An hour south of Basel and Zürich,
Luzern (Lucerne in French and English, Lucerna in Italian) has long been one
of Europe’s most heavily visited towns. The River Reuss splits the
town, flowing rapidly out of the northwestern end of the lake. River banks
on both sides are clustered with medieval squares, frescoed houses, ancient
guild halls, churches and chapels.
Lucerne is easily accessible due to its central location. The town is a car
free zone and small enough to be explored by foot.
Fact File
Country : Switzerland
Population : 350,600
Area : 1,493 km .
Languages : German, French, Italian & Romansch
Climate : The weather is very cold between the months of November
and February.
Between mid-August and late October when the weather is settled. The months
of June, July, August and September bring hot weather and September brings
the season of rains
Official Currency : Euro; 1 Euro = 52.443 Indian Rupee = 1.2047 US $
= 0.678141 GBP(subject to change).
Location : The canton of Lucerne is located in the centre of
Switzerland. It is drained by the river Reuss and the river Kleine Emme. The
lands of the canton lie on the northern foothills of the Swiss Alps.
Getting
There
By Air : First arrive at Zurich's Kloten Airport take the 50-minute
train journey from Zurich. Taxis are available outside the Lucerne train
station, whioch can be hired to reach your destination.
By Road : Buses and taxis are the two options which you can opt to
move around the city. Bus fares in Lucerne are determined by the distance
that you are traveling. Tickets are purchased either by automatic vending
machines or at the major hotels.
Taxis are not very expensive as the Zurich or Geneva taxis, but pretty
stiff no doubt.
By Boat : If you want to see some most exhilarating views of Lucerne
then boat ride id the best option here.
Getting Around
By Road : If travelling by bus, then tickets are purchased either by
automatic vending machines or at the major hotels.
Taxis are relatively reasonable method to tour around the city.
By Boat : Boat rides are available in the city and offer some of the
best views of the city.
Accommodation
There are various hotels available which provide a comfortable
accommodation to the tourists. Here is a list of a few hotels :
5 star hotel in the city:
Best western Flora hotel
Hotel palace Luzern
4 star hotel in the city:
Hotel Astoria
Hotel Central
The Hotel
3 star hotel in the city:
Hotel Alpina
Major Tourist Attractions
There are various places of tourist attraction in Lucerne like lakes,
museums, bridges etc
Glacier
Garden (Gletschergaten) : Built around a glacial pothole that has
survived since the Ice Age, this museum also showcases artifacts from
throughout the town's history.
Fine Arts Museum (Kunstmuseum) : The Fine Arts Museum includes many
paintings by Swiss artists, dating from the 16th century to the present.
Ferdinand Hodler (1835-1918) is among those represented, as well as Dufy and
Utrillo. The museum also presents changing displays of modern-day Swiss and
international art.
Picasso Museum : A small but choicest collection of the works of
Pablo Picasso is showcased on three levels, including paintings, drawings,
original prints, sculpture, and ceramics from the last 20 years of the
artist's life.
Kapellbrucke Bridge : This is perhaps Lucerne's most famous icon.
Spanning the river at the lake end, this covered bridge was built in 1333.
Much of the bridge had to be renovated following a destructive fire in 1993
that destroyed several of its paintings. The few paintings that survived are
worth seeing.
Richard Wagner Museum : Wagner lived here from 1866 to 1872 and
composed several works, including Die Meistersinger. Located about 3km (2
miles) from the city in the suburb of Tribschen, the museum contains some
original scores and memorabilia, including letters and pictures. There's an
exhibit of antique musical instruments in the summer.
Verkenrshaus der Schweiz (Swiss Transport Museum) : This museum is
the best of its kind in Europe and most popular with foreign tourists. The
museum has recently added many new attractions, containing new rail exhibits
and an adventure ride called the Gotthard Tunnel Show.
Museum of Swiss History (Historisches Museum Luzern) :Originally
conceived as an arsenal for the storage of weapons in the 1560s, this
building was reconstructed as a showplace for medieval and Renaissance art
and sculptures in 1983.
Modern Art Museum (Neus Kunstmuseum) : Mainly temporary exhibits,
most of them avant-garde are displayed here. There is also a permanent
collection of works (which are rotated), ranging from the 15th to the 20th
centuries.
Other Attractions
Mt. Rigi
The Nine Towers
Lake Luzern
Dying Lion of Lucerne Monument.
