2 days in Lucerne

Day by day

1. Day 1: Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) and Weinmarkt, Kornmarkt and the old town

   Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), Weinmarkt, Kornmarkt and the old town, Musegg Wall and towers and Spreuer Bridge, then KKL Luzern and Kunstmuseum Luzern in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)

      Triangular 17th-century paintings of Lucerne's history hang under the roof; many were lost in a fire in 1993, and the bridge was rebuilt within a year.

   2. Late morning

      Weinmarkt, Kornmarkt and the old town

      On Tuesday and Saturday mornings a produce market sets up along the Reuss quays under the arcades.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lucerne vol-au-vent

      Traditional restaurants in the old town and guildhall-style dining rooms; look for 'Pastetli' on the menu.

   4. Afternoon

      Musegg Wall and towers

      Several can be climbed for free in the warmer months, including the Zyt Tower, whose clock is the oldest in the city and traditionally strikes a minute before the others. The views reach over the rooftops to the lake and Pilatus.

   5. Late afternoon

      Spreuer Bridge

      Under its roof hangs a 17th-century Dance of Death cycle by Kaspar Meglinger, a series of painted panels in which Death visits people of every rank.

   6. Evening

      KKL Luzern and Kunstmuseum Luzern

      Even without a ticket, walk under the roof at the water's edge for a view of the old town across the bay.

2. Day 2: Lion Monument and Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip

   Lion Monument, Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip, Lake Lucerne boat trip and Swiss Museum of Transport, then Old Town riverside in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Lion Monument

      Designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and completed in 1821, it is one of the most moving monuments in Switzerland and a ten-minute walk from the old town.

   2. Late morning

      Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip

      The summit has short trails to viewpoints over Lake Lucerne and the Alps.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Alpine macaroni

      Mountain restaurants on Pilatus, Rigi and Stanserhorn, and rustic restaurants in town.

   4. Afternoon

      Lake Lucerne boat trip

      Short round trips cover the city bay, while longer routes reach Weggis, Vitznau, Brunnen and Flüelen on the Lake Uri arm, where the shoreline turns into steep fjord-like cliffs.

   5. Late afternoon

      Swiss Museum of Transport

      It sits on the lakeshore about 25 minutes' walk east of the centre, with its own boat pier and S-Bahn stop.

   6. Evening

      Old Town riverside

      Bars and terraces along the Rathausquai and Unter der Egg facing the Kapellbrücke, busiest on summer evenings.

Before you go

• Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip: Reserve cogwheel seats in summer, when midday departures from Alpnachstad fill up.

If it rains

• Swap in Jesuit Church (Old Town): Visit outside service times and step onto the riverside terrace outside for a view back across to the old town.
• Swap in Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche) (Hof): It is a five-minute walk from the Lion Monument, so link the two on the way back to the lake.
• Swap in Rosengart Collection (Neustadt): Start with the Klee rooms downstairs, which are often quieter than the Picasso galleries.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–23 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.5 hours in December to 15.9 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Walking is the easiest way to see the centre; the lakeside promenade continues to the Museum of Transport and Tribschen in about 25 minutes.

More or fewer days

• One day in Lucerne
• 3 days in Lucerne

Questions travellers ask