How to Spend a Perfect Day in Lucerne with Itinerary Map

Lucerne lake view

Luzern

Check Point
・The oldest wooden bridge in Europe

・Castle walls overlook the lake and the town

・Old town is lined with beautiful houses

City description

Lucerne is a city on the shores of Lake Lucerne. As the state capital, it is a large city. You can get a panoramic view of the city and the lake from the city walls on the hill. There are many interesting sights here and there, such as a covered bridge and a lion monument. The house where Wagner lived is also on the lakeside, and the music festival held every year from August to September is world famous, so Lucerne is also a city with a connection to music. It is also a good base for trips to nearby Mount Pilatus and other places.

Overall rating

 ★★★★★

Time required

 8 h

Budget

 65 CHF

Fatigue

 ★★★★★



Itinerary Map

Click the square mark on the top left of the map to see a list of tourist spots. If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information. You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).


Downtown

Navigation

【Start】
①Lucerne Station

★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Turn right at the main street in front of the station ⇒ Cross the bridge and walk along the lakeside ⇒ You will see the church in front of you

②Church of St. Leodegar

★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Turn right after leaving the church ⇒ turn left at the end ⇒ turn right immediately ⇒ you will see the park on your right

③Lion Monument

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Continue along the street ⇒ you will see the half-timbered museum on your right

④Glacier Garden

★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Continue along the street ⇒ Turn left immediately ⇒ Turn left at the main road ⇒ Go right at the fork ⇒ Turn right at the first intersection ⇒ When you see the castle walls and tower on your right, go in that direction

⑤Musegg Wall

★Route Time required: 20 minutes
Go down the hill along the castle walls (the slope is steep so watch your step) ⇒ when you reach the bottom turn left ⇒ go along the river ⇒ you will see a covered bridge

⑥Spreuer Bridge

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Once you cross the bridge, the museum is on your immediate left.

⑦Historical Museum Lucerne

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Walk along the river ⇒ cross the next bridge ⇒ enter the old town

⑧Old Town

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Once you reach the river, cross the second covered bridge.

⑨Chapel Bridge

★Route Time required: a few minutes
After crossing the bridge, turn right and go to the church along the river.

⑩Jesuit Church

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Leave the church and turn left ⇒ Continue along the church ⇒ You will see the next church

⑪Franciscan Church

★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Continue along the street ⇒ turn left at the second intersection ⇒ you will see the museum on your left

⑫Rosengart Collection

★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Continue along the street ⇒ Return to the station ⇒ Enter the museum next to the station

⑬Lucerne Art Museum


【Goal】
Lucerne Station


【If you have time】

★Route Time required: 20 minutes
If you walk past the museum from Lucerne Station and continue along the lake, you will see a house on the lakeside.

⑭Richard Wagner Museum



【Start】

①Lucerne Station

Bahnhof Luzern

★Route Time required: 15 minutes

Turn right at the main street in front of the station ⇒ Cross the bridge and walk along the lakeside ⇒ You will see the church in front of you


②Church of St. Leodegar

Church of St. Leodegar

Hofkirche St. Leodegar

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

Opening hour: 8 am – 7 pm

Close: No

The church is characterized by its two spires. It was built in the 17th century on the site of the 8th century St. Morris Monastery, and was built in the late Renaissance style. In the courtyard there is a cenotaph and a monument that recreates the legends of Christ. The interior has a chic atmosphere, but the golden altarpiece is gorgeous.

Church of St. Leodegar Interior


★Route Time required: 5 minutes

Turn right after leaving the church ⇒ turn left at the end ⇒ turn right immediately ⇒ you will see the park on your right


③Lion Monument

Lion Monument

Löwendenkmal

Time required: 5 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

This is a huge sculpture of a lion lying on the water’s edge. It was made in the 19th century as a memorial to Swiss mercenaries who lost their lives in foreign lands. In the past, Switzerland supported its economy by sending mercenaries to other countries, and it was Swiss mercenaries who had signed contracts with the country to fight for the fleeing kings during the French Revolution. The reason for making this dying lion was that many lives were lost as a result. The lion pierced by an arrow represents the Swiss mercenaries who lost their lives, and at its feet is placed something with the symbol of the Bourbon dynasty, and above the statue is written in Latin, “To the loyalty and courage of the Swiss people.”


★Route Time required: a few minutes

Continue along the street ⇒ you will see the half-timbered museum on your right


④Glacier Garden

Glacier Garden

Gletschergarten

Time required: 40 min

Admission fee: 22 CHF

Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm
(until 5 pm from November to March)

Close: No

This is a museum where you can learn about glaciers and geology. The city of Lucerne was once under a glacier, so just past the ticket booth you will come to the mining site, where you can see the huge hole created by the glacier. At the museum you can learn about geology and how glaciers are formed. As it is set in a mansion, you can also see some of the interior from that time. In the courtyard you can enjoy a mirror maze that was exhibited at the Swiss Exposition.

Glacier Museum Cave


★Route Time required: 15 minutes

Continue along the street ⇒ Turn left immediately ⇒ Turn left at the main road ⇒ Go right at the fork ⇒ Turn right at the first intersection ⇒ When you see the castle walls and tower on your right, go in that direction


⑤Musegg Wall

Musegg Wall

Museggmauer

Time required: 40 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

Opening hour: 8 am – 7 pm from April to October

Close: from November to March

This is a 800m long wall built to protect the city of Lucerne. There are a total of nine towers, three of which can be accessed by climbing up the wall. One of them is a clock tower, and you can see an exhibition of clocks inside. You can get a panoramic view of the city and the lake from the top of the wall, but you will need some physical strength to go up and down the towers.


★Route Time required: 20 minutes

Go down the hill along the castle walls (the slope is steep so watch your step) ⇒ when you reach the bottom turn left ⇒ go along the river ⇒ you will see a covered bridge


⑥Spreuer Bridge

Spreuer Bridge

Spreuerbrücke

Time required: 10 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

It is one of two famous covered bridges over the River Reuss. It was completed in the 15th century, but was destroyed by a flood, and only a new one was built in the 16th century. It features a triangular wooden roof, and when you cross the bridge, you can see paintings on the triangular boards. These were painted in the 17th century, and feature many skeletons and other figures, conveying that death is always nearby. There used to be as many as 67 paintings on the bridge, but only 45 remain today. There is a small chapel built in the 17th century halfway across the bridge.


★Route Time required: a few minutes

Once you cross the bridge, the museum is on your immediate left.


⑦Historical Museum Lucerne

Historisches Museum Luzern

Time required: 1 h

Admission fee: 10 CHF

Opening hour: 10 am – 5 pm

Close: Monday, 1/1, 2/8, 13, 12/24, 25

This is an ethnographic museum that uses a 16th century armory to learn about the history of the people living in Lucerne. You can see over 3,000 exhibits, including rooms that recreate life at the time and a small monument of a dying lion.


★Route Time required: a few minutes

Walk along the river ⇒ cross the next bridge ⇒ enter the old town


⑧Old Town

Old Town

Time required: 20 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

This is the old town of Lucerne. There are many houses with frescoes on pastel-colored walls, and it is also a popular shopping area. The shortest route is to go straight down the street and when you see the church, go around to the back, but if you have time, it is also recommended to wander around freely.


Try Lucerne’s specialties!

Kurgelipastete

Lucerne has a specialty dish called Kurgelipastete. It is a pastry dish filled with soup and can be eaten in restaurants in the old town.

Check out other specialties here!


★Route Time required: a few minutes

Once you reach the river, cross the second covered bridge.


⑨Chapel Bridge

Chapel Bridge

Kapellbrücke

Time required: 10 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

This is the most popular of the two covered bridges over the Reuss River and is a symbol of Lucerne. It was built in the 14th century to protect the city from attacks and is said to be the oldest wooden bridge in Europe, but it was once almost completely destroyed by fire. This bridge is decorated with paintings about the city’s history painted in the 17th century. Right next to the bridge is a tower that was once used as a prison.


★Route Time required: a few minutes

After crossing the bridge, turn right and go to the church along the river.


⑩Jesuit Church

イエズス会教会

Jesuitenkirche

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

Opening hour: 6h30 am – 6h30 pm

Close: No

This church stands along the Reuss River and has two bell towers that look like onions. It was the first Baroque church in Switzerland, completed in the 17th century, and its unusual exterior has a strong presence. The interior is also decorated with white as the base color, giving it a cute, palace-like finish. The impressive altar and ceiling paintings are also impressive, and there is a lot to see.


★Route Time required: a few minutes

Leave the church and turn left ⇒ Continue along the church ⇒ You will see the next church


⑪Franciscan Church

Franciscan Church

Franziskanerkirche

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 CHF

Opening hour: 7h30 am – 6h30 pm

Close: No

It is a Gothic church built by the Franciscans in the 13th century. The walls are decorated with flags bearing the coat of arms of the borough, the walls around the altar are decorated with fresco paintings, and the pulpit is a mix of Renaissance and Baroque styles.


★Route Time required: 10 minutes

Continue along the street ⇒ turn left at the second intersection ⇒ you will see the museum on your left


⑫Rosengart Collection

Rosengart Collection

Sammlung Rosengart

Time required: 1 h

Admission fee: 20 CHF

Opening hour:
10 am – 6 pm from April to Otcober
11 am – 5 pm from November to March

Close: No

This is a museum that displays the collection of the Rosengart family, art dealers. Works by Monet, Chagall, and others are on display, but there are especially many works by Picasso. Photography is prohibited.


★Route Time required: 5 minutes

Continue along the street ⇒ Return to the station ⇒ Enter the museum next to the station


⑬Lucerne Art Museum

Lucerne Art Museum

Kunstmuseum Luzern

Time required: 1 h 30

Admission fee: 15 CHF

Opening hour: 11 am – 6 pm
(until 7 pm on Wednesday)

Close: Monday, 12/8, 24, 25, 31

This is an art museum located in the cultural center in front of the station. It exhibits many works by Swiss artists from the 19th and 20th centuries, especially landscape paintings. It is free to enter on the first Sunday of every month.



【Goal】

Lucerne Station


【If you have time】

⑭Richard Wagner Museum

Richard Wagner Museum

Richard-Wagner-Museum Stadt

Time required: 40 min

Admission fee: 8 CHF

Opening hour: 10 am – 5 pm

Close: Monday from September to June

This museum was originally the home of composer Wagner, who came from Zurich to stay in the late 19th century after the death of his wife. During his six years living in the home, he married the daughter of fellow composer Liszt and had a child. On display are private items such as family photographs and marriage certificates, as well as the piano and sheet music he used for composing, and there is also a child’s room on the second floor.

Richard Wagner Museum

【Access】
If you walk past the museum from Lucerne Station and continue along the lake, you will see a house on the lakeside. It takes about 20 minutes to walk one way. The museum is only open for a limited time, and it is not a large museum, so I recommend going when you have plenty of time.



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