This list of fun things to do in Lucerne was written in partnership with Mount Pilatus and Grand Hotel Nationalwho both hosted me on my trip. I hope you enjoy these ideas for what to do in Lucernethe most beautiful city in Switzerland!

Lucerne is one of my all-time favourite cities in Switzerlandmaybe even Europe.

I still remember my first visit there a few years ago: my boyfriend and I had rented a car to visit Lucerne for a long weekend from Munichand decided on a scenic route that would take us through Liechtenstein.

As we crossed the border and edged closer to our final destinationthe sun began to set and the scenery became so ridiculously good looking that I threatened to dump him if he didn’t pull over.

And sowe watched the sun come down from a quiet spot nestled in the mountains outside Lucernesurrounded by the vibrant shades of pink and purple.

Right thenI knew I was in trouble. Switzerland already had meand I had barely been there for an hour.

What I would discover in the next two days is that Lucerne is not just beautifulit is ridiculouslyjaw-droppingly gorgeous.

Since that first visitI’ve been back to Switzerland multiple times to see the best Christmas markets in Switzerlandride the most scenic Swiss train rideshike around Lauterbrunnen, and even hop on board the viral Gelmerbahn.

Even after all thatLucerne remains one of my favourite places in the country.

In this postI’ll share the best unique things to do in Lucernewith tips on where to go in Lucernewhere to stayand moreso hopefully you can fall just as in love.

1. Enjoy a Palatial Stay right by the Lake

It could be the bright turquoise water coursing through the River Reussor the gentle glide of swans over Lake Lucernebut there is an unmistakably magical ambiance that emanates through this city.

And there’s no better place to enjoy this ambiance than on the balcony of a 5* lakeside hotel.

I was kindly hosted by the Grand Hotel National in Lucerne during my visitand I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect base for our Lucerne explorations.

This historic property has been an icon of the city since 1870and has hosted countless historic figures over the yearsfrom Austrian empresses (like Sisi)to Indian Maharajas.

Swiss hospitality is truly the best in the worldand while splurging on a hotel here comes with a hefty price tagit’s a worthwhile once in a lifetime experience if your travel fund allows.

2. Visit the Chapel BridgeAKA Lucerne’s Own “Harry Potter Bridge”

After checking in to our hotelwe wasted no time in setting out for a night time stroll through Lucerneone of the highlights being Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a sight practically ripped from the pages of Harry Potter.

NOTE: Lucerne is not an actual Harry Potter filming locationbut Chapel Bridge does bear a striking resemblance to the iconic bridge of Hogwarts!

Wizarding similarities asideChapel Bridge is a historic and worthwhile Lucerne must-see.

Besides its unique lookthis bridge is also the oldest wood-covered bridge in Europewith a gorgeous interior lined with a variety of paintings (many of which were destroyed by a fire over 20 years ago). 

Kapellbrücke is one of the best-known symbols of the cityand it’s a gorgeous Lucerne attraction that is amazing to see both day and night.

3. Take a cruise on Lake Lucerne

I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time in Europe in the past few yearswith plenty of charming cities that have caught my eyebut genuinely… Lucerne is something special.

Europe in the spring can be a bit unpredictablebut we were blessed with two solid days of sunshine during our visit.

One of the best ways to enjoy the scenery in Lucerne is by taking a lake cruise. While Lucerne and the lake share a nameit’s important to note that Lake Lucerne is actually 114 km²with 32 boat piers along its scenic shores.

… Kind of tough to walk! Sotreat yourself and take a cruise instead.

There are a lot of different options – here are some unique ones:

• (Cheapest!) This panoramic 1hr yacht ride
• (Splurge!) This 2hr lunch cruise

4. Head up Mount Pilatus

One of Lucerne’s greatest perks is its proximity to naturewith its vast shimmering lake and its location surrounded by mountains.

With only a bit of time to spend in Lucerne we were faced with the tough decision of which mountain to explore.

After some researchour minds were made up: we’d be spending a half-day up Mount Pilatushome to the world’s steepest cogwheel trainthe longest toboggan run in Switzerland and the less-official title of ultra badass mountain (as coined by me). 

We had a carbut there are many options for heading to Pilatus from Lucerne without a carsuch as:

• (Most convenient!) This tour which includes the bus therea cable car upa cogwheel train downa lunch voucherand a lake cruise back
• (DIY!) This self-guided tour which includes transport to/from Lucerne and up/down Pilatus

Our visit was marred by a bit of bad luck. We were beyond excited to ride the cogwheel train up Pilatus (againthe steepest in the world!) but were gutted to find out upon our arrival that its opening had been delayed by a few days.

Standing by the deserted cogwheel stationwe let the disappointment creep in for a few minutesbut quickly bounced back to our Plan B: taking the gondola up.

After a long wait for parking (arrive earlyfolks!)we hopped into our adorable red carwhich zipped us over 2000m up in the airwith stellar views as we climbed higher and higher.

If you’re looking for things to do in LucerneI highly recommend the venture up Pilatus.

Even in Maythere was snowand plenty of cool activities for all ageswhich brings me to another very fun thing to do in Lucerne…

5. Ride the longest toboggan run in Switzerland at Mount Pilatus

For half the day we kept busy breathing in the fresh mountain viewswalking through icy snow tunnels and even having a go at the toboggan run (yupthe longest in Switzerland!).

Nowalthough this was an activity that even kids flawlessly whizzed throughI was genuinely terrified (because I am meand I am lame).

But luckily, you could control your own speedwhich meant I was able to go at an (admittedly) grandma-esque pace while enjoying the gorgeous scenery.

Due to our time constraintswe weren’t able to try every activity on the mountainwhich is a real bummer because the giant ropes course looked like so much fun! Maybe it’s for the best though… I’m not sure clumsy-me would have survived.

6. Or Head to Rigi Instead

I had an amazing time visiting Mount Pilatusbut I still have to mention another amazing thing to do in Lucerne that’s highly popular with visitors: a day trip to RigiAKA the Queen of the Mountains.

If you’re limited on timeI’d recommend just picking one of either Pilatus or Rigisince both offer sublime mountain views and nature.

Here are a few options for Mount Rigi tours from Lucerne:

• (All inclusive!) DIY tour that includes all the transport you need but no guide
• (Splurge!) Train experience with an entry ticket to an amazing mountain-top spa at Rigi

7. Enjoy a sunset stroll around Lucerne

We capped off our perfect day with a sunset stroll through Lucernewhich glows the most incredible of colours when the sun comes down.

On this particular nightthe city became awash in shades of light purplewhich made the scene absurdly perfect. If you’re looking for romantic things to do in Lucernethis one is a must… plus it’s free!

8. Explore Lucerne Old Town

After prying ourselves from our gorgeous hotel balconyour second day was spent taking in some of Lucerne’s major sightsducking into quirky craft shops and snacking on ice cream along the way.

It was my idea of a perfect Sundaystrolling through the sunny streets of Lucerneclimbing the old city walls for idyllic views and ogling goods at the pop-up flea markets along the river.

If you’d prefer to see lucerne with a local guidethere are tons of options for that as welllike…

• This two hour photography tour of Lucerne
• This historical night tour
• This historical walking tour which includes cheese and chocolate tastings!

9. Visit Lucerne’s famous Lion Monument

One of the top attractions around Old Town Lucerne is definitely the Lion Monumenta sandstone memorial for Swiss mercenaries who died during the French Revolution.

Laying dying under a Latin inscription saying “To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss,” this (incredibly sad) lion is carved directly into the sandstoneand was once described by Mark Twain as “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”

Definitely a worthwhile sight to see in Lucerne!

10. Get the best views over Lucerne at the Musegg Wall

As a sucker for amazing viewshands down one of the best things to do in Lucerne (in my opinion) is enjoying the city view from the Musegg Wall, which has four climbable towers open to the public.

This was probably my favourite Lucerne activity we did… I mean look at these views:

11. Go Paragliding

For a truly unforgettable bucket list experience in Lucerneyou can also enjoy some paragliding in the area!

This wasn’t something I had time to do on my tripbut it’s definitely something I’m saving for the future.

Click here for more info if you’re interested.

I hope you enjoyed this list of fun things to do in Lucerne!

Here’s the bottom line: Lucerne is gorgeous, and there’s examples of this all throughout the city.

If you’re looking for a place where you’ll be mindblown by naturewhere you’ll fill up your memory card with photos and a place that you’ll dream about for years to comethen this is it.

Add Lucerne to your bucket listsbecause it is oh so worth it.

Until next timebeautiful city!