and Lucerne are German-speaking cities; Geneva and Lausanne French-speaking; and Bellinzona, Lucarno and Lugano Italian-speaking. A fourth language, Romansh, is spoken in the southeastern mountain area that includes St. Moritz.

Two busy international airports bookend the country with Geneva to the west and Zürich to the northeast. The Swiss train system is excellent, albeit expensive. For those wishing to visit a number of towns without a car, a Swiss Travel Pass can be an excellent investment. The pass covers unlimited travel by train, bus and boat; travel on premium panorama trains (seat reservation fees and/or surcharges may apply to panorama trains and some boats); unlimited use of public transportation in more than 90 towns and cities; and free admission to more than 500 museums.

Lucerne

We purchased consecutive four-day travel passes and a travel promotion gave us a fifth day for free. It was expensive, but I had added up all the transportation costs we would have incurred and found that just those tickets alone would have been more than the passes. Being able to hop on and off of trains, boats and buses at will rather than adhering to strict reservations or waiting in line to purchase tickets was a wonderfully liberating way to travel.

Switzerland is brimming with soaring mountains, alpine lakes, grassy farmlands, small villages and bustling cities. Using Lucerne as our base, we took the train for day trips all over the country and enjoyed beautiful vistas as we traveled near and far with ease.

Chapel Bridge

On our first day we flew into Zürich and caught a train to Lucerne from the airport’s train station. We stayed at the small and comfortable Renaissance Lucerne. The hotel is convenient for its close proximity to the train station, that we used daily, and the iconic Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) that spans the river to the old town.

We started by wandering across the Chapel Bridge to explore the town. Chapel Bridge is a symbol of Lucerne and is the town’s most well-known and popular tourist attraction. Named after the nearby St. Peter's Chapel, the covered wooden footbridge diagonally spans the River Reuss. Looking up, while meandering across, gives visitors an art show of paintings that date back to the 17th century. Unfortunately many of the paintings were destroyed, along with a large portion of the centuries-old bridge, in a 1993 fire. Subsequently restored, it is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe as well as the world's oldest truss bridge.

Decorative Facades

Tired from our overnight trip from the States, and in need of some lunch, the picturesque cafés lining the river beckoned to us. Chances were that we would be trading a good meal for riverfront dining if we answered their call. Dining establishments located in prime locations often offer mediocre food at high prices, but sometimes atmosphere wins out. The food wasn’t great, but the view was stunning and it was a marvelous little respite.

After strolling down the charming lanes of the old town and admiring the decorative buildings, fountains and squares, we headed toward the Lion Monument, another popular symbol of Lucerne.

Lion Monument

The Lion Monument is a memorial to the Swiss Guard who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution. Carved from a sandstone rock above a reflecting pond, the monument depicts a giant lion as he lies dying in his lair. His paw lies upon a shield; tears are running from his pain-filled eyes and the broken end of a spear is protruding from his side. Above the lion inscribed are the words "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss." If it’s not overrun with tourists, it is a moving place to take some time to reflect and ponder Europe’s long, and often violent, history and the too many souls lost to battle.

On Lake Lucerne

A park and promenade along the lake takes visitors on a lovely lakefront walk. There are a number of different kinds of boats available to those who want to get out and see more of the lake and the surrounding majestic mountains.

We checked in with the woman at the boat ticket kiosk to pick up schedules and to find out which boats were covered by our Swiss Travel Pass. We hopped on a boat that acts as a kind of floating shuttle with stops at a few points around the lake. The scenery is magnificent with layers of towering mountains serving as a backdrop to the crystal clear water of the lake.

For more pretty vistas, a hike up to the medieval city ramparts and towers rewards visitors with expansive views of the town, lake and mountains.

View of Town, Lake and Mountains from the Ramparts.

There are a number of museums in Lucerne. The Rosengart Collection was amassed by an individual, Siegfried Rosengart, and houses art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; particularly plentiful are works from Picasso and Klee. Both my husband and I enjoy transportation museums and Lucerne has a large one, the Swiss Transport Museum. Other museums include the Depot History Museum, Richard Wagner Museum, Luzern Museum of Art, and the Museum of Natural History.

It is amazing how much can be done in a relatively short period of time in this city. Most of the sites are within a compact, easily walkable area. The next day we were heading off by train to explore some of the other towns in the central part of Swizerland.