Ever wish you knew the inside scoop before visiting a new destination? Now you can! We’ve reached out to our favorite locals and tour guides from all over the world for their insider tips. In the City Insider Q&A, they’ll let you in on the spots that should be on your must-see and -do list!

Sabine Schneitter
Sabine Schneitter

Name: Sabine Schneitter

Occupation: Tour Guide

City: Lucerne, Switzerland

How the locals pronounce the name of the city: Lozärn

Online: luzern.com, @I_love_lucerne (Twitter), I love Lucerne (Facebook), Luzern Tourismus (YouTube), ilove_lucerne (Intagram)

Short bio: I started working as a licensed tour guide almost 10 years ago. Foreign people and their cultures have always fascinated me. Eight months of the year I do work as a city guide in my lovely home town Lucerne or as a hiking guide in the nearby mountains. The rest of the year I bring Swiss tourists to Central Asia and Iran for cultural and hiking tours. I am very happy to speak six languages, allowing me to meet and guide very interesting people from all over the world. I love it—it is the best job you can dream of!

Best way to get to/from airport: Easiest by train! The train station is right at the airport (next to check-in 3), just follow the signs with your luggage trolley. Direct trains to Lucerne leave every hour, travelling time is about one hour.

Best way to get to/from train station: By bus, by taxi or simply by walking.

Favorite 5-star hotel: Hotel Schweizerhof.

Favorite budget hotel: Hotel ibis Luzern Kriens.

5 places visitors must see:

  1. Old medieval town with Chapel Bridge and Musegg Wall
  2. KKL
  3. Lion Monument
  4. Trip on Lake Lucerne
  5. Trip to Mount Pilatus

Best local newspaper/recommended reading (for finding out what’s going on about town): Living in Lucerne.

Favorite fine dining restaurant: Restaurant des Balances.

Favorite casual restaurant: Valentino.

Best place to get a coffee: LUZ, Café de Ville.

Favorite bar/lounge: Sunset Bar in summer, otherwise Louis Bar.

Best music venue/place to see live music: KKL for classical music. Every Thursday: jam session at Louis Bar at the Hotel Montana. Otherwise Schüür or Jazzkantine. If you come in July: Blue Balls Festival.

Favorite museum: Rosengart Collection.

Best sports venue(s): Luzerner StadtlaufLucerne Marathon.

Most popular local food: Lozärner Chügelipastete (a puff pastry shell filled with diced veal and mushrooms in a creamy sauce).

Best “locals-only” spot & event: Lucerne Carnival: the best days of the year (dancing away winter). Seebad: historic outdoor
swimming pool.

To live like a local, you must have this experience: Buy fruits, vegetables, flowers, and bread at farmer;s market on Tuesday or Saturday along the Reuss River.

Local/native fruit or dish to try: Lozärner Chügelipastete (puff pastry shell filled with diced veal and mushrooms in a creamy sauce), pear bread from Kurmann Confiserie, lebkuchen from Merz Bakery.

Most popular local drink: Luzerner Bier (beer from Lucerne) or Kafi Luz (hot alcoholic coffee beverage in winter and during Carnival).

Movies/TV shows filmed in your city: Tatort.

Best souvenirs to buy/goods to bring home: Chocolate from Läderach or cheese from Barmettler.

Best place to volunteer: Blue Balls Festival, Lucerne Marathon.

Biggest tourist trap/places to avoid and when: Schwanenplatz: most of the time very busy.

Best smartphone app(s) for your city: City Guide Lucerne.

Best travel tip: Walk the old town and up to the Musegg Wall, visit the Clock Tower, walk along the lake all the way to the Museum of Transportation and come back by boat. Take a sip from a public fountain! Fountain water comes from fresh water sources at Mount Pilatus and is drinkable all year round!

 

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