Lucerne (or Luzern as it’s spelled in Switzerland) is such a lovely city with beautiful sites, views, and plenty of conscious things to do! It’s a relatively small city, so we only spent a day here, but definitely plan on a return. Here’s what we did during our one day in the Swiss city:
Places to See in Lucerne
Kappelbrücke, or “Chapel Bridge” in English
Probably the most iconic site in Lucerne is the Chapel Bridge. Many people walk across it, but it was pretty crowded when we went so we were perfectly happy just looking at the gorgeous structure!
(In these photos, I’m wearing Fair Trade certified Athleta leggings and tank, Veja Wata canvas sneakers, and an old jacket I’ve had for a few years.)
Incredible Views
With beautifully clear water and the mountains in the background, Lucerne makes for a lovely spot to just find a bench or other spot to sit and soak in the views! I easily could’ve spent all day just staring at this picture-perfect scene behind us if it wasn’t for my pale skin + a particularly sunny day.
Ethical Fashion and Fair Trade Shops in Lucerne
Changemaker
Starting off with my favorite spot, Changemaker is an all Fair Trade store with 7 locations around Switzerland, including Lucerne! They have two floors filled with beautiful, ethically made goods, including home decor, books, candles, accessories, chocolate, tea, books and much more.
G-Star Raw
Mainstream denim brand G-Star Raw is going green! The brand has been working on their sustainability practices since 2006, and has made major headway in the past few years. They’ve joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, launched a range of denim with “EarthColors” that are colored with natural dyes from recycled plant waste, AND they released a Gold Level Cradle to Cradle-certified denim fabric. They’re also continually monitoring and improving their supply chain, ensuring facilities are safe spaces for their workers and the environment.
Revendo
Revendo is a used and refurbished electronics store focusing on Apple and Android products. There’s no question that electronic waste is a massive issue, so it was nice to see this store with a commitment to helping reduce this waste, all while providing affordable electronics options to consumers. They have 7 stores across Switzerland, including this one below in Lucerne!
Sustainable and Vegan Places to Eat and Drink in Lucerne
Diechi Gelataria
For a special mid-day treat, we stopped by Diechi. With a view of the Kappelbrücke (Chapel Bridge) and delicious flavors, I can highly recommend this spot! I had sorbetto – which has no diary – in a cone! According to their website, they do not use preservatives and work to include local and sustainably-sourced ingredients where possible.
More Restaurants
We actually didn’t end up eating a full meal in Lucerne since we had a large breakfast in Interlaken that morning, but here are some vegan and vegetarian options we had researched:
Blend Teahaus is a completely vegan and organic restaurant with lunch, dinner and oriental brunch on Sundays. And, of course, they serve a variety of teas from around the world.
Vegan, all-natural restaurant, Karl’s Kraut also serves lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. They also source local and seasonal ingredients, and avoid using additives or conventional industrial sugar.
The “first healthy, and purely vegan restaurant in Lucerne”, Peacefood is a self-service spot for plant-based eats and treats.
Located right outside of the Richard Wagner Museum, Sommer Café is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly spot open seasonally during… you guessed it: the summer!
Crazy CupCake café is a cute spot with vegan brunch food, desserts, and ice cream.
Tidbits is a buffet-style vegetarian and vegan restaurant with over 40 dishes to choose from. Additionally, all of their bread, pastries, eggs, and diary are organic.
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