Lucerne, Switzerland is a great city for pedestrians. A walk around Lucerne, a city of only 57,500 people, is invigorating and beautiful, with the majestic Alps at your doorstep.
Founded as a small fishing village on Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstattersee) the city (at 1,430 feet), is the focal point of the region, and the most populous city in central Switzerland.
The city is called “the essence of Switzerland” and the “Festival City” with numerous events such as the World Band Festival, Mozart Festival and the Lucerne Festival. There are numerous bridges in the city, with the Chapel Bridge the most famous, built circa 1300 as part of the city’s fortifications.
The Musegg Wall with its nine towers was built in 1400 after the Battle of Sempach and today it is considered the longest and best preserved rampart walls in Switzerland.
A ride on the many beautiful lake steamers is a must to enjoy the surrounding countryside. Boats leave right from a dock downtown across from the train station (Bahnhof). While in Lucerne, walk through or stay at the 101-year-old historic Palace Hotel and ask for a lakeside room.
While you are in Lucerne, stop by the Swiss Transport Museum (www.verkehrshaus.ch) and look at all the restored trains, planes, and other forms of transportation. If you have a full day each, also see Mt. Rigi (www.rigi.ch) and Mt. Pilatus (www.pilatus.ch), two spectacular mountains each obtainable by hiking or cog railway. You can take boats, trains or drive to the base of each mountain.
For more information on Lucerne, go to www.luzern.ch.
European Traveler 