Travel Guide: Lausanne, Switzerland

If you are looking for an picturesque yet easy day trip from Geneva to a picturesque destination with the most incredible views of the French Alps nestled along the shores of the crystal clear blue waters of Lake Geneva, look no further than Lausanne. It is easy to see how Lausanne earns some of the same accolades as other amazing cities in Switzerland such as Interlaken, Zurich, and Lucerne. As soon as you step off the train in Lausanne, you will instantly fall in love with its charm and energy.

How to Get There:

The nice thing about traveling in Europe is the wide network of trains that makes traveling from one destination to another simple and easy. If you are coming from the United States, the idea of traveling by train isn’t always the most positive, but in Europe, however, it is an entirely different story. The trains are well organized, comfortable, and seamless.

The best way to get to Lausanne is to take a train from Geneva Cornavin to Lausanne City Center. The train stations are located conveniently in the center of the town, so you can easily walk from the train and there is no need for car. If you have a car, you can also drive from Geneva to Lausanne in about an hour.

What to Do:

There is plenty to do in Lausanne for the day. Simply taking in all the beautiful surroundings is more than worth the day trip to Lausanne from Geneva. The town has the most incredible views of the French Alps and Chamonix. On a clear day, you may even be able to see the top of Mont Blanc in the distance. The views on a sunny day really seem too good to be true and are simply breathtaking. Pictures don’t fully embrace the entire beauty of Lausanne.

If you are looking for some ideas on how to spend your day in Lausanne, here is how we spent our day in Lausanne:

• Walk through the city center: There are plenty of stores and shops, from designer stores and brand names to quaint boutigues, so one of the best things to do in Lausanne is to browse the old buildings and cobblestone streets of old town Lausanne. There are also plenty of parks and outdoor spaces located throughout Lausanne.

• Visit the Olympic Museum: Since the IOC headquarters are located in Lausanne, it makes perfect sense that the Olympic Museum is located here are well. The museum dives into the history of the Olympics and has medals, outfits, and other memorabilia from the Olympic Games over the years. There is also an interactive portion of the museum where you can give your best shot of being an Olympic athlete!

• Eat at La Crêperie d’Ouchy: After we spent the morning walking throughout the old town, we stumbled across this busy creperie on the shores of Lake Geneva. While there was a line when we arrived, the tables moved quickly and I would highly recommend eating here if you have a chance. Few things beat enjoying a crepe with the most beautiful scenery in the background.

• Stroll along the shores of Lake Geneva: The views from the shores of Lake Geneva are out of this world, and if you visit on a nice day, there are plenty of activities along the shore such as boating, walking, a playground for kids, and a number of restaurants and cafes.

• Visit the Swiss Riviera: The shores from Lausanne to Montreux along Lake Geneva is often referred to as the “Swiss Riviera”. Here you will find vineyards that overlook the blue waters of Lake Geneva. This is the perfect addition to your day in Lausanne if you are visiting during the Summer or Fall!

• Explore the beautiful outdoor parks and gardens: The views and vistas in Switzerland are some of the best in the world. One of the best things to do while in Lausanne (or a majority of towns and cities in Switzerland), is to take in all the scenery from one of the many parks and gardens. This is no exception in Lausanne which has plenty of gardens and parks to relax while you spend the day here.

Things to Know:

• Since moving to Switzerland, one of the major things we learned is that cities such as Geneva and Lausanne tend to shut down on Sundays. In Geneva, for example, the only grocery store open in the city is the one in the train station. As we visited Lausanne, we found the same to be true here. However, there is still plenty to do; most of the lake side restaurants as well as the Olympic Museum will be open.

• While this is probably no surprise, Switzerland is incredibly expensive. Eating and dining out is particularly costly, but so far, the quality of food has been really fresh.

When to Go:

Switzerland is definitely a year-round destination but the best time of year to visit will depend on what you are looking for as a visitor. If you are looking for a winter destination to take advantage of skiing and winter sports, it will be best to visit from November- March. If you are looking to avoid some of the crowds, but still experience nice weather, April-May and September-October may be the best time to visit. As with most destinations in Europe, the most popular time for tourism in Switzerland is the height of the summer, between June-August.

We were really surprised by the beauty of Lausanne and didn’t know much about the town prior to our visit. However, after spending the day, Lausanne is a fantastic option for as a day trip from Geneva or even as a standalone destination if you are traveling throughout Switzerland. The views are magnificent and there is definitely plenty to do if you decide to visit for a day or two. If you can visit Switzerland at least once, you definitely should. The views, the cuisine, and our experience so far has been amazing.