An
hour south of Basel and Zürich, and boasting invigorating
mountain views, lake cruises and a picturesque old quarter,
LUZERN (Lucerne in French and English, Lucerna in Italian) has
long been one of Europe’s most heavily touristed towns.
When Queen Victoria came for a long holiday in August 1868 (checking
in under a pseudonym), the town was already renowned, and a
century of steady growth has resulted these days in five million
admirers passing through each year. Tourism is the leading source
of income, and yet the city has adeptly managed to retain all
of its charm.
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 guildhalls, churches
and chapels, and filled with a liveliness that belies the city’s
age. Aside from using Luzern as a base from which to explore
the region, it would be easy to spend at least a couple of days
taking in some of its quality museums – a Picasso gallery,
the impressive Verkehrshaus (Transport Museum) – in between
walking on the medieval battlements, and exploring cobbled alleys
and hidden garden courtyards.
But Luzern
is no museum piece; café culture is treasured by the
city’s large population of young people, and at midnight
on a weekend night, the main Pilatusstrasse boulevard has the
feel of any European capital, with people bar-hopping, waiting
for the last bus, or hanging out deciding where to go. Whether
you’re charmed by Luzern’s sense of history and tradition,
or by the misty lake at its doorstep and the snow-capped Pilatus
rising above, or even by its nightlife, charmed is what you’ll
be.
