Parks and the outdoors in Lausanne

Parks and the outdoors in Lausanne

1. Eat

   La Mosaïque

   Very good Ethiopian cuisine. Recommendation to enjoy your meal at the lake and the mountains.

2. Drink

   MGM

   A red storefront facing the lake and the Alps, the MGM has two terraces: the usual sort on the sidewalk, and better yet a deck on the second floor which makes for a great place to relax and enjoy a drink while taking in the view of the Massif du Chablais in the lingering sunlight of a summer evening.

3. Eat

   MYO

   A high-quality sushi/fusion restaurant with a superb view of the lake and the alps. Vegetarians fear not! The creativity of the chef extends to non-seafood items as well.

   ~Fr. 60 per person

4. See

   Musée Historique de Lausanne

   A collection of maps, images and documents about the history of Lausanne, and the Lake Geneva region from the earliest times through the long Bernese occupation to liberation and the present day. A beautifully hand-crafted diorama of 16th-century Lausanne is worth a visit all by itself.

   Tue-Thu 11:00-18:00, Fri-Sun 11:00-17:00·Fr. 4, students Fr. 2.50

5. See

   Musée de l'Elysée

   A world-class photography museum, located in a splendid park. Very close to the Olympic Museum.

   Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00·Fr. 8, students Fr. 4

6. See

   Olympic Museum

   The museum advertises itself as presenting "wealth of memories which will keep your passion for Olympism burning". The sculpture garden, overlooking Lac Léman, is open to the public. Closed on Mondays from 1 Nov-31 Mar. Items on display include Jean-Claude Killy's ski boots and Carl Lewis' golden track shoes.

   1 May to 30 Sep: daily 09:00-18:00, 1 Oct to 30 Apr: Tue-Sun 09:00-18:00·Fr. 14 for the whole museum, Fr. 7 for just the temporary exhibitions. Children get in half price. Children under 10 admitted free

7. Do Not mapped

   Enjoy the lakefront of Ouchy

   Take Metro 2 to Ouchy, et voila, as you leave the metro station you'll find the lake (and on a clear day the Alps) stretched out in front of you. The lake front also offers restaurants, bars, and the Chateau d'Ouchy castle/hotel.

8. Do Not mapped

   Explore The Old Town

   From the railway station you can take the convenient metro up to either Flon, Riponne or Bessières (close to the cathedral). Alternatively, if you don't mind climbing, the car-free section of old town really starts right across from the train station, with a steep walk up the hill. Shops keep strict hours: M-F 10:00-19:00, and Sa 10:00-18:00. On Wednesdays and Saturdays year-round almost all of the huge car-free area becomes a vast farmers market. Thanks to the hills making it hard to pave over, Lausanne's old town is larger than most found in Swiss cities, with the notable exception of Zurich. You can spend days wandering the old cobbled streets and still not know all of its nooks and crannies. After the shops close there are dozens of quaint, cozy, hip, or just warm restaurants, cafés and nightclubs, especially considering that at Place Central the old town joins with the Flon nightclub/gallery district. Wander as long as you like, there's no charge of course.

9. Do Not mapped

   Explore the Sauvabelin Forest

   Don't miss the freely accessible Sauvabelin tower, from which you have a 360° view of the lake, the Alps and the Jura. Then go down to the city centre through the park of the Fondation de l'Hermitage (see above).

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Lausanne (CC BY-SA 4.0).