Amazing 3 Days in Lucerne Switzerland

If you are planning a trip to Switzerland and want to include Lucerne in your itinerary, you’ll want to read this post about how to spend three amazing days in Lucerne Switzerland. Unlike other areas in this beautiful country (such as Zermatt or the Jungfrau region), three full days in this city is plenty to experience the highlights.

Over the 30+ years I’ve lived in Switzerland, I’ve been to the Lucerne area probably five different times. I stayed in the city, did a boat cruise on Lake Lucerne, experienced the surrounding mountaintops, and visited different towns on the lake. I will describe here all of these activities, so you can make the most of your time in the Lucerne area.

Lucerne City

The first section of this article will focus on the activities in the center of Lucerne. The other sections will cover some places to see in the surroundings of Lucerne.

Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) & Water Tower

Probably the most well-known landmark in Lucerne is the famous wooden bridge over the Reuss River that flows from the Lake Lucerne. Chapel Bridge is a 14th-century bridge decorated with colorful flowers and painted panels. Two-thirds of the 205-meter bridge was destroyed by fire in August 1993, but the bridge was rebuilt and opened by April 1994.

The bridge is recognized globally because it’s the oldest truss bridge in the world and the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe. One of its unique features is the triangular paintings on its gables that narrate the history of the city and of Switzerland. The ideal times to visit the Chapel Bridge are during the golden hour (usually early morning and before sunset) and nighttime. You will find many opportunities for stunning photos and selfies.

Musegg Wall

The Musegg Wall is a natural stone wall with nine towers that formed part of the town’s fortifications. Today the wall allows visitors and locals to walk along many sections of the ramparts. On one of my visits to Lucerne, I walked along the wall and loved this experience.

The Musegg Wall is 870 meters long, 9 meters high, and 1.5 meters wide. This size makes it the longest city wall in Switzerland that has been preserved in one continuous section.

From the Nölliturm tower in the west of the old town, take the wall up past the Männliturm and toward the Wachturm, from where you can walk along the ramparts toward the Schirmerturm. Several of the towers can be climbed, including the Zytturm clock tower (fee charged) for a far-reaching view of the city and Mt. Pilatus.

You’ll get high enough on the wall to see lovely views as shown in my below photos. I did not find the wall walk to be difficult or dangerous.

Note that the wall is closed to the public from November until April for safety reasons due to snow and winter weather.

Old Town (Altstadt)

Strolling through the old town of Lucerne and its colorful buildings is a must. There are several open squares and plenty of outdoor restaurants in the warm months.

If you don’t have much time to wander around on your own (refer to this self-guided walking tour), consider signing up for a guided tour in Lucerne (see below).

• Lucerne: History Walking Tour w/ Chocolate & Cheese Tastings
• Lucerne: Walking and Boat Tour with Cheese & Wine Tasting

Lion Monument

In one area of the old town, you’ll find the Lion Monument, a large stone relief carving of a dying lion which was carved in 1821. Designed by Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen, the monument is a memorial to the Swiss Guards who died at the Tuileries Palace, Paris, while protecting King Louis XVI of France from revolutionaries in 1792.

The “Lion of Lucerne” is 10 meters long and 6 meters high and nestled in a rocky grotto in a charming park setting. It is not possible to get up close due to the pond in front of the statue. Mark Twain called it “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world”. 

Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche)

Jesuit Church is definitely worth a visit. Constructed in 1666 and dedicated to Francis Xavier, it is believed to be the first large and most beautiful Baroque church in Switzerland.

The church was built for two purposes: as a church for the religious secondary school and as a church for the general pastoral work of the Jesuits.

The church is open every day from 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. throughout the year. It opens at 9.30 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays after cleaning.

Lake Lucerne Boat Cruises

A boat cruise from Lucerne is highly recommended to enjoy the surrounding scenery. Lake Lucerne is the fourth largest in Switzerland, covers an area of roughly 114 square kilometers (44 square miles), reaches a maximum depth of 214 meters (702 feet), and is 39 km long. Situated at 434–443m elevation, it is distinguished by its fjord-like shape with branching arms.

Lake Lucerne boat cruises offer a diverse fleet including historic paddle steamers, classic motor vessels, and modern panoramic yachts. Cruise options include scenic sightseeing tours and culinary cruises. You will find here many different types of cruises for your pleasure. If you have one of the Swiss travel passes, your cruise may be free of charge or offered at a discount price.

Other ideas in Lucerne

Although I haven’t been to these places, here are some other suggestions for your time in Lucerne City:

• Swiss Museum of Transport
• Max Chocolatier
• Glacier Garden
• Château Gütsch

Here are more ideas and information on what to see in Lucerne.

Mount Pilatus

One of the popular attractions in the Lucerne area is a day trip to Mt. Pilatus. I’ve done the organized excursion of taking the gondola and cable car to the top, cogwheel train down, and the Lake Lucerne cruise back to town. I highly recommend this tour to facilitate your journey: Lucerne: Mt. Pilatus Cable Car, Cogwheel Train & Lake Cruise

If you have a travel pass and decide to do the route yourself, you may save 50% off the total cost.

Here is the route we took:

• Train or bus from Lucerne to Kriens, followed by a short walk to the cable car station.
• Embark on a panoramic gondola ride to Mount Pilatus. 
• Descend via the world’s steepest cogwheel railway to Alpnachstad.
• Return to Lucerne by boat, enjoying serene lake views.

We got lucky with the weather on this late July day. You wouldn’t want to do this trip if the weather was extremely cloudy or rainy as you wouldn’t benefit from the sensational views. We started off on the first cable car from Kriens for a 30-minute ride to reach the top (2128 meters / 7000 feet.)

At the Fräkmüntegg stop, you can exit to do activities including toboggan run (he longest summer toboggan run in Switzerland, shown in above picture), ropes park, Dragon Glider, Treetop Path, and restaurant (info here). You would then take the Dragon Ride cable car which takes 4 minutes and runs every 15 minutes.

When we reached the top, we discovered the large observation deck, restaurants and gift shop. We happened to see a man playing the traditional Swiss horn outside. We bought a loaded hotdog and some local beers to enjoy the great ambiance!

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience and spent a total of six hours from start to finish.

The cogwheel train took 32 minutes to reach the Alpnachstad station.

We ended our delightful tour with a 1 hour 15 minute boat ride back to Lucerne.

Note this tour usually only runs from May to October. Outside of this time, you can still visit Mt Pilatus by riding the Kriens-Pilatus cable car. Check the dates here (Link to schedule and times). If possible, it’s best to reserve your tickets in advance.

When I did Mt. Pilatus, I started with the cable cars and then the cogwheel train down before the boat ride. You can also choose to do it in the opposite direction, see below.

1. Boat: From Lucerne, ride boat to the the base on the Pilatus mountain.
2. Mountain train: At Alpnachstad, transfer to the cogwheel mountain train and ride to the top.
3. Viewpoint: At Pilatus Kulm, you’ll find a large observation deck, restaurants and gift shop.
4. Short hikes: Optionally climb stairs to the Esel and Oberhaupt viewpoints on either side of the observation deck. 
5. Longer hike: Hike to Tomlishorn viewpoint on the “Flower Trail” cliff walk, about 1 hr round trip.
6. Cable car: Ride the cable car from Pilatus Kulm down to Fräkmüntegg (4 mins). 
7. Activities: Here you’ll find the summer toboggan, ropes park, Dragon Glider, Treetop Path, and restaurant.
8. Gondola: Ride the gondola down to Kriens. Optional stop at Krienseregg station for the Piluland playground.
9. Bus: At Kriens, catch bus back to Lucerne, 20 min.

Mount Rigi

Mount Rigi is another mountain that can be visited on a day trip from Lucerne. It serves as an alternative to Mount Pilatus and offers breathtaking wellness centers, such as Rigi Kaltbad.

Here is a guided tour to experience the best of Mt. Rigi. The top station at 1798 meters altitude is called “Rigi Kulm”. The journey to Mount Rigi takes three hours round trip. Mt. Rigi is further from Lucerne than Mt. Pilatus but still worth considering as a mountain experience in this area. There are several ways to get to Mount Rigi. You can take the train from Lucerne to Arth-Goldau and use the cogwheel train from there. The Rigi Railway station is directly next to Arth-Goldau station. By boat, you can reach Weggis and Vitznau easily from Lucerne in an hour.

Although I personally haven’t done the Mt. Rigi excursion, I think Mt. Pilatus has more spectacular scenery.

Stoos Ridge Hike, Schwyz

If you like to hike, you’ll enjoy a visit to Stoos to do the amazing 3 hour ridge hike. Jaw-dropping views await you while looking down over Lake Lucerne.

You’ll reach Stoos by taking the world’s steepest funicular. Chair lifts will take you to the start point at Klingenstock (1935 meters) and the end point at Fronalpstock (1922 meters).

I’ve written a detailed article about this hike that you’ll want to check out for more information.

Lake Lucerne Spots to Discover

Vitznau

If you would like to explore more of the lake shore outside of Lucerne, I can recommend a great hotel where I stayed. Hotel FloraAlpina located in Vitznau offers fantastic views and a real paradise-like feel.

Only a 36 minute drive from Lucerne, this peaceful setting is just what you need to relax from the city life.

The hotel has a nice outdoor pool, jacuzzi, and sauna.

The outdoor restaurant is perfect for watching the sunset over the lake.

Brunnen

Brunnen is another small town situated on the eastern side of the lake, a 35-minute drive from Lucerne. We stayed one night there and enjoyed the quiet lakeside ambiance.

You’ll find a small canal in the town that has cute bars next to it. We stopped for a drink and watched the ducks swimming down the canal.

If you look up at the mountain behind this town (see below photo), you’ll see the lookout point from Fronalpstock from the Stoos Ridge hike. The town of Brunnen would be a nice place by the lake to stay overnight when planning this day hike.

Don’t forget to catch the awesome sunset from the water’s edge.

Mount Bürgenstock

One more place I’ll include in this section is a mountain top just outside of Lucerne (25 minute drive). The Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne is a five-star hotel sitting atop this mountain with fabulous views. I am planning a trip there next month and can’t wait to experience this magical place.

You can reach this hotel by car or take the boat on Lake Lucerne and the funicular up a 943 meter steep incline. The funicular (Bürgenstock Bahn) was constructed in 1888 and is Switzerland’s oldest electric funicular. It runs year-round and transports you for six minutes from the lake level (Kehrsiten) up to the Bürgenstock Resort plateau.

If Mount Pilatus boasts the steepest cogwheel train and Mount Rigi the oldest, then Mount Bürgenstock is home to the Hammetschwand Elevator—the highest exterior elevator in Europe. The highest outdoor elevator in Europe was built in 1905. It will take you from the Felsenweg cliff path (approx. 30–45 mins from the hotel) to the highest viewpoint (Hammetschwand at 1,132 meters) in a rapid, 60-second glass-cabin ride with dizzying views. Note that opening dates for the elevator and cliff walk are usually April until November and the cost is 18 Swiss francs round-trip.

The resort offers several dining venues and a world class spa and infinity pool. What a treat this visit will be!

SUMMARY

As you can see, including Lucerne in your Switzerland itinerary is worth the time to discover this beautiful area. The ideal time of year to visit is from Spring to Autumn when the lake boats run regularly and you can enjoy warm terraces by the water. Three full days should be enough to soak in the best of Lucerne.

If you are looking for a few restaurant recommendations in Lucerne, refer to the below links.

• Restaurant Balances – in a hotel by the river
• Restaurant Bündnerland Luzern – old town, traditional Swiss cuisine
• Lucide – fine dining, by lake with views

Thanks for reading my blog post about Lucerne and don’ hesitate to send me any questions you may have!

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!