Luzern or Lucerne is often referred to as the gateway to the Swiss Alps, and technically, that’s true. You can catch a glimpse of the snowcapped peaks of nearby Mount Rigi or the famed Mount Pilatus from almost any street corner in this bite-sized city and travel easily from Lucerne to Mount Titlis to enjoy the snow. With its cosy cob bled streets, medieval architecture and stunning views, Lucerne is quintessential picture-postcard Switzerland and every inch as charming in real life as it appears in travel brochures. No wonder why it attracts droves of tourists every year! But to say that the most remarkable thing about Lucerne is how beautiful it is would be doing the city a disservice. Wander beyond the historic Kapellbrücke and you’ll discover another side of this historic city, one that is hip, cosmopolitan, quirky and even a little bit seedy. Come and discover a day out in Offbeat Luzern in this guest post by Alyssa Oh from The Offbeat Adventuress and discover some ideas for picturesque day trips from Lucerne!

Mornings in Lucerne

Every great adventure starts with a good breakfast, and fortunately, Luzerners know how to do brunch right. You’ll find an abundance of places to start your morning, from hip eateries to hole in the wall cafes. If noshing a perfectly constructed benedict with a view of the River Reuss is your bag, hop on over to Mill’Feuille. If something a little more laid back is more your things, then take a stroll to local favourite Parterre where you can unwind for hours with a coffee, some eggs and a good book.

Once you’re properly fueled, it’s time to take a stroll around Altstadt. Luzern’s car-free Old Town dates back further than the 14th century in some parts and retains much of its original character. (Minus the Bubonic Plague, naturally.) Walking from the direction of the main train station, wander across the famous Kapellebrücke footbridge and marvel at the 17th Century paintings within. Then once you reach the other side, stroll up the promenade along the river until you arrive at the big steps at Unter den Egg. Take a right up to the steps and you’ll find yourself in the heart of old town. Enjoy the colourfully muraled buildings and allow yourself to get lost wandering up a side street or two!

Laid back Afternoons in Lucerne

Luzern has some surprisingly great vintage shopping; so don’t forget to pop into a second-hand boutique or two! Annakonda offers fun Rockabilly reproductions along with classic vintage wear, and Unikitam will help you furnish your retro dream home!

The coolest shopping destination in Luzern isn’t a shop though… it’s an abandoned swimming pool! Neubad hosts a regular flea market known as Strandgut, and it is packed with vintage and handmade wares.  There’s even a bistro if you get a bit peckish.

After stuffing your reusable shopping bag full of vintage treasures, you’ve got a choice as to how you take in even more stunning vistas. If you’re feeling energetic and the weather is clear, stroll uphill to check out Museggmauer, a massive 12th-century fortification overlooking the entire city of Luzern and so by default, the Alps beyond! There’s an amazing giant clock tower (hey, it’s Switzerland!) and ramparts you can walk along to get an even better view.

If it’s raining or you want to take it slow, check out one of Luzern’s coolest Victorian curiosities, the Bourbaki Panorama, an enormous (we’re talking 112 meters long by 10 meters tall) circular painting immortalizing the German-French War. If you’re feeling a bit cultural, pop next door to the Bourbaki Cinema, a cool art house movie theatre with a bistro.

Quirky Lucerne. Do you love street art too? Picture: Alyssa, theoffbeatadventuress.com

Nightlife in Lucerne

After dark is where Luzern will always surprise you. Into indie rock? You need to catch a gig at the Südpol music hall! Seedy bars with cheap drinks, local colour and dancing more your thing? You never know what will happen when you head over to Madeline. The clientele is a departure from the buttoned-up crowd you’d expect on the Swiss bar scene, with a refreshing mix of the young and arty and the old and random. Go there to dance until the wee hours and you will definitely meet a few new friends.

With so much to do in Luzern, it’s natural you’d want to extend your stay a bit, so what are some excellent day trips from Luzern?

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Day Trips From Lucerne

Lido Badi Luzern

Only a 15-minute boat ride from Luzern city centre, it’s not quite a day trip, but visiting the Lido Badi (that’s the Swiss version of “the beach” for the uninitiated), will give you a little taste of what the Swiss do to unwind. And who wouldn’t want to splash around in the cool, unbelievably blue waters of the Vierwaldstattersee (dare you to try and say it out-loud, that’s the real name of “Lake Luzern” and right about now you’re appreciating that most of the locals speak impeccable English, right?) in the shadow of the mighty Mt. Pilatus! The Swiss Museum of Transit is right nearby if you’d like to extend your visit.

Mount Rigi

Sure, everyone’s heard of Pilatus, but, “The Rigi”, as it is simply known to the Swiss is a hidden gem that’s just as beautiful and nowhere near as crowded. And get this—you get an amazing view of Pilatus from the top of Mt. Rigi, without the throngs of tourists! There’s even a day spa up there!

How do you get to this magical mountain? There are many ways and you’ll want to consult with the incredibly helpful tourist office in Luzern Main Train Station before you set off, but my favourite way is by boat and cable car! Boats depart regularly from the docks directly across the street from the main train station, and travelling in this fashion makes for an incredibly picturesque day trip that you’ll never forget. Boat rides can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes one way depending on the route you take, and the cable car about 20.

Take in spectacular views during your boat ride on your day trip from Lucerne to Mt.Rigi . Picture : Menorca-europediaries.com

Lauterbrunnen Valley

If Luzern in the gateway to the Alps, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is their living room. This is where you’ll experience that hardcore, “The Hills Are Alive”, level euphoria you were no doubt picturing when you planned a trip to Switzerland. Dubbed the “Valley of 72 Waterfalls”, it is said to be Tolkien’s inspiration for Rivendell and once you step off of the train it will be easy to see why.

The Thrill Walk at Birg, below Schillthorn – the peak famous for the James bond movie ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’. It is easy to get to Schillthorn from Lauterbrunnen and you can combine the two places for a complete day trip too. Picture by Menorca-europediaries.com

While in Lauterbrunnen, visit the spectacular Trummelbach and Staubbach Waterfalls.You will already catch a glimpse of some of the waterfalls from the train itself, but to get to Trummelbach Falls, you will need to walk a bit further or alternatively, get on an 8-minute bus ride. By paying an entry fee of 11 CHF for adults, you will be able to see the 10 glacial falls inside and hear the water thundering across the rocks in the summer.

The Lauterbrunnen Valley is already a two-hour train ride from Lucerne, so budget your time accordingly. It is rather closer to Interlaken.  I think this area is well worth extending beyond day trip territory to spend a night or two. Find yourself a cosy little ski chalet and prepare to soak up all the natural beauty that Switzerland has to offer!

If you are in the mood of a James Bond experience though, you can get on a short bus ride to Stechelberg and then take the cable car up to Schillthorn via Gimmelwald, Murren and Birg – all beautiful towns themselves. Always ask about the visibility while you are buying cable car tickets for any peak – that way you can decide if you’d really want to go all the way up on a cloudy day with low visibility or rather get off one stop earlier to enjoy the activities and views.

Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch

You could happily spend a day wandering the easily accessible and flat walking trails on the valley floor but to truly experience the otherworldly beauty of the Alps, you need to take the cog railway up to Kleine Scheidegg. First stop will be the charming car-free village of Wengen, a ski paradise that offers abundant walking trails, snowshoe, ski and sledge rental and the cosy Swiss Chalet experience you’ve been dying for. Stop off there for a hot chocolate before heading all the way up to Kleine Scheidegg where the Alps will unfold all around you in a panorama that will leave you breathless. Here you can hike, ski or sledge in the shadow of the Eiger, Munch and Jungfrau peaks. It’s worth a mention that this area offers four seasons of diversion and you do not need to be into winter sport to have an amazing experience there!

For those who really wish to have that full snow experience, from Kleine Scheidegg you can hop on a special train up to Jungfraujoch, the top of Europe. This glacier peak will offer you a mind-blowing 360-degree view of the Alps and plays hosts to a variety of indoor exhibits as well. Pack your long underwear, it is cold up there and the wind is fierce! Important note: The train that takes you up to Jungfraujoch is operated by a private company and if you are travelling on a Swiss pass you will not be covered. A second-class return ticket from Jungfraujoch to Lauterbrunnen will set you back 189 CHF. Some locals understandably class this as a rip-off, but for those of us who don’t grow up with such sweeping views in our backyards, perhaps it is worth it for a once in a lifetime experience? You can get discounted tickets if you are in possession of a day pass though.

Eiger in summer. Image copyright: Jungfrau Tourism

Mount Titlis

Lucerne to Mt. Titlis is probably one of the two most common day trips for tourists, the other being Jungfrau. For Indian tourists, in particular, this place seems very attractive due to the life-size cutouts of Bollywood stars Shahrukh Khan and Kajol from the classic romantic movie- Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. To get to Titlis from Lucerne, you need to take a 45-minute train ride to Engelberg, followed by a cable car. Once there, you can indulge in an array of activities. However, for those not interested in going up to the mountain peak, you can also hike, ski, visit a monastery and a small cheese factory around Engelberg itself.

Author Bio: This post is written by Alyssa Oh – an American expat, writer and teacher. She currently resides in Zürich Switzerland where she plots her misadventures and eats inhuman quantities of cheese. Catch her on her blog, The Offbeat Adventuress! 

Here are some activities you can check out:

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