Lausanne is a metropolitan city in the heart of Europe and home to a population of 345,000 inhabitants. Nearly 40 per cent of its residents are foreign citizens and at least 160 different nationalities live alongside each other. It is located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud.
Lausanne faces the French town of Evian-les-Bains, and is 62 kilometres north-west of Geneva. The headquarters of the International Olympic Committee are located in Lausanne – the IOC officially recognises the city as the Olympic Capital. In addition, the city has a 28-station metro system, making it the smallest city in the world to have a rapid transit system.
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Want to explore Lausanne on foot? Take the Olympic Walk, which will take you to some of the most beautiful sites in the city. The Old Town and its remarkable cathedral should also be on your list of things to do in Lausanne, as well as a walk or a tourist train ride through the Lavaux vineyard, a UNESCO World Heritage site overlooking Lake Geneva. The lake itself can offer you some exciting and unique experiences, as well as Ouchy, a walk along the lake shore where you will find walkers, runners and cyclists alongside children playing and people sunbathing or relaxing. City tours are also available and can help you organise your time here!
Want to explore Lausanne on foot? Take the Olympic Walk, which will take you to some of the most beautiful sites in the city. The Old Town and its remarkable cathedral should also be on your list of things to do in Lausanne, as well as a walk or a tourist train ride through the Lavaux vineyard, a UNESCO World Heritage site overlooking Lake Geneva. The lake itself can offer you some exciting and unique experiences, as well as Ouchy, a walk along the lake shore where you will find walkers, runners and cyclists alongside children playing and people sunbathing or relaxing. City tours are also available and can help you organise your time here!
Lausanne is home not only to lots of museums of its own, but also nearly 20 cantonal and private museums. Ranging from the Olympic Museum to the Collection de l’Art Brut, museums in Lausanne are rich in history and their exhibitions, which leave a lasting impression on visitors, are widely known. Don’t miss Plateforme 10, a new complex located right next to the railway station hosting the Vaud Museum of Fine Arts. Plateforme 10 also house the Musée de l’Elysée (a photography museum) and Mudac (the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts). Next to the cathedral you will find the Musée Historique de Lausanne, housed in the former bishop’s palace. After a small walk through the old town and then uphill, you’ll reach the Fondation de l’Hermitage offering a breathtaking panoramic view from its park!
An incomparable selection of restaurants and cafés can be found in the streets of Lausanne. From home-cooked meals prepared with local produce to fish from the lake, Mediterranean flavours, dishes from around the world, refined desserts and chocolate, there are restaurants, bars, pubs, tea rooms and brasseries all inviting you to feast! Lunch is usually served between noon and 2pm, or even a little earlier in some restaurants. Dinner is usually served from 6pm to 9.30pm. However, many restaurants and pubs, especially in the cities, also offer continuous hot meals (11am-10pm).
This guide will offer you some handy tips but many places can be discovered just by walking around the streets of Lausanne.
Various festivals take place in the city of Lausanne and the surrounding region during the summer. The diversity of their programmes and the beauty of the setting make them all unique. In June, you will find the Fête de la Musique, in the streets of the city centre and the Lavaux Classic, held in a UNESCO World Heritage site, while Pully-Lavaux à l’heure du Québec, the biggest French-speaking North American music scene in Europe offers you the opportunity to see the greatest Quebec artists in the city of Pully, right next to Lausanne. In July, the Festival de la Cité puts its artistic ambition of presenting unseen creations and new projects into practice, eager to invite the public to discover, participate and share their views in a friendly and festive cultural project. Many other activities will give you the opportunity to discover the city of Lausanne in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
