LUCERN

PART 1

There’s no denying it: Lucerne plays into every cliché about the romantic Swiss getaway. Perfectly poised at the foot of the Alps in the Swiss-German speaking part of central Switzerland, the city’s namesake lake reflects the snowy peaks—including Mount Pilatus and Mount Titlis, popular day trip destinations. The River Reuss cuts through the painted façades of Old Town, where couples huddle together over rösti and hot chocolate at riverside cafés.

Lucerne is as beautiful as its location is strategic. From the Zurich airport, hop aboard the clockwork-efficient Swiss railway system for the hour-long ride to Lucerne. Consider the Swiss Travel Pass, which allows unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats as well as discounts on mountain railways.

Here’s how to spend a perfect weekend in Lucerne.

Day 1: Sightsee along the river

10 a.m. Start your exploration at the Old Town (Altstadt)—a warren of medieval squares and cobblestone alleys lined with brightly frescoed façades. Most of the Old Town is spread across the north bank of the River Reuss. On the south bank is the 17th-century baroque Jesuit Church of Saint Francis Xavier, defined by its dull-green twin onion domes and grand marble stucco interiors. The flower-lined, 14th-century wooden Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) runs diagonally across the river, past the octagonal Water Tower (Wasserturm) to a string of hotels and cafés lining the north bank.

Further down the river is Lucerne’s second covered wooden footbridge, the Spreuer Bridge (Mill Bridge), built-in 1408 and painted with triangular panels depicting grinning skeletons in everyday human scenes. Next to the bridge, the Needle Dam regulates the water level of Lake Lucerne with wooden water spikes. In winter, riverside stalls sell marron, or roasted chestnuts.

12 p.m. Cross either bridge to linger over cheese platters and hot chocolate at alfresco riverside cafés, where menus are scrawled on blackboards and dragged over to your table. The brick-roofed Rathaus, the 17th-century town hall and meeting place, now houses its own brewery and restaurant in the basement.

3 p.m. Behind the line of hotels along the river, Lucerne’s centuries-old squares—complete with fountains and elaborately frescoed buildings—now house boutiques and cafés. Many of the façades are restored originals, depicting stories of the tradesmen who lived and worked here. At Kappellplatz (Chapel Square), the site of the annual Lucerne carnival, stands the iconic Fritschi fountain, the intricately painted Fritschi restaurant in a 17th-century building, and the nearly-900-year-old St. Peter’s Chapel. Continue the sightseeing tour with the 17th-century Hofkirche and its neighbouring


 Lion Memorial, which commemorates the Swiss guards who fell fighting for King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. The adjacent Glacier Garden displays natural remnants from the last Ice Age 20,000 years ago—polished boulders and deep glacial potholes, fossilized mussels, and palm leaves. Children will enjoy the Alpineum Museum just opposite the monument, especially its lifelike diorama of Alpine peaks. Finish up at the Bourbaki Panorama, a gigantic circular painting of the Franco-Prussian War.

6 p.m. Try traditional fondue at Zunfthausrestaurant Pfistern, a restaurant located in a 14th-century guild house, or take in a quiet dinner of rösti by the riverside at Wirtshaus Taube. For dessert, head off in search of Swiss chocolates and specialty cheeses. The decadent creations at Max Chocolatier and Heini are handmade. Chäs Barmettler is an independent cheese shop with a range of regional variants, including the famed Swiss Gruyère.