At this year’s TRAVELBOOK AWARD 2025, Lucerne made it to the top. The city on Lake Lucerne received the most votes for the most beautiful old town in Switzerland. What makes Lucerne’s old town so special and what there is to see, you can read here.
Lucerne in the Heart of Switzerland
Lucerne is located in the middle of Switzerland, right on Lake Lucerne with a stunning mountain backdrop. The old town and new town are divided by the Reuss River. However, they are connected by several bridges, such as the Seebrücke, the Chapel Bridge, the Reuss Bridge, the Spreuer Bridge, and the Rathaussteg. The Chapel Bridge is a true highlight when visiting Lucerne. It dates back to the 14th century and is one of the oldest and longest covered wooden bridges in all of Europe.
The old town itself occupies only a small area of the entire city—yet it houses the most famous sights, all of which can be easily reached on foot.
What to See in Lucerne’s Old Town
In Lucerne’s old town, there are several larger squares. For instance, there’s the Weinmarkt, which was a fish market until the mid-16th century. The Weinmarkt Fountain from 1481, considered one of the city’s most beautiful, is also located there. The largest historical square in Lucerne is the Mühlenplatz, covering 1,500 square meters. According to the Lucerne Tourism Office, it was used as a settlement area even before Lucerne became a city.
The colorful Fritschi Fountain is a special eye-catcher in the old town
The Kornmarkt saw the construction of a public warehouse around 1370, which also served as a granary. It was later converted into the town hall. The Chapel Square is also worth a visit. The colorful Fritschi Fountain, which features the Fritschi family—a central figure group during the Lucerne Carnival—is located there. The Carnival begins every year at the Chapel Square and only ends in the early morning hours of Ash Wednesday.
A special highlight is the numerous paintings that adorn many of the building facades in the squares. The first paintings were documented from the 16th century. They mostly depict city coats of arms, ornaments, guild emblems, or family names. Many of the buildings are protected as historical monuments due to their age and history.
In Lucerne’s old town, there are numerous building facades with paintings
A Visit to Lucerne’s Old Town
During a visit to Lucerne’s old town, you can simply wander through the alleys. Walk across the famous Chapel Bridge and enjoy the magnificent view over the Reuss, with the beautiful mountain panorama in the background. While strolling across the bridge, you should also stop at the Lucerne Water Tower, which stands in the middle of the bridge. It is about 34 meters high, octagonal, and was built around 1300 as part of the city wall. Over time, it has served several purposes—as a city archive, a treasury, but also as a prison or torture chamber. Today, it houses the clubhouse of the Lucerne Artillery Association.
The Chapel Bridge with the picturesque mountain panorama
The Musegg Wall and its nine towers are also a must-see when visiting Lucerne. Construction of the wall began in the 13th century—it is about 800 meters long and is considered one of the best-preserved and longest defensive walls in Switzerland. Today, it is also a valuable habitat for many endangered animals and plants. Rare breeding bird species such as alpine swifts and jackdaws, as well as wall lizards and wild and honey bees, have found a home there.
What to See in Lucerne’s Old Town
Even though the trophy in this category goes to Lucerne, we say—as we do every year: All the nominated regions, even if they didn’t win overall, are already winners. Each country made it to the shortlist, meaning it was selected from a large number of contenders in a category.
To create the shortlist, TRAVELBOOK asked its readers to vote and consulted experts from the travel industry. Nearly 150,000 votes were cast by TRAVELBOOK readers.
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