Known in German as the Vierwaldstättersee (“Lake of the Four Cantons”), Lake Lucerne sprawls across 114 square kilometres in the heart of Switzerland. It’s irregularly shaped, with several sharply angled arms and framed by soaring mountains on all sides.
Spend a day exploring the traffic-free streets of Lucerne’s Old Town, which is clustered with frescoed guildhalls, medieval bridges and a Renaissance town hall. Rising to the south of the city is Mount Pilatus, a 2,128-metre-high peak that can be accessed along the world’s steepest cogwheel railway. After soaking up the incredible views, you can catch the “Dragon Ride” aerial cableway and gondola back down.
Lake Lucerne is a hub for water sports in the summer months, with everything from boat cruises to windsurfing and canoe tours available. Divers can venture underwater to explore the steep wall of Sisikon or discover the marine life around the sunken barge of the Lediwrack Bruno.
Getting there
Lake Lucerne is around 45 minutes’ drive from Zürich Airport, with regular trains connecting from Zürich to the Lucerne railway station. Boats connect to destinations along the lakeshore while the centre of Lucerne is compact enough to explore on foot or by bicycle.