Tourist Places To Visit In Lucerne

Lucerne - located at the foot of the Alps - has a backdrop of beautiful mountains and the sparkling lake Lucern, which is why it is one of the most visited cities by tourists. While the landscapes sure make it enticing enough by itself, there are also plenty of other interesting tourist places to see in Lucerne. Whether you are here on a romantic getaway or an adventurous solo trip, a few days here will easily snowball by and will leave you wanting for more.

Chapel Bridge, also known as Kapellbrücke in Lucerne, is the iconic symbol of the city. It is the oldest covered wooden bridge in all of Europe and also the world's oldest truss bridge. The inside of the bridge was filled with a lot of paintings, many of which were destroyed in the fire of 1993. The paintings dated back to the 17th century. The original bridge was built in the 14th century and was rebuilt in 1994 after the fire. Only 30 out of the original 158 paintings were restored. A water-tower is also attached to the bridge, but it is closed to the public.

The Church of St. Leodegar was built upon the ruins of a Roman basilica in the 17th century. It is the parish church of Lucerne and its history is long and impressive starting from 735 when the Southern Alemanni noblemen started a monastery right here. It is rich in beautiful art and architecture and a must-visit. Don't forget to look for the Organ (one of the tallest and heaviest pipes in the world at the time it was built) and also the rain machine.

Carved in the 1820s, this beautiful lion monument is a very popular tourist spot in Lucerne. It attracts around 1.4 million people every year. Bertel Thorvaldsen was the designer and it was hewn by Lukas Ahorn. The monument was a tribute to the Swiss Guards who were massacred during the French revolution in 1792. The inscription under the monument translates to "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss". Many writers have also referenced this monument in their prose including Mark Twain.

The Glacier Museum at Lucerne is a fun-filled activity and tourist attraction, especially on a bad-weather day, as it is indoors. You will learn about the Ice Ages (last one of which was 20,000 years ago) and there is a cool interactive map of Central Switzerland. There is also an exhibit of a sub-tropical landscape, which was what Switzerland looked like 20 million years ago. Don't forget to check out the Mirror Maze, which is housed in the same building. It is an enjoyable family activity with 90 mirrors and a maze that looks never-ending.

Museggmauer is the wall that surrounds Lucerne that was built to protect the town in the 14th century. The Musegg Wall has 9 towers and is part of the Chapel Bridge. The wall is quite well-preserved, and you can also climb up the towers to get a good view of the town and ponder over strategies that must have once filled the minds of kings and warriors. 4 out of the 9 towers are accessible to tourists, during the warmer months of the year.

The museum is also known as Verkehrshaus der Schweiz in Lucerne and it opened in 1959. It exhibits all types of transports from Trains, Automobiles, Ships and Planes. It features a big collection of work done by a local artist - Hans Emi and is one of the most popular museums in Switzerland. Here you can also find a photograph of 1:20,000 scale, of the aerial view of Switzerland. There is also a planetarium and a cinema in the complex.

Lake Lucerne is one of the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland. You can enjoy some very scenic cruises on the lake which can take up 30 minutes to hours and hours of your day, depending on your interest. You can also just relax by the shores and enjoy a beautiful picnic lunch while soaking in the wild beauty of the mountain range surrounding the lake. You can also get a spectacular view of the lake from Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus.

Mount Rigi is a splendid place to escape to, to be one with nature. Whether in summer or winter, it offers some breathtaking views of the lake down below and the snow-clad Alps. It is a popular tourist destination because it can be easily accessed by the cogwheel railway and also cable cars. It also has over 120 hiking trails, panoramic viewpoints and Mineral Baths for when you want to make your adventurous Swiss Mountain trip into a relaxing holiday.

Engleberg literally translates to the mountain of angels. It is a resort village in central Switzerland, about 35km south of Lucerne. The village was formed around a medieval monastery and the abbey here is still active. It is a village you can enjoy all year round, with activities like Snowboarding & Skiing during the winter and biking, hiking and climbing during the summer. Mount Titlis is located just to the south of Engleberg and is at a height of 3200 meters. It has some very steep skiing slopes, a glacier cave and the highest suspension bridge in Europe that you can cross across.

Mount Pilatus makes for a wonderful day trip from Lucerne. It is also easily accessible via cogwheel train or by cable car. The cogwheel train is one of the steepest in the world and offers some stunning views of the rocky terrain. On a clear day, you can see up to 73 Alpine peaks. Up top, there are many bars & restaurants to have a relaxing time. There is also something known as Dragon World and a Dragon Path which sheds light about the myths surrounding the mountain. You can also find a toboggan run close by at Fräkmüntegg.