LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND

Lucerne is historically significant and one of Switzerland's top tourist destinations because of
its lakeside location and stunning mountain backdrops. In addition to its wealth of historical
buildings the city has invested in modern facilities such as the futuristic KKL building or the Allmend
sports facility (DE). The Luzerner Theatre organizes theatre events especially for expats and the Chor
der Nationen brings together singers from all over the globe.

Lucerne is located on the shore of Lake Lucerne, in central Switzerland. It has breathtaking
views of Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi, so it is no surprise that it has been a popular tourist
destination for years. The city straddles the Reuss River, and thus boasts a number of historic and
modern bridges. One landmark bridge is the Chapel Bridge, which was first built in the 14th century
from wood, and is said to be one of the oldest covered bridges in Europe. It is the most
photographed monument in Switzerland.

Lucerne has an area of 29.1 square kilometres (11.2 sq mi). Of this area as of 2009, 28.0% is
used for agricultural purposes, while 22.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 47.6% is settled
(buildings or roads) and the remainder (2.1%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).

I choose Lucerne because it is a beautiful place. Lucerne offers the city, very scenic boat
rides, trips to mountain tops and etc. The perfect evening activity to do is strolling through the sunny
streets of Lucerne, climbing the old city walls for idyllic views and look at goods at the markets along
the river.

Lucerne railway station is one of Switzerland's principal railway stations situated in the
middle of the town and just next to the lake. There are hourly direct trains from the airport to
Lucerne. People can visit Lucerne anytime they want. Lucerne is a compact city and easy to explore
on foot. It is very suitable for backpackers. Furthermore, Lucerne boasts a developed and well-run
transport network, with the main operator, Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern (VBL), running both the
trolleybuses in Lucerne and a motor buses network in the city and to neighbouring municipalities.
People can move easily from place to place. To access the mountains, you can take a ferry to one of
many little villages along the coast of the lake (Vitznau). Then you can go up by hiking, cable car, or
cog wheel rail.

Lucerne also hosts a number of annual art and music festivals. As a city of festivals, Lucerne
offers a year-round programme of music and culture that's both rich and unique. One of Lucerne's
best-loved traditions is the Lucerne carnival. The city's passion for music enjoys a long tradition.