Lucerne Carnival
Every winter, Christmas and the Lucerne Carnival are the two most important traditional festivals in Lucerne. While Christmas is a time for family gatherings at home, the Lucerne Carnival is when friends go out to let loose. As Switzerland’s largest costume carnival, the 2013 edition was held from February 7 to February 12. During those days, Lucerne transforms from a quiet city into a wild and fantastical stage filled with masked crowds. Hundreds of carnival musicians and bands play their instruments and beat their drums as they parade through the city. Brilliant costumes converge on the Kornmarkt Square from all directions, where people of all ages dance and cheer to the rhythm of the music. The city stays lively until Ash Wednesday, marking the end of the carnival. The old town’s streets, alleys, and squares host dazzling outdoor parties. On these days, the dreamlike masks and costumes, joyful music, and colorful parades define Lucerne. This enduring tradition makes visitors feel as if they’ve stepped into a fairy tale.
French writer Victor Hugo also visited Lucerne many times. He once wrote: “Lucerne is elegant and tranquil, with gentle waters lapping softly against the riverbanks, flowing softly beneath my feet...” He also described the city as: “Each rock is a letter, each lake a sentence, each village an exclamation mark. Centuries of stories drift like wisps of smoke. This is the history of Switzerland…” Don’t forget that beyond the fairy-tale-like beauty, Lucerne’s stories and traditions are also vividly preserved—just like the snowmelt that has flowed down from the Alps for millennia, never ceasing.