Outdoors · Lucerne · Switzerland
5 best outdoor things to do in Lucerne
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Simon Koopmann, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Start with Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip, Lake Lucerne boat trip and Glacier Garden. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 11–19 hours across 5 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 11–19 hours
- Areas
- Pilatus, Lake Lucerne and Löwenplatz
Outdoors in Lucerne
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Nature · Pilatus
1.Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip
The cogwheel railway runs only in the warmer half of the year; in winter, go up and down by cableway from Kriens.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Experience · Lake Lucerne
2.Lake Lucerne boat trip
Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card holders travel free or at a discount on scheduled boats; check before buying a separate cruise ticket.
- Time needed
- 1–5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
Museum · Löwenplatz
3.Glacier Garden
Climb the garden's lookout tower for a view over the rooftops towards the lake.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- History
Waterfront · Tribschen
4.Ufschötti and lake swimming
Lake water is usually warm enough for swimming from about late June to early September.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
Museum · Old Town
5.Natur-Museum Luzern
Pair it with the neighbouring Historical Museum if older children want more.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Pilatus | Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip | Full day |
| Lake Lucerne | Lake Lucerne boat trip | 1–5 hours |
| Löwenplatz | Glacier Garden | 1–1.5 hours |
| Tribschen | Ufschötti and lake swimming | 2–3 hours |
| Old Town | Natur-Museum Luzern | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 1 free, 1 low cost, 2 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip. The longest visit is Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip: Reserve cogwheel seats in summer, when midday departures from Alpnachstad fill up.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Pilatus): Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Lake Lucerne and Löwenplatz): Lake Lucerne boat trip → Glacier Garden, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Tribschen and Old Town): Ufschötti and lake swimming → Natur-Museum Luzern, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- September: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 10 rainy days, busy crowds. Often settled and clear, with good mountain visibility and concerts continuing at the KKL.
- July: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 12 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak season, with full boats and mountain trains; swim at the Ufschötti or the Lido and go up the mountains early.
- August: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 12 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warm and busy; fireworks on the lake for Swiss National Day and the start of the summer music festival.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Tribschen — Lakeside parks, Wagner's villa and swimming lawns south-east of the KKL
More of Lucerne
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Lucerne?
Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip. The classic loop takes a boat from Lucerne to Alpnachstad, the cogwheel railway (with gradients of up to 48%) up to Pilatus Kulm at about 2,100 metres, then aerial cableways and gondolas down to Kriens and a city bus back.
+Which of these are free in Lucerne?
Ufschötti and lake swimming.