French architect Jean Nouvel’s waterfront arts and convention centre is a postmodern jaw-dropper in an otherwise historic city. Inside, the tall, narrow concert hall, partly built below the lake’s surface, is surrounded by a reverberation chamber and has an adjustable suspended ceiling, all creating a bubble of silence that results in near perfect acoustics. Countless accolades showered upon the hall have raised the profile of the Lucerne Festival, increasingly one of the highlights on the global music calendar. Check the website for complete opening hours.