Lucerne or Bern: Where to stay?

When you’re going to Switzerland and you’re looking for a place to stay, there are plenty of beautiful cities to choose from. Two of the biggest and most popular cities in Switzerland are Lucerne and Bern. Both of these cities have some amazing highlights that tourists can visit and the hotels are excellent as well. However, if you have to choose between Lucerne or Bern: where to stay? In this article, we will compare these two lovely cities with each other and tell you everything you need to know about the advantages and disadvantages of both cities. This way, you can choose for yourself where you want to stay in during your trip to Switzerland.

Lucerne vs. Bern: Comparison

Lucerne	Berne
Canton: Lucerne	Canton: Bern
Language: German	Language: German
Population: approx. 80’000	Population: approx. 130’000
Elevation: 435 m	Elevation: 540 m
Total Area: 37.4 km²	Total Area: 51.6 km²
Lake Lucerne	Lake: –
River: Reuss	River: Aare

Lucerne as Base

Lucerne is a city that’s absolutely beautiful and can be found in the central part of Switzerland. One of the things that this city is best known for is its stunning scenery. The city is located near a lake and it has a beautiful backdrop of the nearby mountains, which makes the sight so impressive to see. Lucerne is quite an old city, but there are still plenty of fun museums you can visit during your stay! You should also visit the historic spots of the city while you’re there as well as going for a hike in the nearby mountains and nature. Lucerne is also a bit smaller than other cities in Switzerland, but this makes it the perfect place to relax as well.

Attractions in Lucerne

Here is a list of some of the attractions and things to do in Lucerne:

• Chapel Bridge: This is one of the two wooden pedestrian bridges in Lucerne, and it is the world’s oldest surviving truss bridge. It is also one of the most photographed attractions in Switzerland.
• Spreuer Bridge: This picturesque covered walkway over the water features ancient paintings representing the Totentanz (The Dance of Death). It is one of the two covered wooden footbridges in Lucerne (Chapel Bridge is the other).
• Reuss Weir: The historic Reuss weir is an outstanding example of 19th century engineering. It is a dam that can be seen from the Spreuer Bridge when it is open.
• Swiss Transport Museum: This museum is home to more than 3,000 objects related to the history of transportation in Switzerland. It is a great place to learn about the country’s rich transportation history.
• City Hall: The Town Hall on Kornmarkt is an officially designated cultural monument and is considered one of Switzerland’s most attractive public buildings. It is built in the Renaissance style and hovers beautifully over the Reuss River in the Old Town of Lucerne.
• Old Town Square: This is the heart of the city and a great place to explore. It runs along the Reuss River between City Hall and the Chapel Bridge.
• Swiss Museum of Transport: This museum is home to a collection of more than 30,000 objects related to the history of transportation in Switzerland. It is a great place to learn about the country’s rich transportation history.
• Lion Monument: This monument is a sculpture of a dying lion carved into the rock. It was created in memory of the Swiss mercenaries who died during the French Revolution, and can be found in the Lucern Glacier Garden.
• Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre: This modern building is home to a variety of cultural events, including concerts, theater performances, and exhibitions.

Advantages of Staying in Lucerne

When you’re going to Lucerne instead of Bern during your trip to Switzerland, there are a few advantages of choosing this city as your base. One of the biggest advantages of staying in Lucerne is the fact that it’s so close to the mountains. This city is located near the Alps, which makes it the perfect base for people who want to go hiking in the mountains or explore the nature of Switzerland. The scenery in Lucerne is really impressive too, thanks to the gorgeous mountains overlooking the Lake Lucerne region. This lake is perfect for swimming as well, which is simply another advantage of staying in Lucerne.

Another advantage of staying in Lucerne is that this town is quite small and very comfortable. Especially when you compare it to Bern, you should go to Lucerne if you want to go somewhere that’s quiet and where you can truly relax. During your relaxing trip, there are plenty of things to do in Lucerne as well. You could go to one of the many museums for example or explore some of their historic highlights.  Lastly, Lucerne is also very popular among couples who are looking for a romantic place to stay. The city has a romantic atmosphere because of how small it is and thanks to the stunning scenery. 

Bern as Base

Bern is the capital of Switzerland and it’s really charming as well. This city has numerous cultural highlights that you simply must explore if you were to choose Bern as a base for your trip to Switzerland. The city has a rich history and thanks to this and its beauty you will always find plenty of visitors here. Another reason why the city is so popular, besides the cultural highlights and its history, is the food and the museums of Bern.

Attractions in Bern

Here are a few things to do in Bern:

• Visit the Swiss Parliament Building and the Federal Palace, both located on the Federal Square.
• Take a stroll through the Old Town of Bern, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and admire the colorful houses, fountains, and arcades.
• Visit the Bern Art Museum, which houses a collection of Swiss and international art from the Middle Ages to the present day.
• Visit the Bear Pit, home to the city’s famous bears, which have been a symbol of Bern since the Middle Ages.
• Take a walk along the Aare River and enjoy the beautiful nature surrounding the city.
• Visit the Natural History Museum Bern and learn about the history and diversity of life on Earth.
• Take a guided tour of the Bern Cathedral, a Gothic-style church with a stunning clock tower.
• Visit the Einstein House, where Albert Einstein developed his theory of relativity while living in Bern.
• Take a trip to the Gurten, a hill located on the outskirts of Bern with panoramic views of the city and the Alps.

Advantages of Staying in Bern

One of the biggest advantages of staying in Bern is the fact that there are so many museums and historical sights you can visit. The city has a rich culture, which makes it the perfect place for tourists and visitors to learn more about the history of this interesting city as well as Switzerland itself. Thanks to all of these cultural sights and activities you can do, the city is the perfect fit for families as well. If you’re planning on going to Switzerland with your kids, you should definitely go to Bern as they will discover so many new things here.

Another advantage of staying in Bern during your trip to Switzerland is that it’s perfect if you’re traveling on a budget. There are so many restaurants, hotels and shops to choose from that this city is suitable for everyone, no matter the budget. Not only can you eat and stay here for a relatively cheap price, but the activities aren’t that expensive either which makes it the perfect place if you’re a budget traveler. Lastly, Bern is a really beautiful city, which means that you can take plenty of impressive photos here if that’s something that you like.

Which is the Better Base – Lucerne or Bern?

Which City is Closer to the Mountains – Lucerne or Bern?

If you want to go hiking in the mountains or explore the beautiful nature of Switzerland you should go to Lucerne during your trip to the nation. Lucerne is located very close to the Alps and this will give you the opportunity to go hiking in the mountains without having to travel very far. A huge advantage of these mountains is that it makes the scenery really impressive. There’s a lake near Lucerne which is absolutely stunning to look at thanks to the mountains that serve as a backdrop here.

Which City is Better for a Short Stay – Lucerne or Bern?

There are plenty of things you can do in both Lucerne as well as Bern. However, if you’re only going to Switzerland for a short amount of time, we recommend going to Lucerne instead of Bern. In Bern, there are so many different things you can do and so many highlights you can visit that it would be a waste to only go here for a short period of time. This makes Bern the better option if you’re going to Switzerland for more than just 1 to 3 days. Although there are plenty of things you can do in Lucerne, you will have covered most of the highlights in these few days as well as being able to explore the mountains nearby. 

Hotels – Lucerne vs. Bern

Both Lucerne as well as Bern have some amazing hotels to offer its visitors. Although the price can vary from hotel to hotel, the hotels in Lucerne are generally cheaper than those in Bern. Therefore we recommend going to Lucerne instead of Bern if you don’t want to spend as much money on your hotel during your trip to Switzerland. However, a huge advantage of the hotels in Bern is that they often have a spa as well. If you want to stay in a hotel that provides you with everything you need in order to relax, we recommend going to Bern instead of Lucerne. Your choice in which city you’ll stay in during your trip to Switzerland will therefore depend on what you value in the hotel you’re staying in.