Lucerne

Likes & Dislikes

Likes

Lucerne - facade - Krista photo

1. Walking around the medieval Old Town, with its cobblestone streets, is literally like being in a fairy tale, especially with the mountains in the background

2. Magnificent panorama from several spots along the old rampart walls

3. Château Gütsch, an incredible hotel

4. Sammlung Rosengart (a museum) with the paintings of my favorite, Paul Klee

5. The lake is lovely, the colors of the water are striking at sunset, the atmosphere on the promenade is charming

Krista photo

6. Verkehrshaus is a surprisingly good interactive museum

7. The display of exquisite cheeses at Chäs Barmettler

8. An evening stroll on the iconic Kapellbrücke

9. These magnificent squares: Kornmarkt, Weinmarkt and Hirschenplatz

10. The best view on the Kapellbrücke and the riverside from the first floor of Starbucks

Krista photo

Dislikes

1. Sorry if I’m being rude: the hordes of tourists moving around in groups are really irritating (I just like individual tourists better)

2. I wasn’t really impressed with the Jesuit Church (not surprising as I am not a big fan of the baroque style)

3. The buildings at the beginning of the pedestrian street in the Old Town are pretty modern (built in the 50s or 60s?) and not really nice

4. Parking is a big challenge

5. Beyond the Old Town, Lucerne is not very attractive

Opinions

Lucerne - Kapellbrücke - Krista photo

Lucerne - inside Kapellbrücke - Krista

“Positives:
The city is surrounded by an unbelievably unique, picturesque landscape
I hardly knew where the time went as I strolled through the city – there was a new surprise around every corner
Lovely smells
You can hear birdsong in the city, which is such a wonderful experience
I loved the covered bridge, or Kapellbrücke, and that it can only be crossed by pedestrians

Negatives:
Though there were a couple of murals on the walls of the pedestrian streets, I found many of the streets to modern and monotone. Only the old-town area around the bridge is really beautiful.
A lot of tourists in a small area
(2017)
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The city is on the shores of a lake, surrounded by high mountains, rich in reminders of its historic past, and with countless outdoor activities in the surrounding nature. In winter you can ski, in summer you can boat and fish, and there are many museums to choose from, as well as shops selling outrageously expensive watches and jewelry. It’s the beauty of Switzerland, encapsulated in a single place.

It turned out to be a great decision to climb up to the top of the three towers which are open to tourists; walking the old castle walls is an excellent way to understand Lucerne. One side of the old city was protected by the lake and mountains, another side was ‘just’ protected by precipitous mountains, and the third side was guarded by the walls.

Looking away from the cit, we were amazed to see that just a few meters from the heart of the old town, there was a field in which cattle were grazing. This is totally normal in Switzerland. (2017)

Practicals

Transport

There are two central parking garages at the train station and the Hotel Palace. 2 hours parking 5 CHF. Be sure about the conditions when parking on the street.

Lucerne - traffic - Krista photo

Lucerne - excursion boat - Krista photo

Food

A three-course meal for 2 people in a mid-range restaurant: 115 USD - (62 USD in Paris)

In most restaurants, a service fee is included in the check, i.e., don’t tip.

Lucerne - spectacular breads - Krista photo

Shopping

The rule of thumb is not to shop in the shops close to the main tourist spots. In non-busy side streets, you can get the same thing for much cheaper.

Lucerne - skateboarding Swiss cow - Krista photo

Lucerne - trade-sign 2 - Krista photo

Public safety

The public safety of Lucerne is excellent. However, some pickpockets are watching for opportunities in places crowded with tourists.

Lucerne - police

Others

1. There is free Wi-Fi for up to an hour in several public areas of Lucerne.

Lucerne - facade 3 -Krista photo

Lucerne - trade-sign - Krista photo

Lucerne - facade 2 - Krista photo

Lucerne - facade 1. Krista photo

Background

Lucerne - Krista photo

Destination in brief

Lucerne is in the central part of Switzerland, in its German-speaking part. The German name of the city is: Luzern.

Population (in 2020): 86,700

Average net monthly salary (in 2020): 5600 USD

Geography

Nowadays

Lucerne - shopping street - Krista photo

Tourist etiquette

1. Don’t infuriate the native Swiss residents with littering, spitting in the street, don’t go over the road at a red light. Locals are pedantic, rule-following population, and they don’t like the mess. They often show their disapproval with explicit facial expressions.

Attractions

Lucerne - Old Town - Krista photo

Lucerne - Lion Monument - Krista photo