Lucerne Central
3
Day Itinerary •
Switzerland
Three days in Lucerne and Central Switzerland take you to the most beautiful lakeside city in Europe, from the extraordinary medieval Chapel Bridge and the lion-carved cliff of the Dying Lion Monument to the summit of Mount Pilatus at 2,132 metres, one of the most legendary mountains in Switzerland, and the extraordinary lake-studded landscape of the four-canton lake stretching south towards the Alps. This route covers the essential Central Switzerland. The 14th-century Chapel Bridge with its extraordinary painted panels, the golden panorama from the summit of Pilatus, the extraordinary Queen of the Mountains railway on Rigi with its sunrise views over six lakes, and the extraordinary medieval old town of Lucerne with its remarkable collection of 19th-century grand hotels on the lakefront.
Best Time To Visit
April to October
Getting There
Fly into Zurich, train to Lucerne 50 minutes
Getting Around
Swiss Travel Pass covers all boats, trains and most mountain railways
Budget Per Day
Approx 130 to 220 CHF per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and mountain railways
DAY 1
LUCERNE OLD TOWN
MORNING
LUCERNE OLD TOWN AND THE CHAPEL BRIDGE
The Chapel Bridge is the most extraordinary wooden covered bridge in Europe, built in 1333 across the Reuss river and decorated with 17th-century painted panels depicting the history of Lucerne and the lives of its patron saints. The octagonal Water Tower beside it dates from around 1300 and is one of the oldest buildings in Switzerland. The old town behind the bridge contains the finest collection of painted medieval facades in the country, particularly on the Hirschenplatz and Kornmarkt. Travel: 15 min walk to Lion Monument
MIDDAY
THE LION MONUMENT AND THE GLACIER GARDEN
The Dying Lion of Lucerne, carved directly into a sandstone cliff in 1820 to commemorate the Swiss Guards massacred defending the Tuileries Palace in Paris in 1792, is the most moving outdoor sculpture in Switzerland. Mark Twain called it the saddest and most touching piece of stone in the world. The Glacier Garden beside it contains potholes carved by glacial meltwater 20,000 years ago and an extraordinary mirror maze. Entry to Glacier Garden approx 14 CHF. Travel: 30 min boat across the lake
AFTERNOON
LAKE LUCERNE BY PADDLE STEAMER
The Lake Lucerne paddle steamers are the finest historic boats in Switzerland, dating from the Belle Epoque era and still running on the extraordinary four-canton lake with its extraordinary mountain backdrop. The afternoon boat from Lucerne to Vitznau or Weggis gives extraordinary views of Mount Rigi rising directly from the lake and the Burgenstock cliff on the far shore. The lake crossing is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Museggmauer, Lucerne's medieval city wall with nine towers, is the best-preserved medieval fortification in Switzerland and almost entirely unknown to visitors. Three of the towers are open to climb free of charge from April to November, giving extraordinary views over the old town roofline and Lake Lucerne. The Zytturm tower contains the oldest clock in Lucerne, installed in 1385.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe des Arts, Lucerne Coffee on the Reuss riverside below the Chapel Bridge before the crowds arrive. | Lunch: Restaurant Wirtshaus Galliker The finest traditional Lucerne restaurant. Local Kutteln and Lucerne bread soup since 1856. | Dinner: Old Swiss House, Lucerne Classic Swiss restaurant with extraordinary decor. Fondue and local Riesling-Sylvaner wine.
DAY 2
MOUNT PILATUS
MORNING
MOUNT PILATUS BY COGWHEEL RAILWAY
Mount Pilatus at 2,132 metres rises directly above Lucerne and is the most legendary mountain in Central Switzerland, named either for Pontius Pilate whose body was said to be thrown in a lake on the summit or for the Latin pileatus meaning cloud-capped. The Pilatus Railway from Alpnachstad is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world at a gradient of 48 percent, climbing through extraordinary rock faces and overhanging cliffs to the summit. The panorama from the top takes in 73 Alpine peaks. Travel: 30 min cable car and gondola descent
MIDDAY
THE PILATUS SUMMIT TRAILS
The summit of Pilatus has two peaks, Esel at 2,118 metres and Tomlishorn at 2,132 metres, connected by an extraordinary ridge trail with sheer drops on both sides and extraordinary views over Lake Lucerne directly below. The Pilatus-Bahnen company operates the extraordinary Dragon Ride gondola descent to Kriens, from where a bus returns to Lucerne. The combined ascent by cogwheel and descent by cable car is the classic Pilatus Golden Round Trip. Travel: 45 min bus back to Lucerne
AFTERNOON
LUCERNE LAKEFRONT AND THE KKL
The Lucerne lakefront is the finest in Switzerland, its extraordinary string of Belle Epoque grand hotels facing south across the lake to the Alps. The KKL Lucerne concert hall by Jean Nouvel, completed in 2000, is the finest piece of contemporary architecture in Switzerland, its extraordinary cantilevered roof extending over the lake edge. The Schweizerhofquai promenade gives the finest evening walk in Lucerne with the Pilatus and Rigi both visible from the waterfront.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Felsenweg cliff path on the Bürgenstock above Lake Lucerne is the most extraordinary cliff walk in Central Switzerland, a path blasted into the vertical rock face above the lake at 800 metres with extraordinary views directly down to the water. Reached by boat from Lucerne to Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock, then a funicular. The walk takes 45 minutes and is free once you have the funicular ticket.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bäckerei Heini, Lucerne Outstanding Swiss bakery. Coffee and Luzerner Lebkuchen before the Pilatus boat. | Lunch: Pilatus Kulm Restaurant Restaurant at the summit of Pilatus at 2,132m. Extraordinary views and local rosti. | Dinner: Restaurant Schiff, Lucerne Outstanding lakefront restaurant. Local perch fillets from Lake Lucerne and Fendant wine.
DAY 3
RIGI AND LAKE LUCERNE
MORNING
RIGI, THE QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAINS
Mount Rigi at 1,797 metres above Weggis and Vitznau is the most famous viewpoint in Switzerland, its extraordinary isolated position giving a panorama over six lakes simultaneously. The Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn, opened in 1871, was the first mountain railway in Europe. The sunrise from Rigi Kulm is the most famous in Switzerland, with the entire Alpine chain from the Säntis to Mont Blanc visible in extraordinary clarity. The Rigi railway is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. Travel: 1 hour railway and boat back to Lucerne
MIDDAY
LAKE LUCERNE BOAT TO TELLSPLATTE
The boat from Lucerne to Flüelen at the southern end of the lake passes the extraordinary Tellsplatte, the rock ledge where William Tell is said to have leaped from the boat of the tyrant Gessler to freedom in 1307. The Tell's Chapel on the rock is the most extraordinary small chapel on the lake, frescoed with scenes from the Tell legend. The boat journey through the Urnersee gorge at the southern end of the lake is the most dramatic section of the entire route. Travel: 2 hour boat back to Lucerne
AFTERNOON
LUCERNE, THE PICASSO MUSEUM AND DEPARTURE
The Rosengart Collection in Lucerne is the finest small art museum in Switzerland, containing an extraordinary collection of Picasso works assembled by Siegfried Rosengart, who was a personal friend of the artist. 200 works by Picasso and an extraordinary collection of photographs by David Douglas Duncan documenting Picasso's daily life. Entry approx 18 CHF. The museum is in an extraordinary Belle Epoque building on the Pilatusstrasse.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The village of Weggis on Lake Lucerne is the most extraordinary undiscovered lakeside village in Central Switzerland, its extraordinary microclimate allowing palm trees and fig trees to grow on the lake shore at 440 metres. The Belle Epoque villas along the lake promenade are extraordinary and entirely unvisited. Weggis is the starting point for the finest cable car ascent to Rigi Kaltbad.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel Rigi Kulm or cafe in Vitznau Coffee at the mountain summit or at the lake before the first Rigi train. | Lunch: Restaurant Rigi Kulm Outstanding mountain restaurant at 1,797m with the six-lake panorama. Local food and Swiss wine. | Dinner: Restaurant Fritschi, Lucerne Classic Lucerne cuisine on the final evening. Local pike and the finest Swiss white wine.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Lucerne, All Nights Hotel des Balances or Palace Hotel on the lakefront. Extraordinary views. Approx 150 to 400 CHF. Budget Option Hotel Ibis or Backpackers Lucerne. Excellent value, close to station. Approx 80 to 130 CHF per night.
Top Tips
1. Walk the Chapel Bridge at 7am before the tour groups arrive. The painted panels inside are extraordinary in early light.
2. Take the Pilatus cogwheel railway up and the cable car down for two completely different experiences of the mountain.
3. The Rigi sunrise train departs before 6am. Stay on Rigi the night before at Hotel Rigi Kulm for the finest sunrise in Switzerland.
4. The Lake Lucerne boat to Flüelen at the southern end is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass and takes 3.5 hours each way.
5. The KKL Lucerne concert hall by Jean Nouvel on the lakefront has free open days and an extraordinary lake-facing terrace.
6. Lucerne's old town is almost entirely free. The painted facades on the Hirschenplatz are the finest in Switzerland.
Total Budget
130 to 220 CHF/day