Surrounded by mountains and lakes, full of charming historic buildings, Lucerne in Central Switzerland enchants tourists from all over the world. With a great hotel offer and privileged location, the central destination for those who want to visit the country also offers attractions in its surroundings, such as the enchanting town of Engelberg and TITLIS mountain, which is covered with snow all year round and has lifts to take the breath!

It is also famous for its festivities, with an extensive calendar of celebrations and events spread throughout the year, especially music. One of them is the Carnival, even if a little different from what Brazilians are accustomed to. The parades last almost a full week and are full of strange, masked characters and lots of live music.

The city attracts many visitors because of its cultural plurality. The traditional Lucerne Easter Festival, which has a mobile date, such as the Carnival, this year held between March 17 and 25, is a great example. With a focus on sacred music, the event featured music stars for the city, with highlights for Riccardo Chailly, the Philharmonic Orchestra della Scala and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under the regency of Mariss Jansons. Among the soloists will be Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva, tenor Rolando Villazón and pianist András Schiff, with surprising interpretations of the works of Bach and Mozart.

For more than 30 years, the event takes place every spring, two weeks before Easter, and runs through Palm Sunday. The musical festival takes place at the KKL Luzern Cultural and Convention Center, located by the lake’s namesake. The KKL, designed by the world famous architect Jean Nouvel, is recognized for having one of the best acoustics in the world, which makes the Lucerne Festival at Easter even more prestigious. Full programming is available here.

Photo: LUCERNE FESTIVAL / Priska Ketterer