Culture, History, and Epic Alpine Vistas in Zurich, Lucerne, Munich

Schweizerisches Landesmuseum (Swiss National Museum)

Museum displaying Swiss history

 Housed in a purpose-built mock-Gothic castle, the museum is often visited just to marvel at its architecture, but actually, this massive building has such superbly presented state-of-the-art displays on the history of the Swiss Confederation that you're sure to find something here that's worth at least an hour or two. If there's one thing the Swiss do, it's that they don't skimp on culture, so you can expect excellent value for money here.

James Joyce Foundation

Museum dedicated to the great Irish writer, James Joyce, wrote Ulysses during his wartime exile in Zurich from 1915-19

Museum dedicated to the great Irish writer, James Joyce, wrote Ulysses during his wartime exile in Zurich from 1915-19

FIFA World Football Museum

Modern museum with over 1000 displays on football (soccer)

Covering three floors in total, the museum traces the history of the game, FIFA, and both men's and women's World Cup competitions. Football junkies will delight in the details and memorabilia like old programs, shirts, boots and footballs, and even an unopened bottle of champagne from England's 1966 World Cup celebrations.

Wasserkirche

13th century church and crypt

The Gothic church is the site of the alleged martyrdom of Zurich's patron saints, Felix and Regula (they had deserted from their Roman legion in 286 and fled to Zurich before they were caught, tried and executed; after decapitation, they miraculously stood to their feet, picked up their own heads, walked forty paces uphill, and prayed before lying down in death). Behind the church is a statue of a sword-wielding Zwingli.

Kunsthaus Zürich

Art museum with major European collections from the 15th century

An absolute must for art enthusiasts. The collection begins before you even get inside: besides the main door is Rodin's vivid Gate of Hell depicting a scene from Dante's Inferno, while sculptures by Moore, Maillol, and others populate the grounds. Inside, Dutch and Flemish paintings are well represented by Rubens, Rembrandt, Hals, and others, and there's a Venetian room with works by Canaletto and El Greco. The collection of 20th-century art is one of the best in the world, with a selection of pop, concrete, and abstract expressionist art headlined by Warhol, Rothko, Bacon, and Twombly. Cubism, Fauvism, Dada, and Surrealism haven't been forgotten either. There are plenty of examples too of Picasso, Chagall, and Kandinsky, plus two canvasses by Monet, in addition to works by Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cezanne, along with the largest Munch collection outside of Norway.

Zytglogge (Clock Tower)

The clock tower with an astronomical clock is the accepted landmark of Bern for both locals and visitors

Built in the 13th century, the Zytglogge once formed part of the Western Gate. Expansion of fortifications in 1270 necessitated raising the Tower by an estimated 7 meters to enable it to look over the surrounding houses. Curiously, the tower was used from around 1350 as a prison for women convicted of improper relations with priests. The great fire of 1405, which destroyed virtually all the former wooden city, did not spare the Zytglogge. So devastating was the structural damage that renovations were not completed until 1983. In the early 15th century, a simple astronomical clock was first added to the gate. The clock and great bell (cast in 1405) gives the tower its name: Zytglogge, or Time Bell in Bernese German.

Altes Zeughaus

The old arsenal, which houses a mildly distracting museum of militaria

The massive collection here documents Solothurn's history of battles and booty, most impressively with a hall full of swords and suits of armor

Lake Lucerne Boat Docks (Luzern Bahnhofquai)

Jesuit Church

One of the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Switzerland

One of the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Switzerland

Richard Wagner Museum Lucerne

15th century home where the composer, Richard Wagner, once lived

His manor house is now an important museum for students and lovers of his music. Numerous paintings and photographs, along with hundreds of letters he wrote to admirers such as King Ludwig II, the philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, and the composer, Franz Liszt, all of whom visited the Tribschen house.

Kultur und Kongresszentrum Luzern

A contemporary cultural complex featuring a concert hall, an art museum, restaurants, and a convention center.

A contemporary cultural complex featuring a concert hall, an art museum, restaurants, and a convention center.

Ritterscher Palace

Built in 1557 as a private mansion, but now hosting Lucerne's cantonal government

 Built in 1557 as a private mansion, but now hosting Lucerne's cantonal government

Kriens-Pilatus Cable Car Station

Bourbaki Panorama

A modern glass building on Löwenplatz called the Bourbaki Panorama

Inside is a giant 114m-by-10m circular mural depicting the retreat into Switzerland of the French Eastern Army under General Bourbaki during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71

Gletschergarten (Glacier Garden)

Discover the fascinating Glacier Garden, where Lucerne’s deep past comes alive in stone and ice.

The Gletschergarten (Glacier Garden) his open-air museum showcases giant potholes formed by glacial meltwater during the last Ice Age, alongside fossils dating back 20 million years. Wander through the rocky formations, climb the observation tower for sweeping city views, and don’t miss the quirky mirror maze built in 1896. A blend of natural wonder and playful history, the Glacier Garden is one of Lucerne’s most distinctive attractions.

Hofbräuhaus

Enjoy some fine Bavarian brews in a beer hall that dates back to 1589.

Originally built in 1598 by Maximilian I, Duke of Bavaria, as an extension to the state brewery, this beer hall was opened to the public in 1828, remodeled in 1897, almost completely destroyed during World War II, and reopened following its restoration in 1958. It is now situated across three floors, with a restaurant, ballroom, and beer garden, and is one of the largest tourist attractions in the city as well as a favorite of locals. This is where the ingurgitation of vast quantities of beer and pretzels has been taking place since 1644. Even if you're a teetotaller, you'll want to at least take a look at the interior of the three-storied temple to the consumption of fermented hops and watch the odd local quaff his or her ale amid the sea of tourists. There's also an attractive courtyard where you can escape the din on a summer's day or evening.

New Town Hall & Glockenspiel

Enjoy the mechanical show as the figures on the Glockenspiel on the New City Hall come to life and re-enact stories from the 16th century.

The Marienplatz is the main square of the Altstadt, and its centerpiece is the domineering facade of the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall). It is decorated with gargoyles and statues, including a dragon scaling the turrets. For a great view of the city, ascend the 279ft (85m) tower (elevator available to the left just inside the main entrance to the town hall). The highlight of the building is the Glockenspiel, which attracts large numbers of tourists at 11 am and noon (and 5pm in the summer) who come to watch the contraption in operation. There's dancing, a joust, and more, all set to musical chimes. Unusually, the New Town Hall mostly survived WWII intact, probably because it was used by Allied bombers as a direction finder for obliterating the rest of the city.

Peterskirche

Climb to the top of Munich's oldest church tower for what is still today its best view.

The best views of central Munich can be viewed from the 302ft (92m) tower of St Peterskirche, inner Munich's oldest church and possibly the city's origin point. The presence of a church on its site goes back to before the city's founding, and it has existed in a number of iterations since. Its nearly 3000ft-tall tower is affectionately called "Alter Pete" or "Old Pete" as a recognition of its significance to Munich's social and cultural history.

Viktualienmarkt

Assemble a gourmet picnic lunch in one of Europe's best known markets.

The Viktualienmarkt is one of Central Europe's finest gourmet markets where many of the stalls have been run by generations of the same family. Prices are high, but you can gather all the ingredients for an haute cuisine picnic and then seat yourself in the market's own beer garden to enjoy an al fresco lunch. The very existence of such a market in an old town quarter is the result of Munich's dedication to preserving its past. Fearing that fast food chains will replace the old-fashioned market stalls and quaint eateries that make the Viktulienmarkt one of Europe’s most charming squares, the city subsidizes the rent so they can survive on the some of Germany’s most expensive real estate.

Jewish Museum

Learn about Munich's rich Jewish heritage and see it's most striking synagogue.

The museum focuses on Munich's Jewish heritage, as well as Jewish history and culture in general, with a contemporary flair and modern means of display. Adjacent to the museum is the Ohel Jakob synagogue, which ranks among the most striking structures built in the city in recent years. It is the first synagogue to serve as the main synagogue of the city since the Nazi Kristallnacht (i.e. the Night of Broken Glass). Tours are offered but must be arranged 10 days in advance.

Frauenkirche

Restored Gothic church.

The Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, dominates the Altstadt. This is because the twin onion-domed towers inspired the city council to prohibit any other building in the Altstadt from exceeding their height of 325ft (99m). Much of the interior was destroyed during WWII, but it has been rebuilt. An attraction that survived the bombing in original form is the Teufelstritt, or Devil's Footstep, at the entrance. This is a black mark resembling a footprint, which according to legend is the result of a deal the devil made with the builder to finance construction of the church on the condition that it contains no windows. The clever builder, however, tricked the devil by positioning columns so that the windows were not visible from the spot where the devil stood in the foyer. By the time the devil discovered that he had been tricked, he could not enter the already consecrated church. The devil could only stand in the foyer and stomp his foot furiously, which left the dark footprint that remains visible in the church's entrance today.

Residenz Palace Museum

Wander where you will, audio guide in hand, through the spectactular royal residence.

You'll experience jaw-dropping architecture and beautiful artwork as you explore the museum and the adjacent Royal Treasury. Among the many highlights, unmissable is the Antiquarium, the largest and most lavish Renaissance hall north of the Alps. The window reveals are decorated with 102 views of towns, markets, and palaces in what was then the Duchy of Bavaria, providing an unique insight into how the country once looked. The Rich Chapel (Reiche Kapelle) was the private place of worship of Duke Maximilian I and his wife, and it was decorated with particular magnificence using colored marble and gilt reliefs. The Ornate Rooms (Reiche Zimmer) meanwhile represent a high point of the court Rococo style, and are works of art in their own right. 

Cuvilliés-Theatre

Visit what is perhaps the most ostentatious and sensually overwhelming building in Munich.

The exceptionally extravagant court theatre was built by Elector Max III Joseph's court architect François Cuvilliés between 1751 and 1755, and was intended to showcase Munich as a home to the arts and the enlightenment. It only survived the destruction of WWII because the elaborately carved tiers of boxes were removed from their original location in the Alte Residenztheater building for safekeeping. It's still used as a theatre today.FYI - to visit the Cuvilliés-Theatre you need to exit the museum and walk around the palace to get onto Residenzstraße and then re-enter the palace and cross through either the Chapel Courtyard or the Imperial Courtyard. 

Odeonsplatz

See the square where Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch came to a bloody end.

The square directly adjacent to the Residence is the Odeonsplatz, which is guarded by the Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshalls' Hall) in honor of the Bavarian army. It was here that Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch in 1923 came to a bloody end in a gun battle with the police. During the Nazi regime, anyone passing the Feldherrnhalle was obliged to give the Nazi salute, which prompted some locals to instead take a side street. The Nazis derogatorily nicknamed it the Shirkers' Alley, but the 'shirkers' are memorialized in a trail of brass cobblestones. Also on the square is the bright yellow Theatinerkirche with its two massive twin towers. It was the personal church of Bavaria's rulers and many of them are interred there.  

Chinese Tower

Enjoy some Bavarian brews with the locals in Munich's second largest beer garden.

Located in the middle of the English Gardens, this beer garden (7,000 seats) is located beneath the wooden Chinese Tower. The 25 meter high (75 feet) pagoda was built in 1789 during a pan-European craze for all things East Asian. The food stalls around the pagoda offer traditional beer garden food such as Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Hendl (roasted chicken) and Schweinshaxn (roasted pork knuckle). The beer served is Hofbräu and a Maß Hell (lager).

Eisbachwelle

Watch surfers catch some waves in the middle of the city.

At the extreme southern end of the park you can find one of the more unusual and entertaining pastimes enjoyed by the locals - surfing on the man-made Eisbach river. There is a standing wave produced by the water pumping mechanism and surfers line up along the bank taking turns entering the water with their boards. After a minute or so, successful surfers will voluntarily drop out, returning to the end of the line allowing the next person in line an opportunity. The water is cold and shallow (sometimes only 40 cm deep), making it suitable only for experienced surfers.

Linderhof Palace

Stop by King Ludwig II's smallest palace on your way to Neuschwanstein and explore its delightful gardens.

Another of the eccentric (some say mad) King Ludwig II's creations is Linderhof Palace, which with its fantastic grotto and Moorish pavilion testifies to the king's vision. The smallest of his three palaces that he built, it is the only one that he lived to see completed. The palace is in between Munich and Neuschwanstein, meaning many tours stop there along the way.

Mary's Bridge

Enjoy a stunning view of the castle while suspended over a mountainous gorge.

You definitely won't want to miss taking in the best views and photographs of Neuschwanstein from Marienbrücke (Mary's Bridge) over the dramatic Pöllat Gorge. The minibus terminal is very close at just 5 min walk away, while it's a steepish 10-15min climb on a wide and well-groomed path to get there from behind the castle. As noted above, Mary's Bridge can get a little crowded, so you might have to wait for a gap before you can fit on.