Where to go
Switzerland
Things to do in Lausanne
Lausanne, with a population of about 140,000 is the fourth biggest Swiss city and the capital city of the canton of Vaud in Romandy, Switzerland. Iit is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva. It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura Mountains to its north-west. Lausanne is located 62 kilometres (38.5 miles) northeast of Geneva, and is a focus of international sport, hosting the International Olympic Committee. It lies in a noted wine-growing region. The city is renowned for several attractions:
- The Olympic Museum, founded by the ICO on the banks of Lake Geneva
- The new Platform 10 “arts district” with the Cantonal Fine Arts Museum, the Elysée Museum and the Museum of Design and Contemporary Arts
- Lake Geneva, the largest freshwater lake in Europe
- UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyard terraces, with marked trails and stunning views over Lake Geneva and the Alps
- The Ouchy district, famous for its gardens, situated one after the other along the quays: the Denantou, the Elysée, the Olympic Park and the rose garden of Place du Général Guisan, with more than 130 different species of roses
- Palud square, with Lausanne's oldest fountain and a mechanical clock with the history of Vaud in animated scenes every hour from 9:00 to 19:00
- La Cité, a quarter full of typical small bistros and craft shops