There are cities you visit. And then there are cities you experience.
Lucerne, during LILU, belongs firmly to the latter.
January in Switzerland can be quiet. The festive buzz has faded. Days are short. The cold settles in gently but firmly. And yet, every year, Luzern chooses not to retreat into winter. Instead, it lights up. LILU gives you an emphatic answer to the often asked question – Can I visit Switzerland in Winter?
LILU, the Luzern Light Festival (or Licht Festival as it is locally called), first flickered to life in 2019, when a group of stakeholders, notably Lucerne Hotels and Luzern Tourism, imagined something luminous for January. This was no afterthought. It was a thoughtful response to the winter lull, a way to transform cold, dark streets into something inviting. Something imaginative. Something that gives both locals and visitors a reason to step outside and linger.
Each year, around mid January, for roughly ten beautifully paced days, Luzern turns into a living canvas of light. Art installations, projections, and immersive experiences spill across the old town and along the lakeside. Familiar streets feel newly discovered. Corners you may have walked past before suddenly ask you to stop, look up, and stay a little longer.
As evening falls, the city begins to shift. Historic façades soften under washes of colour. Bridges ripple gently with light. Courtyards and narrow lanes glow just enough to draw you in without ever overwhelming the senses. LILU does not shout. It invites. It rewards slow wandering and quiet curiosity.
More than just pretty pictures, these installations are created by artists from around the world who understand the poetry of restraint. They play with colour, shadow, and narrative. Some works feel playful and intimate, tucked into small squares or unexpected alleyways. Others are grand and expansive, dancing across building fronts or reflecting softly off the lake. Each piece feels considered. Respectful of the city. Deeply in tune with its mood.
This sensitivity is what makes LILU so compelling for the well travelled guest. Luzern’s architecture is never overshadowed. It is enhanced. Light traces the lines of old stone, accentuates history rather than distracting from it, and allows the city to tell a new story without forgetting its past. I marvelled at how subtle and sensitive the lighting was on the famous Chapel Bridge, the focal attraction of the town of Lucerne.
And then there is the pleasure of returning to your hotel at the end of the evening. During LILU, there is no more fitting place to stay than the Mandarin Oriental Palace, Lucerne. The hotel itself becomes part of the festival, its elegant Belle Époque façade illuminated with fantasy light artwork that feels almost cinematic. Stepping inside is a study in contrast. Outside, the city glows. Inside, it is all calm, warmth, and lakefront serenity. The transition feels effortless, and very indulgent.
LILU is fleeting by design. It appears, enchants, and then quietly disappears until the following winter. Perhaps that is why it stays with you. A reminder that even the darkest, quietest days can be reimagined with creativity and care.
For travellers who seek culture with refinement, art with soul, and experiences that surprise even the most seasoned eye, Luzern during LILU is a winter moment worth designing a journey around. The best part is that is that the majority of the festival around the lake is completely free. Some events are ticketed and special. The 2026 festival just ended but we look forward to bringing you information on the next edition in 2027!
There are cities you visit. And then there are cities you experience.
Lucerne, during LILU, belongs firmly to the latter.
January in Switzerland can be quiet. The festive buzz has faded. Days are short. The cold settles in gently but firmly. And yet, every year, Luzern chooses not to retreat into winter. Instead, it lights up. LILU gives you an emphatic answer to the often asked question – Can I visit Switzerland in Winter?
LILU, the Luzern Light Festival (or Licht Festival as it is locally called), first flickered to life in 2019, when a group of stakeholders, notably Lucerne Hotels and Luzern Tourism, imagined something luminous for January. This was no afterthought. It was a thoughtful response to the winter lull, a way to transform cold, dark streets into something inviting. Something imaginative. Something that gives both locals and visitors a reason to step outside and linger.
Each year, around mid January, for roughly ten beautifully paced days, Luzern turns into a living canvas of light. Art installations, projections, and immersive experiences spill across the old town and along the lakeside. Familiar streets feel newly discovered. Corners you may have walked past before suddenly ask you to stop, look up, and stay a little longer.
As evening falls, the city begins to shift. Historic façades soften under washes of colour. Bridges ripple gently with light. Courtyards and narrow lanes glow just enough to draw you in without ever overwhelming the senses. LILU does not shout. It invites. It rewards slow wandering and quiet curiosity.
More than just pretty pictures, these installations are created by artists from around the world who understand the poetry of restraint. They play with colour, shadow, and narrative. Some works feel playful and intimate, tucked into small squares or unexpected alleyways. Others are grand and expansive, dancing across building fronts or reflecting softly off the lake. Each piece feels considered. Respectful of the city. Deeply in tune with its mood.
This sensitivity is what makes LILU so compelling for the well travelled guest. Luzern’s architecture is never overshadowed. It is enhanced. Light traces the lines of old stone, accentuates history rather than distracting from it, and allows the city to tell a new story without forgetting its past. I marvelled at how subtle and sensitive the lighting was on the famous Chapel Bridge, the focal attraction of the town of Lucerne.
And then there is the pleasure of returning to your hotel at the end of the evening. During LILU, there is no more fitting place to stay than the Mandarin Oriental Palace, Lucerne. The hotel itself becomes part of the festival, its elegant Belle Époque façade illuminated with fantasy light artwork that feels almost cinematic. Stepping inside is a study in contrast. Outside, the city glows. Inside, it is all calm, warmth, and lakefront serenity. The transition feels effortless, and very indulgent.
LILU is fleeting by design. It appears, enchants, and then quietly disappears until the following winter. Perhaps that is why it stays with you. A reminder that even the darkest, quietest days can be reimagined with creativity and care.
For travellers who seek culture with refinement, art with soul, and experiences that surprise even the most seasoned eye, Luzern during LILU is a winter moment worth designing a journey around. The best part is that is that the majority of the festival around the lake is completely free. Some events are ticketed and special. The 2026 festival just ended but we look forward to bringing you information on the next edition in 2027!
