The COVID cases has slowly calmed down a bit here in Switzerland and masks will no longer be mandatory expect in healthcare institutions and on public transportation. My friend from Singapore just came at the perfect time. We last met in London around three years ago and we finally managed to meet in my country! I prepared a whole day trip for an unforgettable moment in Lucerne – I listed the program down below, in case you would like to see the same hotspots and make the most out of your vacation in Lucerne!

We met at 10am at the train station and started the sightseeing together. We took the bus to Lucerne, Verkehrshaus, where we had a quick look at the Swiss Museum of Transport and the Lindt Chocolate Shop. The museum is great and brings back many childhood memories, but I only recommend it, if you are planning more than one days in Lucerne (you have to plan at least one full day for the museum). Still, it is nice to see it from the ‘outside’ and it is a great starting point if you would like to have a lovely walk along the beautiful Lake Lucerne. The weather was incredibly kind to us; we had the perfect spring weather and an amazing view of the surrounding mountains, which were covered by a pretty layer of snow.

Back in the city, we quickly had a look at the Hofkirche St. Leodegar Church and the Bourbaki Panorama before we had lunch at the Alpineum Kaffehaus°Bar. The restaurant is very small and only serve one lunch menu (incl. vegetarian option), but it has a very nice atmosphere. After the break, we moved forward to Lucerne’s iconic lion monument and the Glacier Garden, where you can discover all about glacial pots, alpine world and amazing things about stone and history. My highlight is the mirror maze, which is one of my precious childhood memory. The museum is not that big, so you can easily plan it to your day trip. After strolling around, we had a quick coffee break at my favourite café Amorino, where you can try rose-shaped ice cream (highly recommended!).

If you would like to catch a glimpse of Lucerne from above, you can walk up the street called ‘Museggstrasse’ (between Restaurant Lapin and the Cheese Shop Chäs Barmettler). You can even get a better view on top of the Musegg towers, but they were currently closed and are only open to public during April to November (8am to 7pm). After the ‘mini hike’, we went to several hotspots in the Old Town Lucerne, bought some souvenirs at the Coop City supermarket and after all the sightseeing, we finished the trip with a nice dinner at the Soul Chicken restaurant and a quick cocktail stop at the Max Bar. Overall, we had a fantastic day and I was really happy to meet my friend after such a long time again. I hope you had a lovely experience in Switzerland and I cannot wait to visit you in Singapore the next time :D!

This was our Itinerary – a Practical Guide for a Day Trip in Lucerne:
– 10am Lucerne Main Station Start
– Transport Museum and Lindt Shop (We took the bus to Luzern Verkehrshaus)
– Walk back to the Old Town (approx. 30min by foot), enjoy the scenery of Lake Lucerne
– Have a look at the Hofkirche St. Leodegar Church
– Lunch @ Alpineum Kaffeehaus°Bar (one menu only)
– Lion Monument and visit Gletschergarten (Glacier Garden) Museum
– Coffee Break @ Amorino (Try the Rose-Shaped Ice Cream!)
– Musegg Wall & Tower
– Old Town Lucerne (Weinmarkt Square, Jesuit Church, Co-Mix Remix Shop, Spreuer Bridge, Chapel Bridge)
– Get Souvenirs & Chocolate at the Coop City Supermarket
– 6pm Dinner @ Soul Chicken
– Have a Drink @ Max Bar

USEFUL TRAVEL TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST TIME IN SWITZERLAND:
Currency
The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss Franc CHF. One Swiss Franc is about 0.98 Euro / 1.07 US dollars (03.2022).

Adapter
In Switzerland the power plugs and sockets are of type J. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Transportation
The public transportation in Switzerland is unique and covers all corners of the country. You can use almost any forms: trains, buses, trams, boats, funiculars and even cable cars! As a tourist, you are able to buy a Swiss Travel Pass, which is quite pricey, so I personally recommend buying the tickets in advance in case you have already a fixed route. The SBB has reasonable supersaver tickets, so make sure to check it out!

THINGS TO DO IN LUCERNE
Sightseeing & Attractions
– Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)
– Spreuerbrücke (Spreuer Bridge)
– Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument)
– Museggmauer & Türme (Musegg Wall and Towers)
– Hofkirche St. Leodegar (Church)
– Jesuitenkirche (Church)
– Old Town Lucerne
– Mt. Rigi (Cog Railway)
– Mt. Pilatus
– Explore Lake Lucerne by Boat
– Hotel Château Gütsch

Museums
– Swiss Transport Museum (including Switzerland’s largest planetarium)
– Swiss Chocolate Adventure
– Glacier Garden Museum
– Picasso Museum Rosengart
– Bourbaki Panorama
– Hans Erni Museum
– Richard Wagner Museum
– Kunstmuseum (Art)
– Museum of History Lucerne- Nature Museum

Personal Favourite Restaruants & Cafés
– Wilden Mann (Swiss)
– Helvetia (Swiss)
– Wirtshaus Taube (Swiss)
– Hotel Stern (Swiss) – Pfistern (Swiss)
– Fondue House Du Pont (Fondue with a great view!)
– Einhorn (Italian)
– Wolf (Burger)
– Bierliebe & Friends (Burger)
– Jeff’s Burger (Burger)
– California (Burger)
– Pacifico (Mexican)
– Dean & David (Salad)
– Tibits (Vegan and Vegitarian)
– Negishi (Sushi)
– Amorino Café (Rose-Shaped Ice Cream)
– Heini (Café)
– Bachmann (Café)
– Two Hands – ex Gugelhupf (Café)
– Mill’Feuille (Alternative)
– Melissa’s Kitchen (Breakfast)
– Opus (Breakfast)