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Exploring Lausanne & the Region

The City of Lausanne

Just a short ride away by car, bike, bus or metro, Lausanne offers a delightful variety of cultural, gastronomic and commercial attractions.

Foodies' paradise: From brunches, to breweries, and food trucks to fine dining, Lausanne has more than 300 F&B venues and something for every taste. In the gastronomic arena, Lausanne has four Michelin-starred restaurants and 20 restaurants with 12 or more points assigned by Gault&Millau (2018).

Arts & culture:

  • Lausanne Cathedral (400,000+ visitors every year)
  • Palace of Rumine with 5 different museums inside
  • Museum of Art Brut (a strange must-see)
  • Fondation de l'Hermitage (art and photography exhibitions)
  • Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts
  • the Olympic Museum (in wonderful Ouchy)
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Shopping & Relaxation

  • The Flon (restored neighborhood with trendy shops, bars, clubs and restaurants)
  • The Cité (home to quirky, old-school pubs, bistros, annual summer festival)
  • The Palud (famous historical clock, casual terraces, bi-weekly farmers market)
  • St. François and the Rue de Bourg (luxury boutiques)

The Swiss Culture

In the heart of Europe, Switzerland is an ideal place to learn about European culture because it has such a well-preserved history with artifacts and stories dating all the way back to pre-history, remnants of Roman architecture, and many cities with the old, stone-walled structures of medieval Europe.

It has more than 900 museums, many of which relate to regional history and crafts, and 11 sites that are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Additionally, the major cities in Switzerland feature many museums and exhibition halls dedicated to the arts. There are also famous international art and craft shows year-round.

The Swiss are also excellent craftsmen (and women) and the watchmaking industry offers a fascinating look into the evolution of high-precision craftsmanship evolving with a high-tech, luxury industry.

Nightlife

For having such an organized, peaceful country, the Swiss sure like to party. Bars and night clubs in Switzerland have long opening hours to welcome you for an early drink on the terrace or dancing till dawn.

Lausanne

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It is one of Switzerland’s leading cities for nightlife, it attracts party people from all over the country and Europe.

Bars abound in the neighborhoods of the Cité, Palud, Riponne and the Flon, and many feature live music. Several large dance clubs like the Mad, the D! and the XOXO host massive weekend events and famous musicians.

Other Regions

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The Swiss-German party scene in Zurich and Bern offers a very hip, but slightly mellower selection of bars, music and club scenes. Geneva also has a lot of upscale bars, artsy shows and interesting events.

Safety first: Switzerland offers excellent public transportation options throughout the night on weekends, including a regional “pyjama bus” in Lausanne, so there is no excuse to drink and drive.

Swiss Day Trips & Excursions

Switzerland is a small enough country that you can visit some of its most famous sites, and even dip into neighboring countries on a one- or two-day excursion.
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One-Day Trips

  • Walk the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyard terraces and try Swiss wines
  • Tour Geneva  for the luxury shopping and water jet
  • Get a taste of Swiss German culture, architecture and food in Bern
  • Take the CGN boat across Lake Geneva to visit Evian in France
  • Tour the Chateau de Chillon and shop in Montreux
  • Go to Gruyères Castle to taste the famous cheese and cream
  • Relax and get a massage at the thermal baths (Lavey, Loeche, Ovronnaz, etc.)
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Overnight trips

  • Visit Europa Park (amusement park) & Basel art shows
  • Visit Strasbourg or Colmar in Alsace
  • Spend a day in Zurich shopping and enjoy the nightlife
  • Got to Interlaken for its amazing scenery and extreme sports
  • Tour the famous Swiss mountains of Zermatt or the French mountains of Chamonix & Mont Blanc
  • Visit Bavaria for Oktoberfest and the Neuschwanstein Castle
  • Enjoy French cuisine and culture in Lyon or Annecy

Explore Europe

From Switzerland, you can easily travel abroad on the weekends and mid-term breaks to explore the wide variety of cultures and landscapes in Europe.

By train:

The train station in Lausanne offers convenient connections for the TGV.

  • Paris (3 hours)
  • Milan (2 hours)
  • Berlin (6 hours - overnight train)
  • Amsterdam (9 hours - overnight train)
     

By Airplane:

Only an hour away, SWISS at Geneva International Airport offers a wide variety of short flights:

  • You can visit London or Scotland in UK
  • Spend a week in Barcelona and on the Costa Brava in Spain
  • Visit Naples or tour Cinque Terra in Italy
  • Enjoy swimming and sun in Nice, France
  • Discover the exotic cuisine and markets in Morocco

Go scuba diving and party on the beach in Greece.

All are a 2 to 4-hour flight away.