Switzerland · City guides

Lucerne

Lucerne is a beautiful small city which sits on the shores of Lake Lucerne in the heartland of Switzerland. Lucerne is a popular destination for the city itself and the accessible outings around the lake and local Alps that it offers.

Lucerne, Switzerland landscape

Photo: Lin Mei / Unsplash

Quick facts

Currency
Currency
Swiss Franc (CHF)
Language
Romansh
Language
Romansh, German, Italian
Time zones
UTC+1
UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer)
Power plugs
Type C
Power plugs
Type C, SN 441011 · 230 V
Getting around
Drive on the right
Drive on the right
Visa (US citizens)

Check entry requirements for U.S. citizens before you go

Entry requirements on travel.state.gov
Check visas & entry rules for your passport

Central Switzerland, Switzerland · Population: 86K · Calling code: +41

Explore Lucerne

Guides & stories

Discover more about Lucerne, from practical travel tips to stories shared on Alex Journeys.

I haven't published a personal story from Lucerne yet. Explore the practical information and experiences below.

Nearby places

Explore Lucerne

Top things to do

Experiences in Lucerne

See all →

Loading experiences…

Tours and prices provided by Viator. Links may earn a commission.

Where to stay in Lucerne

Weather in Lucerne

Typical monthly averages, not a live forecast

Loading monthly climate averages…

Map of Lucerne

Places from this trip — tap a pin for details

Sources: Wikivoyage · Wikidata · U.S. State Department · CDC Travelers' Health. Experiences from Viator, hotels from Nuitee. Facts refresh weekly.

Cookie settings

Choose what can load. You can change this anytime from the footer.

  • Necessary

    Sign-in, cart, checkout (Stripe), security checks, theme and language. Always on.

  • Preferences

    Optional helpers from partners, such as the Nuitée booking assistant on the trip planner.

  • Analytics

    Anonymous visit and click counts (Google Analytics, when enabled) that show which guides help.

  • Marketing & embeds

    Instagram Reels, Google Maps, Viator experience widgets and the Buy Me a Coffee button. These partners set their own cookies and may use them for ads.

See every cookie we use