A weekend in Lucerne

A couple of months ago I received one of the best job offers: Get paid to spend a weekend in Lucerne eating, drinking and having fun. Oh, and I had to write a few thousand words on why other travelers should visit Lucerne for a yet-to-be-published travel guide. I can’t divulge all of my recommendations here, but I’ll leave you with some photographic evidence on why you should put Lucerne at the top of your Swiss travel list…

Lucerne is a charming city nestled between Alpine mountains and perched on a sparkling blue lake. It is very walkable thanks to a series of bridges–covered, wooden, iron, and modern–that connect the Old Town and new. Its Kapellbrücke bridge is one of the most famous covered bridges in the world.

You can get a glimpse of what medieval life was like in the once walled-in city by climbing its watchtower, clocktower and walking along the wall. One warning: If you visit on the hour, the vibrations from the enormous clock chimes may cause temporary hearing loss! The Swiss take their clocks very seriously.

If you only have 24 hours and want a taste of nature, take the five-minute gondola to Château Gütsch where you will find a manicured hiking trail that winds through a quiet pine forest. After you’ve worked up a thirst, stop at the chateau-turned-hotel for an aperitif on their terrace where you can take in a view of all of Lucerne.

Lucerne is just one hour by train from the Zürich Airport, so I urge you to make the short trip if you are in the neighborhood. Lucerne really boasts all the charm of smaller Swiss villages with many cosmopolitan restaurants, museums and panoramic vistas.

What are your summer travel plans? As we close in on August, Geneva becomes less and less populated with the Genevoise taking their annual holidays. We have a jam-packed August schedule starting with a trip to Lucerne (this weekend!) to visit old friends. I’m so excited to return! For now, a few fun links I’ve collected:

• To work better, work less (The Atlantic)
• No more red wine teeth?! (Cupcakes and Cashmere)
• A drop-dead gorgeous Sag Harbor home (The Neotrad)
• Why you still can’t use your chip credit card everywhere (Slate)
• Everybody’s talking about frosé (Bon Appetit)
• 3 things to never wear on a long flight (Who What Wear)
• The right way to cut a watermelon (Real Simple)
• …so you can make Spicy Watermelon Agua Fresca (BakersfieldBlonde)