The fourth stop was by far the most beautiful – the picturesque lakeside town of Lucerne (or Luzern, in German). This breathtaking little town is settled in between mountain peaks and the place where River Reuss meets Lake Luzern. I took a much needed spa day while we were here, but got right back to touring and exploring after our relaxation break!

Lucerne is divided by the river Reuss into an Old Town (Altstadt) and a New Town. The two districts are connected by what is among other things the world’s oldest covered wooden bridge, the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), which dates back to the year 1332. The bridge was rebuilt true to

the original after the fire of 1993 and leads to the octagonal Water Tower. Like the over 500-year-old Musegg Wall to the north with its turrets, the bridge and water tower were part of the city fortifications.  The Kapellbrücke is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, as well as the world’s oldest surviving truss bridge.

Like all of the cities and towns in Europe I have seen so far, Luzern at night is lit up with festive holiday lights. Being on the water just elevates how gorgeous the evening walks around Luzern can be.

There are a few sites worth calling out, even as the entire city is a beautiful, historic place! The first is the Church of St. Leodegar (locally called the Hofkirche), which was named after the city’s patron saint. Originally built in 735, the present structure was erected in 1633, however, the twin needle towers are surviving remnants from the earliest structure. The interior is decorated in the late Renaissance style.

Perhaps the most recognizable and famous site in Luzern is the Lion Monument. Bertel Thorvaldsen’s famous carving of a dying lion is in the Löwenplatz park, just north of the historic old town. This imagine of a dying lion is carved out of a wall of sandstone rock above a pond. It was designed as a memorial for the mercenary soldiers from central Switzerland who lost their lives while serving the French king Louis XVI during the French Revolution. When the revolutionary masses attacked the royal Tuileries castle in Paris on August 10, 1792 the Swiss mercenary troops tried to defend the royal family and make sure the royals could escape.

I did a lot of wandering and shopping – hello, swiss chocolates, watches and knives! I also popped in a very lovely little local bar called Das weisse Schaf. My favorite part of Luzern was just walking around and seeing the unbelievable views.

Last stop on the trip  — Zurich!

-MAL

Hotel:

• Waldstaetterhof Zentralstrasse– pretty standard, very modern and clean. Good breakfast in the mornings. 2 minute walk to train station and 6 minute walk to city center

Restaurants:

• Das weisse Schaf
• Hotel Schweizerhof
• Bellini
• Restaurant Geissmatt– a bit off the beaten path but well worth it!

Sites:

• The Lion Monument
• Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)
• Old Town (Altstadt)
• Lake Lucerne
• Water Tower
• Church of St. Leodegar