Stans

Town · Nidwalden Canton, 🇨🇭 Switzerland

Stans is the main town of the canton of Nidwalden, in central Switzerland, just south of Lake Lucerne. It has a small, quiet old centre with a large square and a church with a tall tower.

A cable car climbs from the nearby village to the Stanserhorn, a mountain with wide views. Stans is a calm base for the lake and for Lucerne.

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When to visit

May to October is best for the Stanserhorn and the lake. Summer is warm. Winter is cool and foggy in the valley, and the mountain cable car runs in a shorter season.

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Typical weather in January

Poor

5° (feels like 1°) · extremes -9°–11°
-2° at night
14 rainy days
2 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in February

Poor

6° (feels like 2°) · extremes -11°–13°
-1° at night
12 rainy days
5 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in March

Poor

10° (feels like 7°) · extremes -5°–18°
2° at night
14 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in April

Fair

15° (feels like 12°) · extremes -1°–22°
6° at night
14 rainy days
10 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in May

Good

19° (feels like 17°) · extremes 4°–26°
10° at night
19 rainy days
8 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in June

Good

23° · extremes 9°–29°
14° at night
19 rainy days
10 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in July

Good

24° · extremes 11°–30°
16° at night
18 rainy days
11 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in August

Good

24° · extremes 11°–30°
16° at night
17 rainy days
12 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in September

Good

21° (feels like 20°) · extremes 6°–27°
12° at night
14 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in October

Good

17° (feels like 15°) · extremes 2°–23°
8° at night
13 rainy days
6 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in November

Poor

10° (feels like 7°) · extremes -5°–18°
3° at night
14 rainy days
2 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in December

Poor

6° (feels like 2°) · extremes -9°–12°
-1° at night
14 rainy days
1 sunny day
2 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Top sights

Stanserhorn

Winkelried MemorialThe Winkelried memorial was erected in memory of Arnold von Winkelried, who sacrificed his life in the Battle of Sempach on the 9 July…

Rotzberg CastleRotzberg or Rotzburg is a ruined castle in the municipality of Ennetmoos in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.

Winkelriedhaus

St. Peter und Paul

Salzmagazin

Stanserhorn is a mountain with a cable car, including a roofless upper deck.
Winkelrieddenkmal is a monument for a hero of Swiss history.
Winkelriedhaus is a museum in a historic house.
St. Peter und Paul is the main parish church of the town.
Salzmagazin is an old salt warehouse used for art shows.
Burg Rotzberg is a castle ruin above the lake.
Bourbaki-Denkmal Stans recalls the French soldiers who found refuge in Switzerland in 1871.
Frey Näpfli Stiftung is a small museum of a foundation.

Featured Lists

Unknown authorUnknown author / pd

Stans Essentials

Stans combines Alpine engineering with deep-rooted Swiss history. The ascent to the Stanserhorn peak begins at the 1893 funicular station, leading to the CabriO, the world's first open-top cable car. The town center is marked by the Winkelried Memorial, honoring the 1386 Battle of Sempach. Cultural highlights include the Salzmagazin, an 18th-century salt warehouse, and the Winkelriedhaus, a 15th-century manor. The skyline is dominated by the Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul, which retains its 12th-century Romanesque bell tower.

7 places

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Religious Heritage

Stans preserves a diverse collection of Catholic landmarks reflecting centuries of Swiss religious tradition. The centerpiece is the 17th-century parish church of St. Peter and Paul, which retains its original Romanesque tower. The town's spiritual landscape includes the 16th-century Capuchin Monastery of St. Klara and several specialized chapels, such as the historic Galgenkapelle and the hillside Lourdesgrotte. These sites range from grand Baroque architecture to modest pilgrimage stations scattered throughout the valley.

8 places

What to experience

Ride the cable car to the top of the Stanserhorn.
Walk through the old square and see the monument.
Take the train to Lucerne for a day.
Take a boat on the lake from a nearby harbour.
Hike on the paths above the town.

Tours & Activities

Stans — Map

Day trips

Lucerne is about 15 minutes away by train.
Lake Lucerne is nearby, with boats to many villages.
Engelberg is a mountain resort with an abbey, about 40 minutes away.
The Bürgenstock is a hill with a famous lift and views over the lake.

Where to explore

Lake Lucerne is the main lake region next to Stans.

Getting there

By air: Zurich is the main airport, about 1 hour 30 minutes away.
By train: Stans is on a regional line from Lucerne. Check times on SBB.
The train from Lucerne takes about 15 minutes.

Getting around

The old centre is small and easy to walk.
Local buses link Stans with the nearby villages.
A cable car goes up the Stanserhorn from the nearby village of Kälti.

Driving

A car is not needed for the town.
The A2 motorway passes close by.
Parking in the centre is easy.

Food & drink

Try cheese, dried meat and cream dishes from central Switzerland. Local apples are a specialty. Nidwalden also has a tradition of fine pastry.

People speak German with a local dialect. English is widely understood.

Breakfast

BirchermüesliA raw-oat, fruit, and yogurt breakfast invented by a Zurich doctor around 1900, now standard on breakfast buffets.

Lunch

RöstiA fried, shredded-potato cake, originally a Bernese farmer's breakfast, now a national side dish.

Dinner

Cheese Fondue FondueMelted Gruyère and Vacherin cheese in a shared pot, eaten by dipping bread cubes on long forks.

RacletteCheese melted tableside or under a grill and scraped over boiled potatoes, pickles, and onions.

Zürcher GeschnetzeltesSliced veal and mushrooms in a creamy white-wine sauce, traditionally served with rösti.

ÄlplermagronenAlpine herder's macaroni gratin with potatoes, cheese, and cream, often topped with fried onions and served with apple sauce.

Snacks & street food

CervelatSwitzerland's best-known sausage, usually grilled and often called the country's unofficial national dish.

Sweets & desserts

Swiss Chocolate Schweizer SchokoladeSwitzerland pioneered milk chocolate in the 19th century; look for small-batch chocolatiers alongside the big national brands.

Basler LäckerliA dense, spiced honey-and-candied-fruit biscuit from Basel, traditional around Christmas.

Drinks

Swiss Wine Vin SuisseMostly consumed domestically rather than exported; Valais and Vaud, along Lake Geneva, produce the best-known Chasselas whites.

Safety & health

Stans is very safe.
Mountain weather changes fast.
The cable car may close in wind.
Stay on marked paths.

History

Stans is one of the oldest settlements of the Swiss Confederation. In 1481, a diet held here ended a conflict between the cantons. A local man who offered help is remembered as a saviour.

The town was damaged in 1798, when French troops attacked, and was later rebuilt.