Top sights and excursions

The covered wooden bridge across the Reuss is the city’s landmark. Painted panels under its roof tell the story of Lucerne, and the octagonal Water Tower rises from the middle.

Painted facades, small squares such as the Weinmarkt and, above it all, the Musegg Wall with its towers. From the battlements you look across the rooftops to the lake.

A dying lion carved into the rock commemorates the Swiss Guards who lost their lives in Paris in 1792. The Glacier Garden is right next door.

Switzerland’s first large Baroque church stands on the left bank of the Reuss, a few steps from the Chapel Bridge.

Watches, Swiss chocolate, fashion and souvenirs are close together in the car-free Old Town. On rainy days the Mall of Switzerland is about 15 minutes away by car.

The Lake Lucerne Navigation Company runs modern motor vessels as well as historic paddle steamers. If you only have half a day, this is how you see the most of the lake.

Brunch, lunch or dinner on the lake: SGV combines the cruise with a meal on board.

Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus can both be reached by boat. Out on the lake, back by train or bus: you will find the most popular round trips in the next section.

On the Golden Round Trip you take the boat to Alpnachstad and the world’s steepest cogwheel railway up to Pilatus Kulm in about 30 minutes. You come down by aerial cableway and gondola to Kriens and return to town by bus.

The cogwheel railway from Vitznau is Europe’s first mountain railway. On the way back, ride down to Rigi Kaltbad, take the cable car to Weggis and the boat back to Lucerne.

From Engelberg the cable cars take you above 3,000 metres, the final stretch in the revolving Rotair. There is snow at the top all year round.

A funicular from 1893 takes you to the middle station, then the CabriO cable car, where you ride in the open air on the upper deck. At the top, the panorama restaurant slowly revolves.

Jean Nouvel’s culture and convention centre stands right on the lake. Under its wide cantilevered roof you find the concert hall and the Kunstmuseum Luzern.

The art museum is housed in KKL Luzern and shows changing exhibitions. From its roof terrace you look across the lake to Mount Pilatus.

In the former Swiss National Bank building on Pilatusstrasse, the collection shows works by Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso from the estate of the Rosengart family of art dealers.

Richard Wagner lived for several years in the Tribschen country house by the lake. He was also a guest at our hotel, and one of our rooms tells his story.

A circular painting more than 110 metres long shows how the French Bourbaki army found refuge in Switzerland in the winter of 1871.

Large Alpine panoramas painted about a hundred years ago, plus reliefs and models of mountain railways: the Alpineum near the Lion Monument shows how the mountains captivated the first tourists. Open April to October.

The Lucerne Theatre offers a programme of theatre, opera and ballet. Enjoy first-class performances in an inspiring atmosphere.

Locomotives, aircraft, ships and a planetarium on one site by the lake. At the Swiss Chocolate Adventure you discover how chocolate is made. With the Visitor Card the bus ride there is free.

Glacial potholes from the last Ice Age, a museum of the earth’s history and a mirror maze under one roof, right next to the Lion Monument.

Pinball machines, arcade games and consoles from several decades, all free to try. There is also a board game café with more than 900 games and escape rooms on Hirschengraben. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you would rather stay in, book a massage with our team or warm up in the sauna.