Discover Gersau: Culture, Lake and Mountain Scenery

Gersau combines local history and cultural events with swimming spots on Lake Lucerne and hiking trails in the mountain landscape. If you’re looking for a hotel in Gersau, the events and activities that interest you can be a good starting point for planning your trip. Options range from museum visits and concerts to time by the water and hikes.

Local History and Concerts

The Gersau Local History Museum opened in 1984 and is housed in the town hall, which was built in 1745. Notable features of the town hall include paintings and carefully crafted figurative details. At the museum, you can learn more about the time the Swedish national author August Strindberg spent in Gersau. A dedicated room shows how silk came to Gersau. The different topics offer insight into various aspects of local history.

The Maria-Hilf Chapel, also known as Kindli Chapel, is another cultural attraction. It is set in idyllic surroundings and is a popular wedding venue. Every year, it hosts a candlelight concert as part of StradivariFEST. The festival is considered a tradition and a fixture during the last week of July. Its concerts take place at various venues: by the lake, in a magnificent church, in hotel halls, beside and inside chapels, at scenic viewpoints and on boats. Specific dates and individual venues may vary, so check the programme for your visit dates before travelling.

Another concert programme takes place on the Seebühne, located directly by the lake. Almost 30 concerts are held there over four months. At the Sunday concerts at 10:30 a.m., folk music groups alternate with blues, Dixieland and jazz bands. The concert series and StradivariFEST differ both in their timing and in the venues mentioned. If a concert is important to your travel plans, check your dates against the current programme.

Swimming on Lake Lucerne

Cholplatz lido is on the edge of the village of Gersau. From there, you can enjoy views of the surrounding mountain panorama and the village. The facility has a family-friendly atmosphere and features a large non-swimmer pool with a slide, as well as a sandpit. Cholplatz therefore combines swimming facilities with views of the landscape and village. Opening is seasonal and may change; check the latest information before your visit.

Kindli lido is idyllically situated on Lake Lucerne and surrounded by pine trees. Stand-up paddleboards are available to rent there. The two lidos offer different features: Cholplatz has, among other things, a pool, slide and sandpit, while Kindli is described in terms of its lakeside setting and board rental. Seasonal opening may also change here, so it is worth checking the latest information before your visit.

Hiking and Mountain Scenery

Gersau has 30 km of marked hiking trails starting at Gersau boat station. The Gersau Experience Trail offers a special way to learn more about the surrounding area along the way: information boards share details about nature, geology and history. The information about the hiking trail network is therefore distinct from the thematic information along the Experience Trail. Trail conditions may change; check them before your hike.

Above the village, at 1,550 m above sea level, stands Gersau’s local mountain, Rigi Burggeist. From there, you can enjoy views of the Alpine panorama and Lake Lucerne. The idyllic alpine landscape is accessible on foot or by cable car. For planning your time, you can consider these two ways of getting there and the hiking trails as different ways to experience the mountain scenery. Public transport also takes visitors into the mountains or to excursion destinations and back again. As timetables may change, it is worth checking the current connections before travelling.

Gersau’s Landscape

Gersau forms a self-contained landscape in a sunny, sheltered hollow on the southern slope of Rigi. Rigi-Hochfluh and Gersauerstock protect it from the north, while Lake Lucerne shields it from cold winds to the south. The exceptionally mild climate even allows sweet chestnut trees to thrive. The region is also known as the Riviera of Lake Lucerne. These landscape features give Gersau a distinctive setting for cultural, swimming and hiking stays.

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