cafe
Ace Cafe Luzern
The first overseas outpost of London's legendary biker hangout, complete with diner, shop and event halls in Rothenburg near Lucerne: a magnet for petrolhead meets.
19 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeSwitzerlandLucerne
Willisau
Lucerne, Switzerland · Europe
About Willisau
Willisau works well as a base: 5 minutes from Ettiswil, 35km from Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee).
Willisau is in Lucerne, Switzerland, with about 7,800 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ettiswil, about 4 km away.
Willisau is a municipality in the district of Willisau in the Lucerne canton of Switzerland. It was formed on 1 January 2006 from the municipalities of Willisau Land (W. Country) and Willisau Stadt (W. Town). On 1 January 2021 the former municipality of Gettnau merged into Willisau.
Where to Stay in Willisau
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Willisau?
Within an hour or so of Willisau: Ace Cafe Luzern (19 km), Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) (25 km), Lion Monument (25 km), Mount Pilatus (25 km).
Are there any good drives near Willisau?
The nearest famous roads are Glaubenbielen Pass, Brünig Pass and Circuit Bremgarten.
Where is Willisau?
Willisau is in Lucerne, Switzerland, about 4 km from Ettiswil.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 7,780
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Switzerland
- Region
- Lucerne
- Timezone
- Europe/Zurich
- Coordinates
- 47.1218, 7.9942
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Switzerland
Motorway vignette (toll sticker) required: buy at the border or online. Roadside assistance (TCS): 140.
Full driving guide for SwitzerlandTags
Worth the detour from Willisau
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)
Europe's oldest covered wooden bridge, built in 1333 across the Reuss River in Lucerne with 17th-century painted panels inside.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Lion Monument
Mark Twain called it the most mournful piece of stone in the world: a dying lion carved into a cliff face commemorating Swiss Guards killed in the French Revolution.
25 km · about 30 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Mount Pilatus
A jagged mountain above Lucerne reachable by the world's steepest cogwheel railway, steeped in dragon legends and offering 73-peak panoramas.
25 km · about 30 min drive
museum
Swiss Museum of Transport
Switzerland's most-visited museum featuring an extensive automobile collection alongside trains, planes, and spacecraft.
27 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
Glaubenbielen Pass
A quiet pass over the Obwalden ridge between Giswil and Sörenberg, with wide views over the Entlebuch biosphere.
34 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee)
A stunningly shaped lake surrounded by mountains where Switzerland was founded, with paddle steamers and the Rütli meadow.
35 km · about 40 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Mount Rigi
The 'Queen of the Mountains' above Lake Lucerne, site of Europe's first mountain railway and offering sunrise panoramas over the Alps.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Willisau
7 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- 25 kmMount PilatusA jagged mountain above Lucerne reachable by the world's steepest cogwheel railway, steeped in dragon legends and offering 73-peak panoramas.
- 34 kmGlaubenbielen PassA quiet pass over the Obwalden ridge between Giswil and Sörenberg, with wide views over the Entlebuch biosphere.
- 38 kmMount RigiThe 'Queen of the Mountains' above Lake Lucerne, site of Europe's first mountain railway and offering sunrise panoramas over the Alps.
- 42 kmBrünig PassThe year-round link between Interlaken and Lucerne, low enough to stay open and scenic enough to enjoy.
- 48 kmCircuit BremgartenThe 7.3km forest circuit outside Bern where racing ended after Switzerland banned circuit motorsport in 1955. Its dappled, constantly curving roads through the Bremgartenwald are open to traffic and eerily unchanged.
- 50 kmAxenstrasseA spectacular cliff-hugging shore road blasted into the rock above Lake Lucerne between Brunnen and Fluelen, threading galleries and tunnels with constant views across the Uri arm of the lake.
Driving in Switzerland
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €42 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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