Rainy day · Lucerne · Switzerland
7 things to do in Lucerne when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User: (WT-shared) ED01 at wts wikivoyage, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Swiss Museum of Transport, Jesuit Church and Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche). Together the 7 picks below take roughly 8–11 hours across 6 areas; 2 are free. May is usually the wettest month, with about 13 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 8–11 hours
- Areas
- Lido, Old Town and Hof
Lucerne on a rainy day
Museum · Lido
1.Swiss Museum of Transport
Arrive by lake steamer from the station piers to turn the journey into part of the outing.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Religious site · Old Town
2.Jesuit Church
Visit outside service times and step onto the riverside terrace outside for a view back across to the old town.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- History
Religious site · Hof
3.Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche)
It is a five-minute walk from the Lion Monument, so link the two on the way back to the lake.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Architecture · Station
4.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.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
- After dark
Gallery · Neustadt
5.Rosengart Collection
Start with the Klee rooms downstairs, which are often quieter than the Picasso galleries.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Löwenplatz
6.Bourbaki Panorama
Use the audio commentary; it explains scenes in the painting you would otherwise miss.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Old Town
7.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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lido | Swiss Museum of Transport | Half a day |
| Old Town | Jesuit Church and Natur-Museum Luzern | 20 minutes + 1–1.5 hours |
| Hof | Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche) | 30 minutes |
| Station | KKL Luzern and Kunstmuseum Luzern | 1–2 hours |
| Neustadt | Rosengart Collection | 1.5 hours |
| Löwenplatz | Bourbaki Panorama | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 2 free, 1 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Swiss Museum of Transport; group the rest by area to save travel time.
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 (Lido and Old Town): Swiss Museum of Transport → Jesuit Church, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Town, Hof and Station): Natur-Museum Luzern → Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche) → KKL Luzern and Kunstmuseum Luzern, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Neustadt and Löwenplatz): Rosengart Collection → Bourbaki Panorama, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- May: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 13 rainy days, busy crowds. Green and fresh, with the Pilatus cogwheel railway usually running again and long, mild days on the lake.
- June: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 13 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm with long evenings, though afternoon thunderstorms are common; the lake becomes warm enough to swim late in the month.
- 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.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Neustadt — Grid of residential streets, local bars and everyday shops south of the station
More of Lucerne
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Lucerne?
Swiss Museum of Transport. The Verkehrshaus covers Swiss rail, road, air, water and space travel with real locomotives, planes, cable cars and simulators, plus a planetarium, a large-format cinema and the Swiss Chocolate Adventure ride.
+Which of these are free in Lucerne?
Jesuit Church and Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche).