During our few weeks’ stay in Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Geneva shores, we just couldn’t miss going to the other side of the lake to visit Switzerland. This is how one day we ended up in Lausanne. It’s the fourth largest city in Switzerland and the capital city of the French-speaking region, the canton of Vaud. After Geneva, it’s the second-largest city on Lac Léman. It’s a truly wonderful city that has a lot to offer. Let us show you the best things to do in Lausanne in one day.
This website uses affiliate links thanks to which we may earn a commission for purchases you made at no additional cost to you. If you like the content, consider using those links to support us. Thank you!
Lausanne, Switzerland FAQ
Lausanne is located in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. The city lies on the northern shore of Lake Geneva (fr. Lac Leman), about halfway between the Alps and Jura Mountains. Lausanne lies directly opposite the French town of Evian-les-Bains.
Before our stay near Lake Geneva, we’d never heard about Lausanne. The city surprised us with its beauty and with one of the most stunning views over the Alps we’ve seen so far. But those views aren’t the only thing that Lausanne has to offer. There’s an old town full of charming streets with old buildings and many cozy restaurants. There are museums perfect for art lovers, and also an Olympic Museum which is a real treat for sports fans. So yes, Lausanne definitely is worth visiting and you should add it to your list of must-visit places in Switzerland.
Besides spectacular views over Lake Geneva and the Alps, Lausanne is best known for being an Olympic Capital. In 1915 the city was chosen to establish the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee, and in 1994 it was given the title of Olympic Capital. The city is also known for its official Olympic Museum.
Lausanne isn’t really big and it’s possible to see most of the main attractions in one day. But if you want to get to know it really well and also have time to visit surrounding places like Vevey, Montreux, Chillon Castle, or Lavaux vineyards, we recommend staying for at least 3 days.
Things to do in Lausanne in one day
Lake Geneva shores
We’ll start our one-day in Lausanne itinerary from our number one place – Lake Geneva shores. It stretches from Lausanne to Montreux and is full of pretty towns, and it offers one of the best mountain views over the Alps. We spent quite a long time just sitting on the bench, simply enjoying the views and breathing in a calm atmosphere. Take a closer look at things to do on the shore of Lake Geneva in Lausanne below.
Ouchy neighborhood
If you want to chill, have a picnic, read a book, do some sports, or simply go for a walk with lovely mountain views, head to the Ouchy neighborhood. Ouchy is located below the busy Lausanne historic center, right by the lakeside. Here, you’ll find a lovely promenade, a peaceful park, Lausanne port, many Belle Epoque hotels, restaurants, and what’s most important: breathtaking views of the other side of the lake at every step. You definitely don’t want to miss exploring the Ouchy neighborhood during your day in Lausanne.
Castle of Ouchy
Along the Ouchy promenade, you’ll find many historical buildings and Belle Epoque hotels, but the Castle of Ouchy deserves a few more words. It was built in the 12th century as a castle, but at the end of the 19th century (1889-1893) it was rebuilt and turned into a hotel. Now it still serves as a hotel and fine-dining restaurant. If you want to stay in this area, Château d’Ouchy might be a nice choice.
Lake Geneva Cruise
From Lausanne-Ouchy Port you can also go on a cruise on one of the famous steamboats to places like Geneva, Yvoire, Vevey, or Evian-les-Bains. During the cruise, you’ll be able to enjoy the lake, views of the mountains, and the towns. For more information, routes, timetables, and prices visit CGN official website.
Olympic Museum
In the Ouchy neighborhood, you’ll also find the Olympic Museum, one of the most popular attractions in Lausanne and an absolute must-visit for sports lovers. The Olympic Museum will take you on a journey through the history of the Olympic Games, and exhibitions will show items like sports equipment, clothing, or medals. There are also many interactive multimedia stations available. Outside the building, there is a beautiful garden with great views over Lake Geneva and the Alps, as well as unique sculptures related to the Olympics.
Entrance to the Olympic Museum costs 20CHF for a normal ticket, and is free for children under 15 (May 2026). To check current prices and opening hours, visit the olympics.com website.
Lausanne Old Town streets
There’s no better way of discovering Lausanne than strolling around its charming, winding streets full of historical sites, colorful old buildings, restaurants, cafes, and shops. Old Town is located in the upper part of town, and because of that, it offers spectacular views over Lake Geneva at almost every corner.
In Lausannes’ Old Town, you’ll find points of interest like Escaliers du Marché, Lausanne Cathedral, Place de la Palud, Palais de Rumine, or Esplanade de Montbenon. Let’s take a closer look at those.
Lausanne Cathedral
One of the most popular landmarks in Lausanne is the magnificent Cathedral located in the heart of the city, overlooking it from a hilltop. It was built during the 12-13th centuries, consecrated in 1275 in the presence of Pope Gregory X, and later in 1536, it became a protestant cathedral. Lausanne Cathedral is one of the most magnificent Gothic monuments in Europe, and visiting it is definitely one of the best things to do in Lausanne.
Inside, you’ll find a rose window, which is amongst the masterpieces of European artistic heritage. There is also a Great Pipe Organ, composed of 7000 pieces, which is the first organ in the world designed by a designer.
Entrance to the Cathedral is free during opening hours. For an additional price, you can visit the bell tower – 5CHF adults, and 2CHF children (May 2026).
Escaliers du Marche
Escaliers du Marche is a winding covered stairway going up to Lausanne Cathedral from Place de la Palud. The first mention of the steps dates back to the 13th century, and its present look goes back to the 1710s. Take a walk through this peculiar Lausanne site, and enjoy views of the city and buildings from which some parts date back even to the 16th century! It might not sound like that, but it’s one of the best things to do in Lausanne!
Palud Square
Palud Square (fr. Place de la Palud) is located just below the Cathedral, in the heart of the Lausanne Old Town. Here, you can find Lausanne’s oldest fountain, dating back to 1585, a clock that shows the history of the canton of Vaud in animated scenes every hour from 9AM to 7PM, and a 17th-century building housing the Town Hall. Palud Square is also full of shops, restaurants, and cafes. On Saturday and Wednesday mornings, you’ll find a local market here too.
Esplanade de Montbenon
Esplanade de Montbenon is a beautiful green space in Lausanne, only a 10min walk away from Place de la Palud. In our opinion, it’s the next best place to enjoy breathtaking views over the lake and the mountains after Lake Geneva shores. It’s also an amazing spot for a leisurely walk or having a picnic. In the area, you’ll find buildings such as Casino de Montbenon and Palace of Justice (until 1921 housed the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, now houses the District Court).
Short trips from Lausanne
If you decide to stay a little bit longer than one day in Lausanne, here are some awesome ideas for day trips.
Vevey
Vevey is a charming little town sitting on Lake Geneva shores, located only 20km from Lausanne. Along the waterfront, there is a long promenade perfect for relaxing strolls, doing sports, or just sitting on a bench. All of these with unearthly views of the Alps. Along the promenade, you’ll find a very interesting sculpture depicting a giant fork!
There is also a monument of Charlie Chaplin, who lived in town from 1952 until his death in 1977. Besides that, Vevey offers a charming old town filled with colorful buildings and streets full of small shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Vevey totally stole our hearts!
Chillon Castle
Chillon Castle (fr. Chateau de Chillon) is a medieval castle built on an island, located 40km from Lausanne and just 10km from Vevey. Thanks to its strategic position, the place has been used as a military site since the Roman period. The current form of the castle is the result of several centuries of construction and various reconstructions. The history of the castle is marked by three ruling eras: the Savoy family, the Bernese bailiffs, and the Canton of Vaud.
Entrance ticket to Chillon Castle costs 15CHF for adults, and 7CHF for children 6-15 (May 2026). To check opening hours and current prices visit chillon.ch website.
Montreux
Montreux is a charming small resort town located on the northeastern shore of Lake Geneva, about 30km from Lausanne. It became a popular tourist spot mostly due to the fact that Freddie Mercury lived and recorded six albums with the Queen band there. Montreux is also home to a lovely lakeside promenade with amazing views, beautiful grand Belle Epoque buildings, Montreux Jazz Festival, a few museums and art galleries, as well as some spa facilities.
Gruyeres
Gruyeres is located about 55km inland from Lausanne. This medieval town is best known for the production of the world-famous cheese of the same name. There you’ll find a fairytale-like 13th-century hilltop castle, a charming old town, HR Giger Museum featuring surreal sculptures and paintings created by the artist known for the “Alien” movies, and many stunning views over the Gruyeres region.
Lavaux vineyards
Terraced Lavaux vineyards occupy an area of about 800 hectares. Thanks to their location near Lake Geneva offer amazing views over the other side of the lake. Lavaux has been elevated to the status of a world heritage site by UNESCO and often is considered as World’s Most Beautiful Wine Region. There you can enjoy a pleasant stroll among grapevines and visit one (or two, or 10) of the vinegrower’s cellars for wine tasting.
How to get to Lausanne, Switzerland?
Lausanne is located about 65km from Geneva, 110km from Bern, 200km from Basel, 65km from Evian-les-Bains, and 100km from Annecy. The most convenient way to get to Lausanne is by car, train, or ferry if coming from France.
Where to park in Lausanne?
In Lausanne, we recommend leaving a car in one of the city’s paid parking lots, like Parking de Bellerive or Parking Chauderon.
Airports near Lausanne
The closest airports to Lausanne are in Geneva (60km away), and Bern (110km away). All airports offer train and bus connections with Lausanne. To learn more about airport connections with the city that might interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
To Lausanne by train
Switzerland has really great train connections so it’s very easy to reach Lausanne by train. For example, the trip from Geneva takes about 50 minutes, 20 minutes from Vevey, and 2.5 hours from Annecy. To learn more about train connections that might interest you, visit the rome2rio.com website.
To Lausanne by bus
You can also get to Lausanne by bus. For example, the trip from Geneva will take about 1 hour, 1h15minutes from Bern, and 2.5h from Annecy. To learn more about bus connections that interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
To Lausanne by ferry
You can also get to Lausanne by ferry from places like Geneva, Evian-les-Bains, or Yvoire. The journey will take about 35min and will cost €15-21.
Campings in Lausanne
If you’re traveling by camper, you’ll probably be glad to know that there are a few camping sites near Lausanne. We think that Camping de Vidy, TCS Camping Morges, Camping de Moratel, or Camping de la Pichette might interest you.
Explore local attractions
Things to do in Lausanne in one day – Summing up
We hope that our post has brought you closer to the decision of what things you’d like to do during your trip to Lausanne. And as you can see now, the choice is quite wide! Wherever you prefer strolling among charming streets, relaxing in green spaces with breathtaking views, or spending some time in museums – you’ll find that all in Lausanne and its surroundings. Enjoy your time in this stunning Swiss city!
Our travel video from Lausanne
Our opinion about Lausanne
For us, a visit to Lausanne was a day trip from nearby Thonon-les-Bains in France where we lived for a few weeks. We visited the city in May and during that time there weren’t too many tourists, mostly locals going on with their lives. Thanks to that, our trip was very pleasant.
What can we say… We really enjoyed Lausanne and its surroundings! Especially the views over the Alps stole our hearts – truly amazing! We also really enjoyed strolling among colorful old town streets. Lausanne is a very pleasant Swiss city and we’ll remember it very fondly.
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Lausanne?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Lausanne:
