Luzern, or Lucerne, whatever you fancy, feels like a plus-sized St. Gallen. It’s got the charming narrow streets, classic painted façades on historic buildings, and a helpful population. It’s also the terminus of several famous scenic train routes, the Luzern-Interlaken Express, the Vorlapen Express (to St. Gallen), the Gotthard Panorama Express, the Luzern-Engelberg Express, and the Ski- und Wanderexpress.
Rathaus
Stay here a few days and you’ll find yourself spending more time on the trains than in Luzern itself! Fortunately, Luzern also has several unique attractions to hold tourists for a short trip. The Swiss Transport Museum, or the Luzern Verkehrshaus is the most visited museum in Switzerland making it the perfect destination to spend an entire afternoon for families with young children.
For those looking for a more leisurely time, the old Museggmauer city wall and the adjacent park is a great spot for a quiet picnic without too many pesky bugs in summer. The walls are open till late in summer and are free to enter. The informational plaques in German will tell you the history and architecture of the wall and its numerous towers as you walk through the historical fortifications. Be sure to make your way to the top to catch an awesome view of the city!
Nölliturm, Männliturm, Luegislandturm, Zytturm, Schirmerturm, Pulverturm, Allenwindenturm, so many towers to explore.
Back on lake-level, the Sammlung Rosengart is really the only art museum you need to visit in the city. With an eccentric collection of Picasso, Klee, and other artists of the same period, the modest museum offers visitors shade from the summer heat. They also have really nice postcards at the gift stall.
Sammlung Rosengart 
Kapellbrücke 
Kapellbrücke 
Kapellbrücke
Last but not least, the Löwendenkmal that remembers the Swiss Guards that fell to protect the French monarchy during the revolution. The reflection of the lion in the relief of the cliff looks defeated, yet poignant in its last moments. The monument is actually a lot larger than it looks in the photos making all the details particularly revealing of the emotions surrounding the incident at the time.
