CH · Canton of Vaud · 46.52°N 6.63°E

lausanne

Olympic stories, steep old-town streets and lakeside afternoons in Ouchy.

Best time
May–September is best for the lakefront, with July–August warm enough to swim. Winter is cold and often grey, though the museums keep it worthwhile.
How long
2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Geneva, usually via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul, about 15–17 hours all in. Trains from Geneva airport reach Lausanne in about 45 minutes. Switzerland is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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CH · Canton of Vaudlausanne46.52°N 6.63°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Olympic stories, steep old-town streets and lakeside afternoons in Ouchy.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingLausanneCH, Canton of Vaud
KLlausanne
≈ 10,140 km from KL, as the crow flies
Vue sur Lausanne depuis le Mont Tendre

Photo: User:Jamcib · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Lausanne is built on a steep hillside dropping to Lake Geneva, with its Gothic cathedral at the top and the old fishing port of Ouchy at the bottom. A metro does the climbing, and the Olympic Museum sits in a park by the water.

Makan

  1. Tarte au vin cuitA Vaud tart filled with boiled-down pear or apple juice; despite the name, there's no wine in it.Map ↗
  2. Filets de percheLake perch fried in butter with chips, best at a terrace in Ouchy. Ask whether the sauce has wine.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Olympic MuseumMedals, torches, films and hands-on displays on the Games, in a lakeside park; the International Olympic Committee is based in Lausanne.Map ↗
  2. Cathedral and old townStone stairs and steep lanes up to the Gothic cathedral, where a night watchman still calls out the hours from the tower.Map ↗
  3. OuchyThe lakefront at the bottom of town, with promenades, parks and boats across to Évian in France.Map ↗
  4. LavauxUNESCO-listed vineyard terraces just east of town; take the train to Lutry or Cully and walk a stretch.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The M2 metro runs from Ouchy up through the centre, and the city is steeper than it looks on the map.
  • Kebab shops and Lebanese places in the centre are the easiest halal option; in the Lavaux villages, pack a picnic.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.