Lucerne (Switzerland)

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Lucerne is in the heart of Switzerland, 69 mls SE of Basle, 57 mls E of Berne, 157 mls NE of Geneva and 41 mls SW of Zurich and its airport. It is set in the northern foothills of the St Gotthard pass, set between hillsides at the end of Lake Lucerne with excellent views.

This city is suitable to all age groups, with a wide variety of things to do and see, especially recommended for art and culture lovers.

There are 70-odd hotels catering for both tourist and business clientele and ranging from simple B&Bs to luxury 5-star hotels. Most of them are 3- or 4-stars, concentrated in the centre of the city.

The River Reuss splits the town, flowing rapidly out of the northwestern end of the lake. River banks on both sides are clustered with medieval squares , frescoed houses, ancient guildhalls, churches and chapels, and filled with a liveliness that belies the city's age.

Aside from using Luzern as a base from which to explore the region, it would be easy to spend at least a couple of days taking in some of its quality museums - a Picasso gallery , the impressive Verkehrshaus (Transport Museum) - in between walking on the medieval battlements, and exploring cobbled alleys and hidden garden courtyards.

Whether you're charmed by Luzern's sense of history and tradition, or by the misty lake at its doorstep and the snow-capped Pilatus rising above, or even by its nightlife, charmed is what you'll be.

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Lucerne has a fine range of eating and drinking venues covering all budgets - the crowded, generic places that are in plain view tend to be least interesting, but a small amount of backstreet searching will turn up plenty of more rewarding places.

Lucerne's nightlife scene is averagely active, with plenty of arts centres and music venues around the Old Town and the rest of the city. There are two places to check flyers: Doo-Bop, Brandgässli 8, is a dance music shop with plenty of information about events in Luzern; while Romp, Denkmalstrasse 17, is an "info-shop" at the centre of Luzern's squat culture, with music, flyers and contacts for all kinds of alternative activities around and about. The Stattkino, Baselstrasse 15, is an arthouse cinema with a varied daily programme of world cinema, plenty of it in English.

During the daytime culture vultures will find exploring the city including the Chapel and Spreuer Bridges, spectacular, Visit the 17th-century Jesuit Church, Renaissance Town Hall with its impressive roof, Musegg Wall and the Lion Monument, 8 museums including Picasso and Wagner Museums, and the Swiss Transport Museum, one of Europe's largest with a planetarium and IMAX cinema.

There are plenty of art galleries, the Glacier, lakeside lidos for swimming and sunbathing. Sporting activities include canoeing, paragliding, hiking, biking, horse riding, fishing, water-skiing, ice-skating and curling, indoor pool, golf. There are numerous music festivals, rowing regattas, horse races, processions and town carnivals through the year.

The nightlife offers a choice of bars and cafes, particularly along the water front and in the Old Town. There is an evening boat trip with floor show, concerts, opera and ballet. You will find many folklore evenings, a casino and an open-air cinema (occasional English-language films).

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Population: 7.489.400
Languages: German 64%, French 20%, Italian 7% (all official);
Currency: Swiss franc
Currency code: CHF
Local Times:
Switzerland - Bern

Switzerland - Bern

Switzerland - Z�rich

Country Dialling Code: +41
Voltage: 220V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 Parallel circular prongs

'Schuko' type with two earth connectors on the sides

Switzerland, in central Europe, is the land of the Alps. The fusion of German, French and Italian ingredients has formed a robust national culture, and the country's alpine landscapes are certainly vast and varied.

With snow-capped Alps, forested hills, fairytale castles, Renaissance cathedrals, shimmering lakes, stylish spas and luxury ski resorts - it's easy to see why Switzerland has been one of the world's top tourist destinations for the past two centuries.

It's the country that fashioned tourism, so it's no surprise that Switzerland caters to visitors all year round. In spring and summer it offers lakeside chalets, mountain trails and spa resorts. In the sunny southern region of Ticino, near the Italian border, visitors will find palm-fringed Riviera-style resorts offering a host of water sports. Those keen on hiking and mountaineering will find over 31,000 miles (50,000km) of mountain and forest trails throughout the country.

In November the country's ski resorts begin opening, and visitors pour in throughout the Christmas season and until the snow begins to melt with the onset of spring. With the highest pistes in Europe, Switzerland's ski runs offer reliable snow and breathtaking views. Most resorts also have plenty to do for those not so keen on skiing, making Switzerland the perfect destination for a winter fantasy of log fires, fondues and glistening snow.

Switzerland's cities are pristine and beautifully laid out with famous Swiss precision. Zurich is widely held to be the intellectual and artistic centre of the country, sporting incredible architecture and more than a thousand fountains, with many museums and galleries. Geneva is the principal city for the international community, and is home to hundreds of world organisations. Its setting on the shores of Lake Geneva give it a romantic atmosphere, and the city has an exciting, if rather expensive, nightlife.

Mostly German in Central and Eastern parts. French in the West; some Italian in the South. Raeto-Romansch is spoken in the Southeast by 1%. English is spoken by many.

Climate varies throughout Switzerland. In the Alpine regions the temperatures tend to be low. The lower land of the Northern areas has higher temperatures and warmer summers.

This is a very law abiding nation. Dropping litter can cause offence. Don't give Chrysanthemums or white Asters to a host as they are considered to be funeral flowers. Many cultures overlap in Switzerland.