Lucerne in a Day, Then Five Alpine Escapes

Lucerne, or Luzern, is usually called the gateway to the Swiss Alps, and the label is fair. From almost any street corner in this small city you can see the snow-capped peaks of Mount Rigi or the famous Mount Pilatus, and you can be on your way from Lucerne to Mount Titlis and into the snow without much planning at all. Cobbled lanes, medieval architecture and lake views make it the picture-postcard version of Switzerland, every bit as charming in person as in the brochures. That is why the tour groups come.

But to reduce Lucerne to its beauty is to miss the point. Walk past the Kapellbrücke and the city shows you another face: cosmopolitan, quirky and, in places, a little seedy. This guest post by Alyssa Oh of The Offbeat Adventuress takes you through a day in that Luzern, then out of the city on five day trips that are worth the train fare.

A morning in the old town

Every good day starts with breakfast, and Luzerners take brunch seriously. You can begin in a hip eatery or a hole-in-the-wall café, depending on your mood. If a perfectly built eggs benedict with a view of the River Reuss appeals, go to Mill’Feuille. If you would rather take it slowly, walk to Parterre, a local favourite, and settle in for hours with a coffee, some eggs and a book.

Once you are fed, wander around the Altstadt. Parts of the car-free Old Town are older than the 14th century and much of its original character survives, minus the plague, thankfully. Coming from the main station, cross the Kapellebrücke footbridge and look up at the 17th-century paintings inside. On the other side, follow the promenade along the river until the big steps at Unter den Egg. Turn right up the steps and you are in the heart of the old town, among painted façades. Let yourself get lost in a side street or two. The centre is compact and best covered on foot; save the trams for the station and the lake shore.

An afternoon of vintage shops and wide views

Lucerne has some surprisingly good vintage shopping, so do not walk past the second-hand boutiques. Annakonda sells fun rockabilly reproductions alongside classic vintage clothing, and Unikitam will help you furnish a retro dream home.

The coolest shopping address in Luzern is not a shop at all. It is an abandoned swimming pool. Neubad hosts a regular flea market called Strandgut, packed with vintage and handmade goods, and there is a bistro when you get peckish.

With your bag full of finds, you have a choice about how to see more of the view. If you have energy and the weather is clear, walk uphill to the Museggmauer, a massive 12th-century fortification that overlooks the whole city and, by default, the Alps beyond. There is a giant clock tower, because this is Switzerland, and ramparts you can walk along for an even better view.

If it is raining, or you would rather take it slowly, visit one of Lucerne’s strangest Victorian curiosities. The Bourbaki Panorama is an enormous circular painting, 112 metres long and 10 metres tall, that commemorates the German-French War. Next door is the Bourbaki Cinema, an art-house theatre with a bistro, if you want a cultural afternoon indoors.

Where Lucerne lets its hair down

After dark is when Luzern surprises people. If you like indie rock, catch a gig at the Südpol music hall. If seedy bars, cheap drinks, local colour and dancing are more your thing, head to Madeline. The clientele is a refreshing mix of young and arty and old and random, a departure from the buttoned-up crowd you might expect on the Swiss bar scene. Dance until the small hours and you will almost certainly leave with a few new friends.

With all of that to do, you will probably want to stay longer. So which day trips are worth the early start? Lauterbrunnen and Jungfraujoch deserve an overnight stop if you can manage it; the others fit comfortably between breakfast and dinner.

Five day trips from Lucerne

Lido Badi: the Swiss beach

Only a 15-minute boat ride from the city centre, the Lido Badi is not quite a day trip, but it shows you how the Swiss unwind. Badi is the local word for a swimming spot, and this one sits on the Vierwaldstättersee, the real name of Lake Lucerne, in the shadow of Mount Pilatus. The water is cool and unbelievably blue. Try saying the lake’s name out loud; you will soon be grateful that most locals speak impeccable English. The Swiss Museum of Transport is nearby if you want to extend the visit.

Mount Rigi: the quieter peak

Everyone has heard of Pilatus, but the Rigi, as the Swiss simply call it, is just as beautiful and far less crowded. From the top you get an excellent view of Pilatus without the throngs, and there is even a day spa up there. It is the mountain I suggest to anyone who wants the view without the queue.

There are several ways up. Ask at the very helpful tourist office in Lucerne’s main station before you set off, but my favourite route is by boat and cable car. Boats leave regularly from the docks directly across the street from the station. Depending on the route, the boat takes 30 to 45 minutes one way, and the cable car about 20. The combination makes a scenic day out that is hard to forget.

Lauterbrunnen: the valley of waterfalls

If Lucerne is the gateway to the Alps, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is their living room. This is the hardcore ‘The Hills Are Alive’ scenery you pictured when you booked a trip to Switzerland. It is known as the Valley of 72 Waterfalls, and it is said to have inspired Tolkien’s Rivendell. Step off the train and you will see why.

While you are there, visit the Trummelbach and Staubbach waterfalls. You will glimpse some falls from the train, but Trummelbach Falls needs a walk or an eight-minute bus ride. Entry costs 11 CHF for adults, and inside you can see ten glacial falls and hear the water thundering over the rock in summer.

The valley is a two-hour train ride from Lucerne, so budget your time, and it is much closer to Interlaken. I would extend this beyond a day trip and stay a night or two in a cosy ski chalet.

For the James Bond version of the day, take the short bus to Stechelberg and then the cable car up to the Schilthorn via Gimmelwald, Mürren and Birg, all attractive towns in their own right. The Thrill Walk at Birg sits below the peak made famous by On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. When you buy cable-car tickets for any peak, always ask about visibility, so you can decide whether to go all the way up on a cloudy day or get off a stop earlier and enjoy the views from there.

Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch

You could happily spend a day on the flat walking trails on the valley floor, but to see the Alps at their strangest and most beautiful, take the cog railway up to Kleine Scheidegg. The first stop is Wengen, a car-free village and ski paradise with plenty of walking trails, snowshoe, ski and sledge rental, and the cosy chalet experience you have been dreaming about. Stop for a hot chocolate before continuing to Kleine Scheidegg, where the mountains unfold in a panorama that leaves you breathless. Here you can hike, ski or sledge in the shadow of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The area offers something in all four seasons, and you do not need to be a winter-sports person to have a wonderful time.

For the full snow experience, take the special train from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch, the top of Europe. This glacier peak gives you a 360-degree view of the Alps and has a range of indoor exhibits as well. Pack long underwear: it is cold up there and the wind is fierce. One important note: the train to Jungfraujoch is run by a private company and is not covered by a Swiss pass. A second-class return from Jungfraujoch to Lauterbrunnen costs 189 CHF. Some locals understandably call that a rip-off, but for those of us who did not grow up with these views, it may be worth it once in a lifetime. A day pass brings the price down.

Mount Titlis: snow and a film set

Lucerne to Mount Titlis is one of the two most popular day trips for visitors, the other being Jungfrau. Indian travellers in particular are drawn by the life-size cutouts of Shahrukh Khan and Kajol from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. To get there from Lucerne, take a 45-minute train to Engelberg and then a cable car. At the top there is a whole range of activities. If you do not want to go up to the peak, you can hike, ski, visit a monastery and see a small cheese factory around Engelberg itself.

More reading

If you have longer in Switzerland, these posts may help: five reasons to visit Luzern Fasnacht, a cheese, chocolate and alphorn day trip to Gruyère, a hike through art from Switzerland to Germany, what expat life in Switzerland is like, unique things to do in Basel, and where Swiss locals go skiing and hiking.

Alyssa Oh is an American expat, writer and teacher. She lives in Zürich, where she plots misadventures and eats unreasonable quantities of cheese. Find her at The Offbeat Adventuress.