24901CH
City Sightseeing & Facts and Free Time
Opening days/times, entrance fees, etc. listed on Yellow Pages attachment.
Walking tour with TM (no entrances). See ACIS TM notes.
· You may want to do your walking tour in the evening. Allow about one and a half hours for the tour, especially if visiting the Lion Monument.
· When using the bus in Lucerne, be aware that Schwanenplatz (outside Bucherer) must only be used as a setting down and pick-up point. Any longer term parking could result in a fine. Ensure that your group is punctual!
· Coming from Engelberg, follow signs to Stans, where you join the A2 to Lucerne. Driving time approximately 45 minutes.
· The famous Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) burned down in 1993. It was rebuilt, but 63 of the original 111 paintings were lost. The paintings on both covered bridges are now copies. The Kapellbrücke now has some spaces where paintings were lost.
FACTS AND FREE TIME SUGGESTIONS
Publications – pick up an official guide from your hotel, it covers everything
Tourist Office – Zentralstrasse 5 (at the Railway Station, Platform 3).
Telephones and Post Office – both on Bahnhofstrasse, on the station side of the river near end of covered bridge, phones also in the station.
Currency exchange – outside banking hours, at the station, lots of ATMs.
Local Transport – purchase tickets from machines located at bus stops before boarding bus or tram. These do not require additional stamping. There are clear instructions in English. A zone system operates. Each ticket is valid for one hour and allows transfers between lines.
Museums
ROSENGART (Picasso) COLLECTION
Pilatusstrasse 10 – Extensive collection of Picasso along with a fine examples of Impressionism and other Twentieth-century schools.
MUSEUM OF ART (Kunstmuseum), LUCERNE – KKL
Next to the station in Jean Nouvel’s Congress Centre structure, mostly a contemporary collection.
GLACIER GARDEN
Evidence of glaciation plus a museum and some reconstructions of Swiss interiors – next to the Lion Monument.
BOURBAKI PANORAMA
Opposite the Glacier Garden – combined ticket available. Huge circular painting of an event during the Franco-Prussian war
SWISS TRANSPORT MUSEUM
Take buses 6, 8 or 24 to the Verkehrshaus. Fine museum if transport is your thing, which the Swiss are very skilled at!
WAGNER MUSEUM AT TRIBSCHEN
Situated in the composer’s house. Take buses 6, 7 or 8
Activities
SHOPPING
Lucerne is a very good place for shopping, but remember the shops generally close early (4pm) on Saturdays and only a few open from 11am on Sundays
WALK.
…around the ramparts, along the lakeshore
PEDALOES & BOATS
Pedaloes etc. for hire from Schweizerhofquai. One-hour lake cruises run from the pier opposite Bucherer. If you want to organise a private boat ride for your group, call Charles Bucher (see Yellow Pages)
SWIMMING & MINIGOLF
Swimming and mini-golf at the Lido (Just past the Casino)
Evening activities
FOLKLORE SHOWS
At the Stadtkeller. Prices vary – you must call some days in advance to reserve
CAFÉS
There are lots of lively ones along the river
DISCOS/MUSIC
Try the El Cartel or Casineum but both may be strict about not admitting under 18s. Check listings for concerts.
Staying in Engelberg
On some tours you may be staying in Engelberg and you will probably have a full or half day visit to Lucerne. Be aware that if your group wishes to visit a folklore show or take a boat ride in Lucerne in the evening this may cause a problem with driver’s hours. Ask him about this at the beginning of the trip.
If he is unable to bring the group back there is a possibility of taking the train back from Lucerne (check timetables carefully!), but be aware that this will add considerable cost to the excursion and the last trains stop short of Engelberg with a bus connection to the village.
Engelberg is quiet in the evenings outside the ski season but there are a few good cafes and bars, which adults and older students enjoy. On Thursdays in the summer there is a free folklore show in the Kurpark (weather permitting).
Allow 45 minutes from Engelberg to the centre of Lucerne.