Your essential guide to Lucerne

WANDER

With its gabled rooftops, spires, and painted façades, Lucerne’s Old Town is film-set gorgeous. Climb the mediaeval Musegg Wall, then cross the Kapellbrücke, a 14th-century wooden bridge across the River Reuss. In need of a quick pick-me-up? Head to Max Chocolatier for crafted coffees and tiny handmade plättli (chocolate squares).

LISTEN

KKL Luzern, the city’s concert hall, is a standout: a lakeside landmark designed by Jean Nouvel, with a vast cantilevered roof. Symphonies sound spectacular in its salle blanche, whose acoustics are second to none. Regulars swear you can sometimes hear the swish of the conductor’s baton.

SIP

Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, afternoon tea is an elegant affair, with front-row lake and mountain vistas. Every detail is exactly as it should be, from the scones (freshly baked and covered in jam) to the seasonal patisserie – a blackcurrant Mont Blanc, perhaps, or perfect citrus Pavlova.

DISCOVER

The city’s most celebrated statue? The melancholy Lion of Lucerne, dying from a fatal spear wound. Carved in 1820, it commemorates the Swiss Guards who died during the French Revolution. Seen as propaganda by some, it’s still hard to resist “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world,” as declared by Mark Twain.

RELAX

Jazzkantine is a delight at any time of day: a laidback café with a sideline in excellent sourdough, which segues into a restaurant and jazz bar after dark. Its five-course dinner menu namechecks small-scale suppliers and ultra-local produce, from Albula mountain potatoes to delicious Swiss-made miso.

SWIM

The classic spot for a dip in the lake? Seebad Lucerne, in situ since 1885. A six-minute stroll from the hotel, it’s a two-tiered, floating wooden platform, with two enclosed pools and steps leading down to the lake. Spend a day swimming and daydreaming on the deck, then lunch at the low-key café.

STROLL

There’s a story behind every piece at the Rosengart, which showcases Swiss art dealer Siegfried Rosengart and his daughter Angela’s collections. All the modern greats are here, from Klee to Cézanne, while Picasso was a family friend – look out for his portraits of a teenage Angela.

SIP

Come summertime, alfresco bars pop up across the city. Nowhere are the vistas dreamier than Buvette Luzern, set in Inseli Park. Claim a table by the lake, under the trees, and order an Apérol spritz while swans glide peacefully by.

EXPLORE

Children will never want to leave the Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, aka the Swiss Museum of Transport. It’s a celebration of all things moving, from fighter planes and cable-cars to space satellites and steamships. Most importantly, there’s plenty of hands-on fun, from a play construction site to an aircraft landing simulator.

HIKE

Whether you’re a compass-carrying hiker or more a connoisseur of views, there’s a mountain adventure to suit. Catch the world’s steepest cogwheel railway up Mount Pilatus, or hike Mount Rigi’s scenic Alpine trails. The concierge can also help with your plans, whether you’re envisioning a leisurely cable-car ride or off-road glacier tour. 

DINE

Book ahead at Michelin-starred Lucide, helmed by rising star Michèle Meier. Its seasonal menus are self-assured and beautifully simple, and include tarragon-laced octopus and scallops, as well as guinea fowl with morels. It’s set inside the waterfront KKL, so show-stopping views come as standard, particularly as dusk falls over the water. Ask for a table by the window.

SKI

It’s around 40 minutes by car or train to Engelberg, the city’s closest resort. Known for its off-piste powder, it’s dominated by Mount Titlis – a magnificent, glacier-topped peak, and Switzerland’s highest mountain. A revolving cable car scales its dizzy heights, while a glorious 12km run sweeps all the way down to the village.

You can go from mountain peaks to a mystical underwater world, in one moment being over the clouds discovering Mount Rigi and, in the next, diving into the depths of Lake Lucerne. Switzerland may be famously landlocked, but it does have a passenger submarine that dives below the waters of Lake Lucerne to explore sunken shipwrecks. A P-63 submarine has been fitted out with state-of-the-art technology and top-notch safety systems. It’s certified to dive down to 100m, allowing passengers to see ships that sunk beneath the waves centuries ago.

- Berkan Caglar, Chief Concierge at Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern.