With romantic lakes, magnificent mountains, adventurous actions, and historic outdated city facilities, dreamy Switzerland reigns on the high of many winter journey bucket lists. Our household liked our 2 days in Lucerne this previous winter, particularly our day journey to the Alpine peak, Mount Titlis.
If you may have in the future in Lucerne, you possibly can discover the town’s charming middle, family-friendly museums, and awe-inspiring lakeside surroundings. If you may have two days in Lucerne, put together to expertise heaven on earth, Mount Titlis. This centrally-located Swiss metropolis can be a great base for day journeys to different Swiss gems, akin to Zurich, Mount Rigi, Jungfraujoch, Interlaken, and Mount Pilatus.
This step-by-step itinerary will stroll you thru tips on how to take advantage of a go to to Lucerne in winter and encourage you to start out researching flights to Switzerland!
2 Days in Lucerne Itinerary
DISCLAIMER: The writer was supplied with one meal and a few complimentary attraction passes in order that she may expertise them and evaluate it on your data. All opinions are her personal. Images are courtesy of Lisa Grabelle. This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks. If you click on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I could obtain a small fee.
Day 1: Fall in Love with Lucerne
Morning: Explore the Lake and Old Town
Kickstart your stick with a cruise on the lake with Lake Lucerne Navigation Company. Relax on the boat’s outside deck and soak in all the encircling pure magnificence as you glided on a one-hour Catamaran Cruise round Lake Lucerne. If your schedule permits, contemplate a cruise that options breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a number of the greatest vistas on the earth.
After disembarking, it would be best to spend a while getting misplaced in Lucerne’s charming outdated metropolis (or you can take a strolling tour.) Depending in your pursuits, you possibly can store the boutiques, stroll the cobblestone streets, seize a espresso by the riverfront, or snack on delicious Swiss chocolate and baked items.
Don’t skip a stroll underneath Lucerne’s most visited sight, the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) and take a look at its water tower. This nearly 700-year-old bridge, spanning diagonally throughout the River Reuss, caught hearth in 1993. Luckily, the bridge has been rebuilt and lots of the destroyed work adorning it have been restored. The work depict the nice fortune of the Old Confederacy and its many accomplishments.
Just a couple of steps away, you possibly can cross underneath the lesser-known Spreuer Bridge, which boasts a collection of unique overhead work courting from the early seventeenth century, telling the tales of the Dance of Death.
For those that respect stunning church buildings, go to a couple of of Lucerne’s most well-known ones, Peterskapelle (St. Peter’s Chapel), St. Matthäuskirche (St. Matthew Church), and Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church).
As you wind by way of the twisty slim lanes, search for intricately carved water fountains and superbly painted constructing facades. Head up a hill to the larger-than-life iconic sandstone monument, the Lion of Lucerne— a world-famous memorial that honors the self-sacrifice of the Swiss Guards in the course of the French Revolution.
Nearby you’ll discover the Glacier Garden (Gletschergarten Luzern). This family-friendly attraction consists of an outside topological show of potholes fashioned by Ice Age glaciers, a unusual museum of curiosities, a Moorish-inspired Hall of Mirrors (all of us loved wandering by way of this maze a number of occasions), the Sandstone Pavilion that includes a brief movie, an Arctic Exhibition, and different issues to do.
Climb as much as the “Alpenblick” platform, which gives a panoramic backdrop for a photograph trying over the cityscape and majestic mountains.
Afternoon: Transportation, Chocolate and Adventure!
By this time, you’re going to be hungry for lunch. For comfort, each the Glacier Garden (small cafe) and the Swiss Transport Museum (small cafe, cafeteria, or full-service brasserie) supply onsite choices. You also can select from many eating places in close by Old Town.
With full bellies, you need to then head to the Verkehrshaus (Swiss Transport Museum) and you’ll rapidly perceive why that is essentially the most visited museum within the nation! In addition to the transportation reveals, this mammoth advanced contains a planetarium, theater, artwork museum, Swiss Chocolate Adventure, and extra.
If your gang is into planes, trains, vehicles, boats, house journey, and all issues transport, you should have a tough time deciding what to do first. With interactive experiences, kid-friendly reveals, and academic alternatives in all places, you possibly can simply spend a couple of hours or an entire day.
Ready to relaxation your toes? The thirty-minute multi-sensory Swiss Chocolate Adventure experience will train you all concerning the chocolate-making course of and ends with a candy deal with.
TIP: Book upfront to keep away from lengthy traces and contemplate saving cash with a mixture ticket.
In the center of the Verkehrshaus courtyard, you’ll discover Red Bull the Edge. You will get an actual adrenaline rush from this distinctive digital actuality attraction whereas geared up with VR glasses, hand and foot monitoring sensors, and a security harness. The state-of-the-art VR expertise, accompanied by a soundscape and wind simulations, will make you’re feeling like an professional mountaineer as you ascend a 14.7-foot actual life mountain climbing wall! The VR expertise gives breathtaking views and the reasonable feeling of scaling the 14,691-foot-high Matterhorn peak.
TIP: Book upfront on-line since this attraction can promote out. Read all of the warnings and restrictions to make sure your crew is up for the problem and dressed appropriately.
Across from the museum, you’ll discover the lake. We loved strolling alongside the Promenade, watching the lake sparkle with the snow-covered Alps shimmering within the distance.
Evening: Stroll Under the Stars
After a protracted day, we have been completely happy to eat paella and tapas at our lodge’s top-rated Spanish-inspired restaurant, Bolero. If you crave conventional Swiss meals accompanied by a cultural present, we heard Stadltellier is an efficient choice (it was closed after we visited). Lucerne abounds with eating places of each delicacies, with some having fun with romantic lakeside views.
Lucerne at night time is way quieter than different bigger, extra bustling European cities. Walking alongside the Chapel Bridge and meandering by way of the softly lit Old Town after sundown is magical.
Looking for a night exercise? For these of authorized age, tempt woman luck on the opulent lakeside Grand Casino Lucerne or take a look at the stylish bar scene, with some situated on scenic rooftops.
Day 2: Adventure within the Alps
When you think about vacationing in Switzerland, pictures of azure blue skies and snowy white mountains normally fill your thoughts. You don’t need to be a skier or snowboarder to take pleasure in a day within the Bernese Alps! We took this journey in late December, and our go to was postcard excellent.
To make your plan for the day, begin with the TITLIS web site, which explains tips on how to attain the world by automobile or practice and permits you to buy tickets and set up your day primarily based on the open points of interest (depending on climate and upkeep). The web site additionally gives recommendations on the place to eat and different useful data.
TIP: Your day’s itinerary will range vastly relying on the time of yr. The web site’s stay webcam will enable you to gown appropriately for the climate on the summit. If you propose to ski or snowboard, advance tickets are sometimes cheaper and assist keep away from traces. Ski and snowboard gear are additionally accessible to lease. Mount Titlis is definitely reachable from each Lucerne and Zurich.
Morning: Journey to the Peak
We opted to take the straightforward forty-five-minute practice experience from Lucerne’s central practice station on to Engelberg. Once we arrived on the Engelberg practice station, we adopted the crowds and hopped on a free bus to the TITLIS Valley Station (you may also stroll there in about ten minutes). Once on the TITLIS valley station, buy your tickets for the day.
Next, enter the TITLIS Xpress eight-seater gondola, which whisks you to Stand Station situated in Trübsee (the “middle station”). Depending on the season, Trübsee gives loads of choices for eating, snow tubing, a beautiful mountain lake, mountain climbing trails, mountain biking, bungee leaping, zip-lining, and way more.
We skipped exploring Trübsee, as an alternative opting to proceed seated in our gondola till arriving on the subsequent station, the place we deboarded after which instantly obtained in line to board the TITLIS Rotair, the world’s first revolving cable automobile.
After a thirty-minute gorgeous journey, we reached the mountain’s summit, roughly 10,000 toes above sea stage.
Reserve upfront to eat lunch on the lately renovated Panorama Restaurant Titlis. This cozy full-service sit-down restaurant boasts an expansive menu that includes regional and worldwide specialties, glorious service, and a comfortable desk with a millions-dollar view of the mountains and glaciers. Panorama Restaurant is dedicated to native suppliers and lists the place they supply substances on their menu.
Our household’s highlights included Alpine Cheese-Filled Smoked Pork with Rosti, Tagliatelle alla Monique with a tasty mix of zucchini, basil peanuts, and creamy tomato and bell pepper sauce, Pizza Verdura (greens), and the sweetest technique to end our meal, scoops of native Mövenpick ice cream. The summit additionally gives an ice cream bar, a snack bar, and a self-service restaurant.
Afternoon: Choose your individual Adventure
We began our exploration of the summit by strolling by way of the station to the glacier cave (free), an nearly 500-foot-long icy tunnel by way of a 5,000-year-old glacier. With colourful lights and locations to sit down and pose for images, this chilly cave introduced smiles to all the children we noticed strolling by way of it.
TIP: The cave is a considerably slippery floor, however gives a railing. Plenty of tourists wore sneakers, however boots with tread could provide you with a greater grip for traversing the cave and outside snow.
Next, we got down to cross Europe’s highest suspension bridge—the Cliff Walk (free). Slightly swaying 1,640 toes off the bottom, traversing this metal catwalk is a very exhilarating expertise. And the views on a transparent day of the Alps and the Black Forest are otherworldly!
A couple of brief steps away from the bridge, you’ll discover the Ice Flyer glacier chair carry station (price). Whether you propose to ski or snowboard throughout your go to, courageous your fears and experience the Ice Flyer. We all thought that whizzing over the pristine snow fields and watching skiers glide down the glacier beneath our dangling toes was a “must-do” exercise.
Depending on the season, a wide range of actions can be found. Families can lease free “sledges” (the title of sleds in Switzerland) and have enjoyable letting free within the snow. Other choices to work into your winter go to embrace tobogganing, snowshoeing, and glacier mountain climbing.
After working up an urge for food, contemplate stopping within the quaint cities of Trübsee or Engelberg on the way in which again to Lucerne. You can dine at one of many many mountain eating places that includes menu objects akin to conventional cheese fondue, Swiss specialties, pizza, and BBQ.
Where to Stay in Lucerne
Just a couple of minutes’ stroll from the practice station and the Old Town, we loved our keep on the centrally-located Cascada Boutique Hotel. This trendy clear lodge creatively names every room after a special Swiss waterfall. Choose from amongst 9 room classes various in measurement and facilities. The pleasant workers was accessible in any respect hours to assist us plan our keep and supply detailed instructions for our journey. The entrance desk had a very good rapport with younger youngsters, gifting them with tiny stuffed animals. Start your day with a go to to the lodge’s huge breakfast buffet in Bolero.
TIP: Ask your lodge if they supply a free bus move throughout your keep and a customer’s card that provides reductions to some museums and companies. Depending on your loved ones’s plans to go to points of interest, contemplate whether or not the Lucerne Museum Card could be cost-effective.
Our two days exploring Lucerne and close by Mount Titlis set the gorgeous backdrop for our household, creating a number of the greatest reminiscences of our European trip. Lucerne and Mount Titlis are ready for your loved ones—the right combination of jaw-dropping pure magnificence, family-friendly journey, and scrumptious delicacies.
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About the Author
This visitor submit was written by Lisa Grabelle. Lisa, a journey author for Hilton Hotels, has been touring all her life…30 international locations and loving it! Originally from the sunny skies of Miami, Lisa, a former lawyer, lives close to Philadelphia together with her husband and has two daughters who’re in faculty. Travel is her ardour. As quickly as one trip ends, Lisa busily plans her subsequent journey for her continuous household of adventurers. Lisa’s motto is “don’t just visit the destination…live it!” You can observe Lisa on Twitter or Instagram.
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