In Love with Lucerne, Switzerland
Surrounded by gorgeous Lake Lucerne and only an hour from Zurich and 90-minutes from Basel, there much to love about Lucerne, the very heart of Switzerland.
If you’re here in the winter, there is of course a plethora of activities nearby for winter sports enthusiasts, including skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. But as I discovered in late September, there is much pleasure to be found in coming here during other seasons.
The Bed
We hung our hats at the storied and historic Belle Époch Grand Hotel National that’s perfectly located on the banks of the majestic Lake Lucerne. In this enviable location since 1870, it’s a stone’s throw from all of the city’s important sites and the yachts that tour the lake.
Staying in a lake-facing junior suite, it had high ceilings, formal entryway and a large main room with gold trimmed moldings, crystal chandelier, travertine floors, comfortable king-size bed, marble-topped nightstands period furnishings including a velvet embellished sofa, a separate seating area, and writing desk. Chic fabric fleur-de-lis wallpaper adorned the walls, and closet space was plentiful. A bar area with a full-size Nespresso machine, teapot, and stocked mini refrigerator completed the suite.
Sitting on the balcony enjoying morning coffee, we absorbed the juxtaposition of yachts on the lake shimmering in the 64-degree sunshine with the mesmerizing snow-capped Alps just beyond for a truly picture-perfect vision of all that makes Lucerne a slice of heaven.
The spacious bathroom had dual vanities, separate deep soaking tub, freestanding shower, a marble-topped vanity dresser, separate WC, bidet, and Lalique amenities.
The hotel’s public areas had an excellent collection of modern art, standing as a fascinating corollary to the hotel’s historic genesis.
For some rest and relaxation, the Grand Hotel’s large indoor pool and sauna with lake-facing outdoor solarium was a perfect prelude to an utterly dreamy massage table in a lake-facing treatment room. Here I had one of the best deep tissue massages I can recall.
The Meals
If arriving by train and feeling a bit peckish, grab a coffee at Le Piaf near the train station which also has a good selection of vegan and gluten free cakes and muffins, salads, and sandwiches.
Hotel Seeburg has the delightful lake front Sunset Bar, great for a late afternoon apéritif. Once the sun sets, head across the street for Mediterranean cuisine of mezze with warm, house made pita, lemon harissa chicken, and seasonal specialities such as wild boar and venison.
For traditional French bistro fare, the lake-facing Juliette Sharing Brasserie is full of panache with dramatic red chevron wallpaper on three walls, colonial palms imprinted on the other and trimmed with corbels that enhance the veined marble decorative strips. This encompasses colorfully unique and eclectic furnishings full of élan.
Enjoying oysters served with cubed pumpernickel, made way for excellent French onion soup, beet root salad, lobster brioche, and entrecôte so flavorful and tender that my knife was made redundant.
Not far from the Chapel Bridge is BACIO della Mamma, a hip trattoria and bar with fresh salads, delicious homemade pastas, and pizzas, including gluten-free options. Try the truffle and Parmesan pasta. You can thank me later.
The Finds
To get one’s bearings, and a bird’s view of the region, including several magnificent castles and villas, picturesque hamlets, and mountains, including the towering Mount Pilatus, start with a one-hour Lake Louise cruise on the elegant 150-foot, two-deck, Saphir Panorama yacht at pier seven. Informative audio guides in 12 languages are included and classical music provides background ambiance as you meander the lake.
One of Lucerne’s most visited sites is the sandstone carved Lion Monument. Set in a verdant space fronting a pond, this enormous spear-impaled lion carving is 30-feet long and 18-feet wide, serving to memorialize the Swiss guardsmen who perished during the French Revolution in 1792.
Right next to the Lion Monument is the Glacier Garden and is worth visiting. Twenty thousand years ago Lucerne was covered by a 2,400-foot-thick layer of ice. When those glaciers melted, 16 potholes were formed. The discovery led to the founding of the Glacial Garden in 1873. There are enormous glacial potholes to view, an alpine garden to peruse, and a sandstone pavilion.
The Chapel Bridge is Europe’s oldest covered wooden bridge. Keep your head up as you cross it to view the preserved triangular paintings overhead, many from the 17th century, and several that survived the 1993 fire.
There are several restaurants and cafés along the Quai Rauthaus to enjoy with views of the Chapel Bridge and the Jesuit Church. Boasting mauve colored marble columns and a massive organ, the Jesuit Church is ornately beautiful with a bright, slightly modern twist. As it was Sunday, we caught part of a Italian mass.
On the hill behind is Museggmauer with its nine towers that form part of Lucerne’s historic section. At the third tower, Schirmerturm, we climbed to the top. The narrow stairs were a tad vertigo-inducing, but that was forgotten once we arrived to the top and the stellar views.
Nearby on Steinenstrasse, candy-colored buildings contain art galleries, and at end of the street a large mural of the street that creates an interesting optical illusion.
For a truly great view with benefits, take the funicular up to Chateau Gütsch Hotel. Here a cocktail or snack at the American Bar or fixe-prix lunch in the dining room can precede a 55-minute hike to Littau on a lovely, verdant tree-lined path, or a shorter 10-minute hike to Gütschwald.
If you need some general retail therapy the shops along Hertensteinstrasse will fit the bill. But if you’re looking for some unusual souvenirs, head to the Bollina-Schneider Shop at Haldenstrasse 11, just behind the Grand National Hotel. Bollina-Schneider has been here since 1970 and the charming, affable proprietor, Peter Bollina, is an 88-year-old national treasure who speaks six languages fluently. Bollina has a great selection of wood carvings, Christmas ornaments, Hummels, and music boxes. He recently commissioned Victorinox for a 100-piece, limited edition Swiss Army knife embellished with a very cool piano keyboard not available elsewhere. Naturally, we bought two of these useful classics and of course Edelweiss Christmas ornaments.
If you’re here on a Tuesday, on Quai Rathaus near Chapel Bridge, a lively farmers market with gorgeous fruits, vegetables, juices, cheeses, bakery items, and preserves that will severely test your dietary resolve.
At the Swiss Museum of Transport, the nation’s most popular museum, there is something for everyone: the unique aspects of perennial on time Swiss transportation, a planetarium, theater, Swiss Chocolate Adventure, and a virtual Matterhorn climbing experience.
Over 300 pieces of impressionist and classic modernist works are contained in the Rosengart Collection Lucerne housed in the former Swiss National Bank building. The entire ground floor is blissfully dedicated to its impressive Picasso collection.
The Lessons Learned
Whatever time of year you come to Lucerne, you will find plenty to do, see, eat, and enjoy. If I had to bet, you too will likely find yourself falling in love with Lucerne. It’s quite easy to do. Happy travels!
Julie L. Kessler is a journalist, attorney, and the author of the award-winning memoir: “Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight.” Her work has appeared in major publications around the world, including The L.A. Times, The S.F. Examiner, The Asia Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Vancouver Courier, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The Daily Journal, among many others. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com
