"Swans Love Lucerne and You Will Too!" Lucerne by dlytle

So I never expected to be in Lucerne in 2006. I was on a long business trip to Europe and the trip did take me to Zurich. As it turned out, the manager of the local office lives in Lucerne and just works out of a Zurich office. Since I was going to be spending a May weekend in Switzerland, he suggested that I stay in Lucerne, near the lake and near the historic district, over spending time in Zurich. I agreed, he drove me here after work, and here I am – much to my delight!

This little city just took my breath away. From the sparkling green, clear and amazingly fast waters of the Reuss River—the linchpin of the historic district—to the lazy promenade along the shore of the lake, my eyes were treated to an overload of scenic beauty of water and architecture and mountains and churches and so many other things. My ears were assailed by the sounds of merrymaking and violins and accordions as I wandered the little lanes and streets of this captivating city. Church bells peal out their tones on a regular basis (sometimes too regularly when you are trying to sleep!)

Lucerne claims to be one of the world’s six most frequently visited cities. I certainly understand why! It is a darling Swiss town – clean, bright, friendly, and very touristy as well. Even in mid-May, I saw many foreign visitors (I was one of them!) taking photos (like me) of just about anything that was standing still or moving or floating. I can only imagine the mass of people that must appear as the summertime weather encourages people to travel here on holiday or vacation.

One of the unexpected but totally delightful aspects of Lucerne is its many Swans and ducks. White swans swim in the lake near shore (where everyone feeds them) and in the swift-flowing Ruess River (where everyone feeds them). They are very tame and come right up for a bit of food. I took some bread from my hotel breakfast to feed these white marvels. And kids are just mesmerized by these beautiful creatures…but…they will nip the hand (or fingers) that feed them so be a little cautious. A pecking order is indeed in place as the dominate Swan makes itself known very quickly.

So if you happen to like historical buildings, beautiful paintings on building walls, gorgeous vistas, and an extremely congenial atmosphere—this might just be a place for you to visit while taking a relaxing break from the hectic pace of your everyday life. I recommend it for all travelers!