This year, Condé Nast Traveler readers voted Lucerne (a.k.a. Luzern to the mostly German-speaking locals), Switzerland their second-favorite city in Europe, just behind perennial love Florence, in the annual Readers Choice Awards. But what is it about this Swiss lakeside town just a 45-minute train ride from Zurich that wins so many hearts? Credit the mix of great food, easygoing locals, and stunning countryside that brings visitors back year after year. (And the cheese. Don't forget the cheese.)
The Great Outdoors
In the tourist office inside the Lucerne central train station, pick up an all-purposes transit card just for visitors. This card can take you seamlessly from regional train to local metro to boat, and Lucerne is a perfect place to take advantage of this ease of transport. First, take a leisurely boat ride across the lake (alternate between hanging out on the side to snap Instagram photos and having some coffee and cake in the boat's surprisingly good cafe) from Lucerne to Weggis, then connect to the bright-red cogwheel train up the side of Mt. Rigi. In the summer, you can hike or picnic while taking in some of that famously crisp Swiss air; in the colder months, there's skiing. Once you're back in Lucerne, take a walk across the Kapellbrücke Bridge (Chapel Bridge), a wooden footbridge that goes across the Reuss River on a diagonal. Not only is the view from the bridge lovely, there are triangular paintings inside the roof beams on the covered portions; they depict moments from Lucerne's history and from the lives of its two patron saints, Maurice and Leger.
Food and Drink
The Swiss take their dairy products very seriously. Stock up on sweets at Max Chocolatier, where you can get well-known international brands based in Switzerland (like Lindt, which sells bonus flavors you might not be able to find back home) or nibble on house-made chocolates that are often inspired by events and holidays, such as soccer balls during the World Cup or marzipan lambs around Easter. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, the confusingly named Wochenmarkt (Weekly Market) alongside the Reuss River is where locals go to stock up on farm-fresh cheese, pickles, eggs, and vegetables. By night, there's no better choice than Wirsthaus Galliker, a traditional Swiss tavern-style restaurant that has been run by members of the Galliker family for four generations: try the local specialties like rosti (similar to a potato pancake), luzerner chögelipastete (veal in puff pastry with creamy mushroom sauce), and cheese tarts. If you have any stomach left, the Rathaus Brauerei makes its own pilsner and witbier, which you can enjoy in the outdoor beer garden overlooking the river.
Resting and Relaxing
Lucerne is known for its pleasant, relaxed small-town vibe. If you're in Zurich for work, it's worth coming out to Lucerne for a long weekend to decompress or bring the kids. Take advantage of that at the Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern, which is close to most of Lucerne's major attractions and was voted the best hotel in all of Switzerland in the Readers' Choice Awards. Ask for a lake-facing room and book in for a spa treatment like a full-body wrap with primrose oil, followed by a visit to the sauna. If you're looking for a somewhat more modern stay, the Art Deco Hotel Montana has a glassed-in conservatory-style dining room with sweeping views of the Alps, and a cocktail bar named for Louis Armstrong where jazz musicians play several nights a week. Be ready to get the best sleeps of your life: while the city doesn't totally shut down at 9 p.m., it does settle down considerably and you can count on getting some peace and quiet no matter where you're staying.