Lucerne has changed considerably with the rise of tourism. The 19th century is characterized by the disintegration of the city. Towers, gates, bridges and walls were demolished and lakesides as well as promenades by the Reuss River were built. In 1835 the Hotel Schwanen (Swan) opened as the first hotel building by the lake, followed by the Hotel Schweizerhof, which opened in 1845 as the first luxury hotel. The era of new means of transport favored the city of Lucerne as a tourist town and as a starting point for excursions. In 1837 was the maiden voyage of the flush deck-steamer «Stadt Luzern I» on Lake Lucerne and in 1859 the first railroad reached the city. The population rose dramatically, and just before the First World War the city of Lucerne had nearly 40,000 inhabitants, about nine times more than 100 years before.

Today Lucerne is considered one of the most remarkable tourist destinations in Switzerland with approximately 1 million overnight stays per year.