We left Interlaken and the gorgeous Berner Oberland region mid-morning and traveled to Luzern (Lucerne) via train. Another ride with panoramic windows filled with spectacular views. I don’t ever tire of looking at this countryside. It’s just so gorgeous. No pics, however, due to the glare on the windows from the glorious sunny day.
After checking into our hotel (Renaissance Lucerne), we headed toward Old Town to check out this lovely city.
We stopped at Ammos, for an incredible light lunch right on the River Reuss, and a few steps from the 15th-century all-wood Spreuerbrücke.
We then navigated the streets with our own self-guided tour, learning interesting facts along the way. We took a few minutes to peak into the stunning Jesuitenkirche, the first large Baroque church built north of the Alps in Switzerland. It was built in the 17th century.
As we made our way through Old Town, we explored the shops and streets in Kornmarkt, once the medieval market area dated back to the early 1300s where people would come to buy/sell grains.
We also walked the Weinmarkt square, as it’s now known. However, it was first a fish market, as Lucerne was a fishing village before becoming part of the Gotthard Trade Route, connecting northern and southern Europe. With the Gotthard Pass nearby, Lucerne became a key trading center and central to this route.
After meandering the streets, we found our way back to the famous wooden Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge. It was built in the 14th century and is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe. Portions of the bridge, including many of its 17th-century paintings within the rafters, were destroyed by fire in the early 1990s. However, it’s since been restored and is still the world’s oldest surviving truss bridge. Its water tower, located in the center of the bridge, once housed a prison below water level.
We opted for a highly-rated Spanish tapas restaurant for dinner this evening, and it did not disappoint! We have a full day planned tomorrow – one that includes more sightseeing, some chocolate making, and the Swiss Museum of Transport.
PS. Our legs are still insanely sore from that “leisurely alpine hike” on Saturday!
Opmerkingen