Why Lucerne is the Perfect Christmas Destination in Switzerland

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Romantic landscapes, fun festivities and gluhwein galore… Lucerne might just be the ultimate Christmas city break destination!

Perched on the edge of a sprawling lake, surrounded by white-capped mountain peaks and snow-dusted forests, Lucerne looks like a Christmas card scene brought to life.

Add to that a historic town centre that looks like something out of a fairytale, multiple Christmas markets and events, and an outdoor ice rink with lakeside views – and you have the perfect location for a December getaway.

Below, I’ve outlined all the reasons Lucerne makes such a fantastic Christmas city break – plus a few tips to help you plan your trip. Enjoy…

My Christmas trip to Lucerne was supported by Visit Lucerne. As always, all words and opinions are my own.

Why Lucerne is the Perfect Christmas City Break

1. There are multiple Christmas Markets to choose from!

Is there anything more festive than a European Christmas market? Cute wooden stalls, unique gifts, and tasty treats like gluhwein and hot chocolate… what’s not to love?

Christmas market at night with wooden stalls lining either side of an empty street. There are pine garlands on top of the huts. Behind are several townhouses painted in white and yellow. — *Lucerne Christmas Market*

Lucerne doesn’t just have one Christmas market – it has several! Let’s start with the two main ones, which run throughout December:

Lucerne Christmas Market (Lozärner Wiehnachtsmärt): The city’s main Christmas market is held in front of the Franziskanerkirche church in the old town. This one was smaller and had a more traditional, cosy vibe.

Rudolf’s Christmas Spectacle (Rudolf’s Weihnacht): Held on the riverside near the KKL (Culture and Congress Centre) with a dreamy backdrop of city lights reflected in the lake. This one is bigger and a bit more modern – you’ll find things like bao buns and bubble waffles alongside the standard xmas market fare.

Christmas market at night with a large tree covered in red baubles and yellow lights, and a small crowd of people standing outside a large wooden chalet with a red sign on top that says Rudolfs Weihnacht. — *Rudolf’s Weihnacht*

Other markets: There are also a few other, more short-term markets, including a Craft Market at the Wine Market and a Christmas Tree Market on Schweizerhofquai. Plus, many of the towns and villages surrounding Lake Lucerne host their own markets – ideal for day trips by boat or train! Check out the full guide to what’s on here.

2. Swiss cheese and chocolate!

close up of a gloved hand holding a baguette above a red saucepan of melted cheese, and a ladel pouring cheese into the baguette.

One thing sets Switzerland’s Christmas markets apart from other European cities – Swiss cuisine! Winter’s cold weather is the perfect time to enjoy those hearty Alpine dishes like cheese fondue, raclette, and – of course – Swiss chocolate. Here’s what to look out for…

Fondue – melted cheese and wine served in a big pot with bread, potatoes, and/or meat to dip. There’s a fondue chalet at Rudolf’s Wiehnacht – and a stall at Lucerne Weihnachtsmarkt was even serving fondue sandwiches (pictured above).

Raclette – melted cheese, usually served with potatoes, pickles and cured meat.

Älplermagronen – a Swiss take on macaroni cheese, with pasta and potatoes in a cheesy sauce topped with crispy onions (and sometimes bacon). It’s often served with apple compote.

Swiss Rösti – potato cake. The best kind is made with mountain cheese and bacon and topped with an egg.

Chugelipastete – this dish is unique to Lucerne, a meat pie encased in puff pastry with a creamy sauce and booze-soaked raisins. Try it at the Hotel Wilden Mann‘s cosy restaurant.

3. Ice Skating with lakeside views

Various people skating on a large outdoor ice rink at night with a christmas tree behind, the rink is lit up bright pink.

Like many cities, Lucerne has a pop-up outdoor ice rink over the festive period. But unlike many other cities’ ice rinks, Ice Magic Lucerne is free! You only have to pay for skate rental (unless you have your own).

It’s also in one of the most picturesque locations I’ve seen! The ice rink is located on Europaplatz, on the edge of Lake Lucerne – with gorgeous views across the water. It’s particularly lovely after dark, when colour-changing lights paint the ice and the lights of the city are reflected on the lake.

The rink is surrounded by chalets selling food, drink and – of course – gluhwein. And there’s a full programme of events all winter long, with live music, theatre performances and sporting events – so check the website to see what’s on when you visit.

4. Christmas lights and decorations in the Old Town

Square in Lucerne Old Town with dark grey flagstone floor. There is an old building with a grey stone facade, the top three floors are painted cream with a colourful mural depicting knights in armour and deer.

Lucerne’s Altstadt (Old Town) is a gorgeous, fairytale setting any time of year – with cobbled streets, picturesque plazas, historic architecture, and half-timber houses. Many buildings are decorated with colourful frescos depicting scenes from Lucerne’s culture and history.

Emily walking across a square in Lucerne Old Town towards the camera. There are several five-storey townhouses behind her painted orange, yellow and purple. Emily is wearing a dark teal dress, black leggings, brown boots, a bright orange scarf, a grey wooly bobble hat and a dark grey winter coat.

At Christmas, the Altstadt becomes even more pretty. The buildings are trimmed with pine garlands and strung with lights, and bridges across the Reuss River are covered with glittering lights (especially the pedestrian Rathaussteg). Here are the top sights:

Weinmarkt – one of the prettiest plazas, surrounded by colourful buildings.
Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) – a covered wooden footbridge dating from the early 14th century.
Spreuerbrücke (Spreuer Bridge) – an even older covered bridge with fantastic views.
Jesuitenkirche – Jesuit Church on the riverside dating from 1667.

5. Scenic Boat Rides on Lake Lucerne

Emily standing on the stern of a boat facing away from the camera towards a view of the lake with snowcapped mountains with a small town at the bottom. She is wearing a long grey winder coat with a fur lined hood, black leggings, brown leather boots and a light grey hat. The swiss flag is flying from the back of the boat next to her.

Lucerne sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Lucerne, a vast, oddly shaped lake surrounded by mountains and charming lakeside towns. It’s beautiful all year round, but at this time of year, it’s like a Christmas card scene, with snow-capped mountains and dense forests dusted with white.

All that mountain scenery is best enjoyed on a lake cruise. Lake Lucerne Navigation Company runs several cruises and round trips on the lake – you can even hop off in one of the surrounding towns to explore before heading back to Lucerne!

I recommend the Short Lake Cruise to Beckenried and back. It’s roughly 2.5 hours and there’s plenty of warm inside space on the boat, including an onboard restaurant. Sit with a glass of fizz or a mug of hot chocolate and watch the mountain views glide past.

6. Getting there and around is easy

Covered wooden bridge over a river at night with a circular stone water tower behind, both have red tilded roofs. The city lights on the far side of the river are reflected in the river.

Lucerne has to be one of the easiest towns to reach for a winter city break. The closest airport is Zurich, less than a 2-hour flight from London, with multiple direct flights every day.

From Zurich Airport to Lucerne, it’s just over an hour by train – and it’s a very easy journey. There’s a direct train from the airport, or you can change in Zurich’s main train station (Zurich HB) for more options.

The city centre and the main sights of the Altstadt (Old Town) are all within walking distance of the main train station, so this is a really easy city to explore in any weather!

Historic houses next to a river with lots of seagulls flying infront. The nearest building is a half timbered house painted white with red timbers.

Top Tips for Visiting Lucerne at Christmas

Book Early

Lucerne can be a very popular Christmas destination, especially at weekends. Book as far in advance as you can. If you can, visit during the week rather than at weekends; it’s usually quieter and accommodation may be cheaper.

Small wooden hut painted green with a sign on the rood reading "Raclette". The hut is surrounded by small christmas trees with string ligths running overhead. It is night time and several people are standing in front of the hut at tall wooden tables.

What to pack

Let me tell you, Lucerne can be pretty darn cold in December – so pack warm clothes! Lots of layers, plus a nice warm coat (preferably something designed for snow). Don’t forget a hat, scarf, and gloves.

If the temperatures are looking particularly low for your trip, it may be worth bringing some thermal base layers too! I wore thermal leggings with a skirt, a long-sleeved top, and a wool jumper.

You’ll also want warm, comfy shoes or boots (plus nice thick boot socks). If it’s going to snow, make sure to pack snow boots or some decent walking shoes with good grip.

Emily standing in front of a small pond with a sheer grey rock face behind. There is a statue of a sleeping lion carved into the rock. Emily has her hands in her coat pockets and is wearing a burgundy jumper, an orange scarf, a grey wooly bobble hat, a leopard print skirt, and brown boots.

It’s worth paying more for flights that include hand luggage!

Speaking of packing warm clothes, it’s worth paying extra for a decent carry-on luggage allowance when you fly!

At a glance, flights with Swiss Air are usually more expensive than with budget airlines. However, Swiss still include carry-on luggage with their economy tickets – while budget airlines like EasyJet only include a 20cm “personal item”.

While it’s totally possible to cram two day’s worth of stuff into an under-seat bag, if you’re packing lots of warm clothes and thick jumpers it’s much easier to bring a small hand-luggage suitcase. Remember to check the price of added luggage when comparing flight prices for your trip.

READ MORE: Best Carry-On Suitcases for Women

Stay in the City Centre

Opt for a hotel that’s close to the city centre, so you’re within easy reach of all the main attractions. The area between the train station and the Old Town, on the south side of the river, is a great spot. This will put you within walking distance of the station when you arrive, but also of all the Christmas Markets and attractions.

gloved hand holding a paper cup with red wine in front of a dark blue lake at night time with city lights out of focus on the far side of the lake.

Got a question about visiting Lucerne at Christmas? Scroll down to leave me a comment and I’ll try to help!

I hope you found this guide useful – and have an amazing time exploring Lucerne. Below, you can find links to a few of my other posts about Switzerland, in case you have more time to explore…

A Wonderful Winter Weekend City Break in Lausanne

12 of the Best Restaurants in Lausanne

Summer in Verbier