Lucerne on Foot: A 3 Hour City Walk
The centre of Lucerne is compact enough to cover on foot in about three hours, and most stops on this route are free. Start and end points are close to public transport, so it is easy to cut short. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF).
Route at a glance
| Time | Stop | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Lake promenade and the KKL | Free |
| 0:30 | Seebrücke and Schwanenplatz | Free |
| 0:45 | Chapel Bridge | Free |
| 1:15 | Jesuit Church | Free |
| 1:30 | Spreuer Bridge | Free |
| 1:45 | Old Town squares | Free |
| 2:15 | Musegg Wall towers (1 April to 1 November) | Free |
| 3:00 | Lion Monument and Gletschergarten | Monument free, Gletschergarten CHF 24 |
Walking the route
Begin on the lakefront beside the KKL Luzern, the Jean Nouvel concert hall, and head along the water to Schwanenplatz. From the Seebrücke, Mount Pilatus and Rigi show on a clear day. Turn into the Old Town and cross the Chapel Bridge, a covered wooden footbridge about 204 metres long whose painted panels were partly lost in the fire of 1993. The Water Tower on the bridge cannot be entered.
On the south bank, step into the Jesuit Church, a Baroque interior from the 1660s and 1670s. Opening hours vary, so check the door. Then walk down the river to the Spreuer Bridge of 1408, where the Dance of Death paintings by Kaspar Meglinger hang under the roof. The needle dam beside it controls the water level, and the flow is strong, so keep to the bridge.
Cut through Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz and Kornmarkt, and look at the Altes Rathaus, then climb north to the Musegg Wall. Four towers can be entered, Männliturm, Zytturm, Wachtturm and Schirmerturm, and the climb is steep in places. The wall is free and open daily from 08:00 to 19:00 only between 1 April and 1 November. The Luzern tourism site lists guided wall tours.
Finish on Denkmalstrasse at the Lion Monument. It commemorates the Swiss Guards killed in Paris in 1792, so keep the visit quiet. The Gletschergarten next to it charges adults CHF 24 and is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 from March to November. Prices are on the Gletschergarten page .
Practical notes
- Shoes with grip are wise on wet bridge boards and the tower stairs.
- In winter the wall is closed, so replace it with a longer stop at the Old Town squares.
- The free Lucerne Visitor Card for overnight guests covers buses and trains in zone 10 for short rides back to the station.
Read more: Lucerne landmarks and Lucerne multi-day stays .
If you prefer a guide, look at GetYourGuide .