I am going to lucern.Is it advisable to take a day trip to Bern and Basel. What is interesting in these towns that I can see. Please advice

Nothing in Basel. Unless, you are into doing tours of large drug companies in industrial settings.

Oh, I couldn't disagree more about Basel! It is really the art center of Switzerland. Just wonderful museums and galleries: The Tinguely museum, the Beyerler Foundation Gallery, a wonderful modern art museum along the river, not to mention the big museum of art. I've visited Berne many times and have always taken a day trip from there to Basel. If your choice is Berne vs. Basel for a day trip, I would go to Basel.

We enjoyed our overnight stay in Basel - can't compare to Bern as we have not yet visited there.

http://switzerland.isyours.com/e/guide/basel/

http://www.baseltourismus.ch/opencms...ish/index.html

http://www.basel.ch/en/tourism_leisure/highlights.html

Saying there is nothing to see in Basel is just plain nonsense. It has an excellent collection of museums, a picturesque old town with lively pedestrians-only streets, an interesting muenster, some excellent shops and restaurants and IMHO, the best chocolate in Switzerland (Schiesser, on the Marktplatz).
Berne is very attractive, has a good art museum and a pretty old town with arcades, fountains and clock tower. They are both good day trip choices. However, I wouldn't do a day trip to either on Sunday, though; Bern will particularly quiet.

I understand that Basel does have quite alot to see and do. Hope to visit. I have been to Bern however. It's very small, looks a bit smaller than Basel, but I'm not sure. Not too much to do in Bern but it is very pretty.

Both Bern and Basel have their merits--particularly Bern's arcade main street with the fountains and Basel's wonderful art museum and zoo. Bern is a little more compact--almost everything to see is an easy walk from the train station. You could even see some of both in one long day since they are only an hour apart.

I stayed at Lucerne last May and took a daytrip to Bern. It's beautiful and you can pretty much cover all the attractions in 1-2hr.

If you're going to Bern, do remember to request a city-map of Bern from the Lucerne Tourist Info before you go. If you get it at Bern, you have to pay for it, but in Lucerne they provide it for free...strange...The city-map will have a suggested walk which you can follow to cover the main attractions around the old town. The highlights of our trip was actually seeing the bears in the pit (not that I've never seen real bears before in my life). Right besides the bear pits there's this small building which you can enter to watch a short show on the history of the city-building of Bern. I wasn't keen on it initially but when we were there the english show just started and we thought why not. It turns out to be a rather interesting & informative show.

IMO Bern is a really lovely old town. You must also go to the place where you can get a great aerial view of the town with the wonderful rooftops (you will reach it if you follow the city guide on the brochure). Enjoy your stay!