Things to do in Lucerne all year round

A misty evening in the Altstadt neighborhood of Lucerne, a swan swimming under the famed Chapel Bridge. ©AlonzoWright

Luzern is truly a year-round destination, so it's important to know all the things you can do in Lucerne all year round. Sprawling green grasses and wildflowers cover

the surrounding mountain slopes in the summer, making the region a bucket list destination for hikers, cyclists, climbers and outdoor enthusiasts of all levels. But wintertime is just as entertaining and maybe even a teeny tiny bit more majestic – and that is a term we don’t typically use because it’s ultra-corny - but that’s really the best way to describe it.

With snowshoeing, outdoor ice-skating rinks, sledding, tobogganing and of course skiing and snowboarding options nearby, the snow capped mountains above Lucerne are likely the reason people even starting using the term “winter wonderland.” And we haven’t even talked about the picturesque lake yet. Lake Lucerne is the fourth largest in all of Switzerland and it was formed by prehistoric glaciers, giving it a greenish-blue glacial hue. It’s a major attraction that you can enjoy no matter what time of year you visit.

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Check out our Lucerne, Switzerland Travel Guide.

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Because Lucerne is pretty compact and all the major attractions are centrally located, it’s easy to sightsee in a short amount of time. You don’t even need a car, but there’s a great bus system if you’re not much of a walker.

Here’s our list of things to do in Lucerne all year round.

The wooden Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge, during Lucerne's warm summer months. ©PatrickRobertDoyle on Unsplash

1. Kapellbrücke or Chapel Bridge

Welcome to the star of the show. This gable-roofed bridge is not just the most famous site in Lucerne, it’s one of the most photographed places in all of Switzerland. The hexagonal water tower was built sometime between 1290 to 1300 and has served as a maritime lookout, a prison, a treasury and an archive. There’s actually still an armory situated above the dungeons you can visit.

Unfortunately, the bridge’s timber caught fire in 1994 and most of the wooden structure was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. Also lost in that fire were priceless paintings from the mid-1600s. The triangular panels were hand painted and hung in the roofline of the bridge, depicting the town’s ancient history and heritage. Of the original 158 panels, less than 50 remain, but those that do are still proudly on display.