Lucerne is central Switzerland at its most enchanting, wrapped around its lake with Alpine peaks on every horizon — a city best explored entirely on foot.

Highlights

  • Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke): the iconic covered wooden bridge from 1333 with its octagonal Water Tower.
  • Old Town: frescoed squares, watch shops, and chocolate along the Reuss river.
  • Lion Monument: the moving rock carving Mark Twain called the saddest stone in the world.

Mountains at the Doorstep

Lucerne is the perfect base for Pilatus (world's steepest cogwheel railway), Rigi (the classic train-and-boat round trip), and Titlis with its rotating cable car and glacier suspension bridge.

Best time: May-September for green season, December for Christmas markets. Book early for July-August.