We spent a week driving across Switzerland, from the French border to the Italian border, and back. The trip was primarily to drop our daughter and some equipment at a laboratory near Zurich, but we did plenty of sightseeing along the way, including a day in Lucerne. This picturesque city, which is twinned with my home town of Bournemouth, sits nestled on the shores of Lake Lucerne, surrounded by mountains. The River Reuss runs through the city and can be crossed via several bridges.
How to get to Lucerne
We drove to Lucerne from Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, which is just 32 miles away, before continuing our journey towards Italy. Lucerne is well connected by road, with the A14 motorway running north to Zurich and the A2 running south east as far as Italy. Parking in the city, however, is scarce and expensive. There is also an extensive rail network connecting Lucerne with other cities in Switzerland and beyond. Zurich Airport is 42 miles away. It can be reached by train in around an hour, but requires a change in Zurich.
Getting around Lucerne
Lucerne is fairly small, with a population of just 82,000. We did our sightseeing on foot. My itinerary covers a loop along either sides of the River Reuss, zigzagging across the various bridges and passing through the Old Town. The total distance covered is less than two miles.
Where to stay in Lucerne
Accommodation is Lucerne is expensive. We opted to stay further round Lake Lucerne at Beachhouse Isleten in Bauen, which is a 27 mile drive away. It’s actually not that far, but involves a long drive through a tunnel, before doubling back along the lakeside. Alternatively, Bauen can be reached by catching a train to Brunnen, followed by a ferry across the lake.
Lucerne in 1 Day Itinerary
| Day 1 | Bahnhof KLL Lake Lucerne Seebrücke Kapellbrücke Altstadt Rathaus Spreuerbrücke Jesuit Church (Accommodation – Beachhouse Isleten) |
Day 1
From Zurich, we set off in the direction of Italy, first stop Lucerne. Once we have left the cordon of heavy industry along the border, Switzerland becomes much more Swiss with factories giving way to mountains and lakes. Reaching Lucerne is easy. Finding a parking space is another matter and we end up parked some way out of town and have to walk back to central Lucerne.
Bahnhof
In the city centre, the imposing 19th Century Bahnhof (station) is exited via a Torbogen (archway), which welcomes visitors to the city.
KKL
The Kultur und Kongresszentrum Luzern, abbreviated to KKL, is a large lakeside (partly built below the lake’s surface) Culture and Congress Centre with an impressive water feature out front.
Lake Lucerne
The River Reuss runs through the city, into Lake Lucerne. The large lake has an irregular shape, with the city situated on one of four arms. The lake is lined with paths and parks, with a number of beaches and swimming areas.
Seebrücke
We walk along the river and zigzag our way through the old town, crossing the various bridges. Lucerne has several notable bridges, the first of which is Seebrücke, which runs across the mouth of the River Reuss as it enters Lake Zurich. It’s not the most picturesque bridge, but crossing it provides great views of the city on one side and the lake on the other.
Kapellbrücke
Next to the modern Seebrücke is the 14th Century Kapellbrücke. The octagonal water tower is original, however the bridge itself was rebuilt following a fire in 1993. As you cross the bridge, look up to the gables to see paintings of Swiss historical events.
Altstadt
The cobbled Altstadt (Old Town) has some beautifully decorated buildings, many painted with colourful frescoes, which depict the city’s history.
Spreuerbrücke
We cross back across the River Reuss over the 15th Century Spreuerbrücke, with its macabre Dance of Death gable paintings. The painted panels date back to the 17th Century, with 45 of the original 67 panels remaining. They tell the story of how the plague affected all levels of society.
Reussbrücke
Reussbrücke is a small pedestrian bridge, which runs in between Kapellbrücke and Spreuerbrücke. Crossing onto this rather plain bridge offers excellent views of the historic wooden bridges on either side.
Jesuit Church
The 17th Century Jesuit Church sits on the river’s edge, across from the Old Town. The two onion shaped towers were added somewhat later, in 1893.
Accommodation – Beachhouse Isleten
Our accommodation in Bauen – Beachhouse Isleten – consisted of a room over a beach side restaurant. The room was clean and comfortable and the price included breakfast downstairs. The restaurant has a lovely veranda overlooking the lake and the mountains beyond. Note: The establishment is open seasonally (from March until October).
- Trip taken: June 2019
- Updated: November 2024
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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