Lucerne – a jewel that combines city and country life

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In order to travel to Switzerland, more precisely to the city of Lucerne, which has a population of 82.000, in as climate-friendly a way as possible, I traveled a good seven hours by train from the south of Germany. The journey through the changing landscape, into the mighty mountains, flew by for me. Once I arrived, I was able to experience incredible things and meet special people, take a look behind the scenes of a chocolate factory and an upcycling fashion label and spend cozy hours on a sauna boat. And the best thing about it, everyone can visit all the activities and addresses presented here. Have fun reading and later discovering for yourself!

Fresh and seasonal food from the market hall

If you travel to Lucerne by train, you will most likely walk on the Markthalle in the train station, which is located in the basement of the building. The market hall has been open since December 2022 and offers a large, very well-selected culinary selection of regional and seasonal foods. From fresh cheese, meat, fish to vegetables, fruit, wines and other drinks for those who love pleasure, as well as special foods from Asian cuisine such as kimchi in a jar, handmade soy sauce or delicious milk caramel (dulce de leche) for even more delicious desserts.

The managing director and founder Tim Hollemann showed me around the spacious and inviting store. And he tells us how pleased he is that the offer has been so well received by Lucerne residents and guests of the city. With his expertise as a sommelier, he takes care of the selection of wines. The young team strives to avoid leftover food. For this reason, overripe fruit or vegetables are processed into dishes that can be taken away in the refrigerated counter: from Rüblisalat (carrot salad) to homemade sandwiches. The store has a state-of-the-art checkout system that allows customers to check out and pay themselves.

Well equipped with a picnic basket full of goodies, I took the bus 20 minutes south: stop at the chestnut tree, because a “warm, wet” surprise was waiting there!

An unforgettable evening on the sauna boat

One of the four sauna boats, the s’Berti, which the young company, consisting of Stella Holz, Samuel Muff and Andreas Wallimann, offers for rent, starts from the Seehotel Kastanienbaum. The 15 square meter boat is self-steering with 8 HP without a license. You now have four hours on the boat to explore Lake Lucerne with its small bays and wonderful panoramic views. As soon as you have set off, you can light the wood in the sauna stove and wait comfortably until the sauna room gets hot. The beautiful nature and the setting sun can be admired from the small terrace, the relaxation room or the sauna room with panoramic windows. After one or two sauna fun, we recommend a jump into the (really cold) clear water of the lake, but it's definitely worth it, the cooling down is more than good! The floating oasis of well-being can accommodate up to six people and is rented out at three times a day.

Biological pedagogy in the Hintermusegg cultural center

The Kulturhof Hinter Musegg is part of the Musegg Culture and Living Space Foundation, which was founded in 2013. In accordance with the purpose of the foundation, the Kulturhof takes measures to preserve the cultural heritage, protect the local flora and fauna and make the local recreation area accessible to the public. For this reason, the farm provides event rooms, runs a restaurant, a farm shop and is an educational center and sustainability center. Above all, the Kulturhof is an organic farm where lots of happy animals live. In addition to four Scottish highland cattle, there are two alpacas, four dwarf goats, four Minnie Pigs and around ten free-roaming Appenzeller Pointed-crested chickens. The animals have purely educational value. Various adventure days are designed to allow visitors to experience nature with all five senses - they can clean out the stable, take part in the care and pet the animals. There is a collaboration with schools whose school classes attend the four-season program in order to get to know nature in its changing and different flowering phases.

On weekends, the Kulturhof offers a small menu with coffee and cake during the day and then a special two to five-course menu in the evening. A star restaurant meets here Organic cuisine and conjures up delicious dishes on the table that are seasonal, regional and organic.

From the Kulturhof Hinter Musegg you can see the 870 meter long Museggmauer, a historic city wall that includes nine different towers. Here too, the natural cycle closes. The jackdaws that nest there use animal hair from the farm to build their nests. The farm also helps to preserve Lucerne’s biodiversity. Since switching to organic farming, the number of animals around has quadrupled.

Stylish upcycling fashion from velvet novel

My next stop was the sustainable fashion label founded by Désirée Gabriel and Loredana Steiger in 2014 velvet novel. The founding duo combines street style and nostalgia. This is how high-quality clothing is created from unused raw materials with a positive output: The label designs products in collaboration with partner companies who are just as concerned about the environment, fair working conditions and resource-saving management. For their limited collections, which ultimately consist of unique pieces, only as much can be produced as previously used fabric or fashion pieces that arrive in the studio in Neubad. In addition to the various items of clothing such as coats, jackets, dresses and blouses, the range also consists of highlight earrings, which are also made from existing materials. They describe their concept as “found objects” and look forward to a visit to their studio in Neubad.

A stone's throw away from Neubad and velvet novel is the curated one Üsé second-hand shop. The Neustadt district is worth a visit anyway - here there are cafes, bars and small shops that are ideal for strolling and relaxing. In the old town, La Mienne offers slow fashion - on the one hand a well-chosen selection of second-hand items and on the other hand handmade fashion.

The “Chocolate Fairy Tale from Lucerne”

When you visit Switzerland, a lot of things revolve around chocolate. And I was allowed a very special look behind the scenes Chocolate factory Max Chocolatier throw. Max Chocolatier has a very special story; Max König, the son of founder Patrick König, was born with an extra chromosome (it's worth taking a closer look at the label's logo) and is known as the chocolatier. He is always inventing new creations and gives his family and team exactly what they want from the chocolate. By the way, Max's favorite is the raspberry branch, which I also thought was very good!

Not only was I able to try the incredibly delicious, varied varieties, but I was also able to watch how the chocolate is carefully made by hand - from the cocoa bean to the chocolate mass to the finished pralines and chocolate bars. The delicious creations, expanded every season, with the best natural ingredients from around the world such as almonds, lavender flowers and caramel with fleur de sel, appeal to all the senses. Be sure to stop by if you appreciate the art of chocolate making and if your taste buds can experience a new highlight.

Sustainable spots during a nice walk

During a city tour through Lucerne's old town, I discovered various sustainable spots: I have this, for example Eat Bar met a bakery that sells bread and other pastries from the day before for little money. We continued to the cheese shop Cheese Barmettler, which as a family business has been offering high quality for unique enjoyment since 1972. Their cheese art is inspiring and in addition to cheese, much more is produced for an authentic fondue experience.

Across the city (and throughout Switzerland) there are various public refrigerators that are located on streets and thus stop food waste. MAdam Frigo offers the opportunity, on the one hand, to place food that you can no longer eat yourself, for example because you are traveling, and on the other hand, the opportunity for others to serve themselves there free of charge. An exchange-gift system that I have never seen before.

Another great initiative that you can discover at many restaurants in Lucerne is “Water for water” (WfW). The politically and religiously independent non-profit organization pursues the vision of sustainably changing the way water is used. She is committed to ensuring safe access to drinking water and wants to raise awareness about environmentally friendly water use. You can buy water at the dispensing points and thus support the NGO.

Stay overnight at The Lubo in the middle of Lucerne's old town

The The Lubo is a fully automated boutique hostel with self-check-in in the heart of Lucerne's old town. Very centrally located, guests can access various restaurants and shops from here. The rooms have their own small kitchenette, so you can cook something for yourself every now and then. If you prefer to eat out, you can go to the restaurant Rokka by The Lubo Among other things, you can enjoy bao buns and have breakfast there in the morning. You can eat deliciously all day long Mill'feuille with water view and in Hotel Restaurant Anchor Eat with a view of the hustle and bustle on the streets.

By the way, there is a meeting on Rathausquai every Tuesday and Saturday morning Market instead, which also offers fresh, seasonal and regional food. Here you have the opportunity to admire Lucerne's landmark, an octagonal water tower that is over 34 meters high. After a leisurely walk through the weekly market, we recommend Lucerne Art Museum pay a visit.

Great people, fresh air, good food and slowing down while maintaining sustainability to preserve beautiful nature. I look forward to my next visit to this beautiful spot!