Lucerne Walking Routes: Old Town to Musegg

November 5, 2026

Lucerne is small and flat in the centre, so a loop of about 3 kilometres takes in most of the old city in two to three hours with stops. The route below starts at the station and ends at the Lion Monument. Wear comfortable shoes, because the cobbles and the climb to the wall are uneven.

1. Station and lake promenade

From the station, walk to the KKL Luzern, Jean Nouvel’s concert building on the lakefront, then cross the Seebrücke towards Schwanenplatz. From the bridge, Pilatus and Rigi are visible on clear days. The promenade between Schwanenplatz and the KKL is free and busy at dusk.

2. Chapel Bridge and Water Tower

Cross the Chapel Bridge, a wooden covered footbridge about 204 metres long, with painted gable panels under the roof. A fire in 1993 destroyed much of the bridge, and it was rebuilt and reopened on 14 April 1994. The Water Tower beside it is closed to the public, so look at it from the bridge.

3. Jesuit Church and the south bank

On the south bank, the Jesuit Church is a Baroque church from the 1660s and 1670s with a free entrance. Check opening times at the door.

4. Spreuer Bridge

Walk downstream to the Spreuerbrücke, a covered bridge from 1408. Its paintings are a cycle of the Dance of Death by Kaspar Meglinger. The needle dam beside it dates from 1860, and the water here is fast and cold, so stay on the bridge.

5. Old Town squares

Continue to Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz and Kornmarkt, where the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) stands. These streets are pedestrian, and cafes line them.

6. Musegg Wall

Climb north to the Musegg Wall, an 870 metre stretch of 14th-century city wall with nine towers. You can enter four of them: Männliturm, Zytturm, Wachtturm and Schirmerturm. Entry is free, and the wall is open from 08:00 to 19:00 from 1 April to 1 November only. The Zytturm holds a clock from 1535. The Luzern tourism site shows themed guided tours of the wall in season, which cost about CHF 30.

7. Lion Monument

Descend towards Denkmalstrasse to reach the Lion Monument, a memorial to the Swiss Guards who died in Paris on 10 August 1792. It is carved into a former sandstone quarry wall, and it is free and open all year. Keep your voice low and let the memorial be the end of the walk.

Gletschergarten

Beside the monument, the Gletschergarten is a separate paid site open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 from March to November. Adults pay CHF 24. See the Gletschergarten admission page .

Tips

In winter the Musegg Wall is closed, so shorten the loop and use the covered bridges. Rain makes the bridges slippery, so take care on the wooden boards. The Lucerne Visitor Card, free to overnight guests, gives free buses in zone 10 if you want to skip part of the walk.

Local guides run walking tours that can be compared on GetYourGuide .