Lucerne Travel and Tourism Guide

Lucerne owes its fame to its uniquely picturesque location. Nestling amongst the foothills of the Alps, the city lies at the end of a lake that has been eternalised by poets and composers. An incredible panorama begins here which stretches from Mount Rigi to Mount Pilatus and depending on weather, season or time of day sets dramatically different moods. Lucerne, with 60,000 inhabitants, is the eighth largest city in Switzerland. If the agglomeration is added, the numbers treble. Lucerne is the capital of Central Switzerland due to its size, central location and economic potential.

Lucerne is often referred to as the «City of lights». The name goes back to a miracle of light said to have happened here. According to an old legend, an angel showed Lucerne’s first settlers with a light where to build a chapel in honour of St. Niklaus, the patron saint of fishermen and sailors.

Don't miss the carnival! Every year thousands of people celebrate in the streets of Lucerne. You'll hear lots of music groups playing as loud as possible. The carnival should banish the winter traditionally.

You can still find portions of the wall that once encircled the city and all eight of the watch towers are still standing. The buildings here are 15th century. You can climb some of the towers for a better view of the city.

Two of the many sites to see are the Chapel Bridge and the Lion Monument.