Discover Kastanienbaum

Kastanienbaum is a locality in the municipality of Horw in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. There are several themes to consider when planning a trip: the Bruder Klaus Church, a winery, Eawag visitor programs and routes on the Horw Peninsula. If you are looking for hotels in Kastanienbaum, you can plan your stay around culture, wine, research or outdoor activities. The following information groups these options by their character and includes practical details for your visit.

Culture and research

The Bruder Klaus Church in Kastanienbaum was consecrated in February 1962. A late Gothic Pietà is located above its side altar. This provides both a specific date in the locality’s recent history and a sacred work of art inside the church. In the Lucerne cantonal list of the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property, as of January 1, 2026, Villa Annemarie in Kastanienbaum is listed as a Category B object. The façade art on the Eawag boathouse also draws on a local legend: in 1992, artist Marcel Nuber immortalized a scene from the legend of Kastanienbaum there.

Eawag in Kastanienbaum offers public guided tours and lectures. These include presentations of research projects on surface waters; visitors can also learn about projects in fish ecology and evolution. This gives those interested a choice of scientific topics to help them decide which public event to attend. As the public program may change, check which tours and lectures are taking place on your dates before planning your visit.

Wine and farm shop

Kastanienbaum Winery offers a 1½- to 2-hour introduction to its world of wine amid the vineyards. A wine tasting includes one sparkling wine, three white wines, three red wines and one sweet wine, served with local specialties. The farm shop is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with no booking required. The regular opening hours and the components of the tasting may change. Check the winery’s current information before your visit.

Landscape and activities

The landscape of the Horw Peninsula stretching to Kastanienbaum is shaped by agriculture and is also a recreational area with mountain biking routes and jogging trails. Steinibachried is another natural attraction: it is protected as a fen and an amphibian spawning site of national importance. These two designations refer to different aspects of its protected status—the type of wetland and its importance as a spawning site.

The “Around the Horw Peninsula” cycling tour passes through Lucerne, Horw and Kastanienbaum before returning to Lucerne. The public park at Villa Krämerstein is a scenic place to stop for a swim along the route. About 600 meters after the Kastanienbaum boat station, you’ll find the Krämerstein bathing area, which has restroom facilities. Before your visit, check the rules for public use and the local information about the facilities.

A guided adventure hike from Lucerne heads toward Kastanienbaum via Felmis and Dickiwald. As availability of the bookable program may change, check the current offer before making firm plans for the hike. Bus 21 runs from Lucerne to the “Kastanienbaum, Schiffstation” stop. As timetables may change, check the connection for your travel date.

For the full travel overview: Horw.