Brunnen on Lake Lucerne: lakeside promenade, boats and excursions
Brunnen lies exactly where Lake Lucerne bends into the Urnersee, its fjord-like southern arm. From the promenade you look between rock walls across the water to the Gotthard mountains. Painters such as William Turner set up their easels here. Today Brunnen is a practical base on the eastern shore of the lake. This is where the boats put in, and from here you reach the Stoos and the Rütli. In the village itself you can assemble your own pocket knife at the Victorinox visitor centre. Below you will find what there is to do in Brunnen.
1. The promenade and the evening light
The lakeside promenade is the heart of Brunnen. It is long, lined with cafés and offers a wide view into the Urnersee. Behind you stand the two Mythen; opposite lies the cliff of Seelisberg. The light is especially fine in the evening, when the low sun lights up the rock walls along the Urnersee. When the warm foehn blows down from the Gotthard, the Urnersee becomes a playground for surfers and sailors. Instead of swans you are then more likely to see kitesurfers on the water.
2. Out on the boats
Brunnen is one of the most important stations of the Lake Lucerne shipping company. Steamers and motor vessels link the village with Lucerne, with Flüelen and with all the villages in between. The trip to Lucerne takes about two hours and is a fine lake voyage. Especially popular is the short crossing to the Rütli meadow, the cradle of the Confederation, which takes only about ten minutes. More on this in the article The Rütli meadow. You can also sail to Treib, where the small red funicular of 1916 climbs to Seelisberg. All scheduled boats are covered by the GA travelcard and the Swiss Travel Pass.
3. Assembling your own pocket knife
The Victorinox Brand Store with the Swiss Knife Valley visitor centre on Bahnhofstrasse is the most important indoor destination in Brunnen. There is a free knife museum and films about production. In the workshop you can assemble your own knife, something offered in only a few places worldwide. For that you should reserve in advance. Everything else is in the article Victorinox in Brunnen.
4. Visiting the Bundeskapelle
The Bundeskapelle near the village centre is small but of great historical weight. It recalls the renewal of the Confederate alliance in Brunnen in 1315, a few days after the battle of Morgarten. Brunnen is thus itself a stage of the founding story, between the Rütli on the opposite shore and the federal charters in Schwyz. More on the charters in the article Federal Charter Museum and Forum of Swiss History.
5. Up to Morschach, the Stoos and the Fronalpstock
Above Brunnen lies the sun terrace of Morschach, which you reach by bus from the station. From there you see the same landscape from higher up. Morschach is also where the cable car to the car-free Stoos starts, the second way into the village alongside the record-breaking funicular. From the Stoos the chairlift takes you to the Fronalpstock, where a wide panorama over the region opens up. The ridge walk between the Klingenstock and the Fronalpstock is among the best-known ridge paths in Switzerland. More on this: Stoos Ridge Hike and Getting to Stoos from Lucerne and Zurich.
6. Walking straight from Brunnen
- Bützi–Stockflue: our demanding local round begins at Brunnen station and climbs to the Stockflue, an exposed viewpoint directly above the roofs of the village. The tour fills half a day and is only suitable for walkers with a sure step. To the route: A demanding loop from Brunnen to the Timpel
- Towards Gersau: the shore path to the former mini-republic of Gersau runs comfortably along the water. Above it lies the Hochflue, whose circuit likewise counts among our five-star viewpoints. To the route: Up the Hochflue from Obergschwend
- Swiss Path: the 35 km commemorative path around the Urnersee traditionally begins with the boat trip from Brunnen to the Rütli. How the first stage runs is described in the article The Rütli meadow.
7. Eating and staying
The lakefront is a good place to linger. Fish from the lake comes to the table and the terraces look out over the Urnersee. In the centre stands the tradition-rich Weisses Rössli, which has housed travellers since the days of the mail coaches, crowned heads among them. Families will find a large holiday resort with pools and water slides up in Morschach.
Practical points
Getting there: Brunnen is on the Gotthard main line. From Lucerne you are here in about 45 minutes, from Zurich in about an hour with a change in Arth-Goldau, from Schwyz in 10 minutes. Boats connect Brunnen with the whole lake.
A good base for: anyone who wants to combine lake, mountains and history in one place without the prices and crowds of Lucerne. The Stoos, the Rütli, Schwyz and the Rigi (via Arth-Goldau) all lie within half an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brunnen worth it? Yes, for the view of the Urnersee alone. Besides, Brunnen is a convenient starting point for the Stoos, the boat to the Rütli and round trips on the lake.
What is Brunnen known for? Brunnen is known for its promenade with the view into the fjord-like Urnersee and for the renewal of the alliance in 1315. Today many guests also come for the Victorinox visitor centre, where they can assemble a pocket knife themselves.
Is Brunnen a good base on Lake Lucerne? Yes. Main-line trains and all scheduled boats stop in Brunnen. Above it lie the Stoos and Morschach, and not far away Schwyz and the Rigi. Prices are usually lower than in Lucerne.
How do I get from Brunnen to the Rütli? The boat takes about ten minutes to the Rütli landing stage. From there it is a seven to ten minute walk up to the meadow.
