Lausanne

Surrounded by vineyards, rolling down a trio of hillsides to the lakeshore, Switzerland’s fourth-largest city, Lausanne, likes to think it gives Geneva a run for its money.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

AQUATIS Aquarium & Vivarium
Lausanne
Not just another aquarium, AQUATIS has caused quite a stir since opening in late 2017, giving Lausanne a striking new landmark with a spherical facade…
Musée Cantonal des Beaux Arts
Lausanne
To be housed in a contemporary new home at Plateforme10 as of October 2019, the Fine Arts Museum showcases works by Swiss and foreign artists, ranging…
Olympic Museum
Lausanne
Musée Olympique is easily Lausanne’s most lavish museum and an essential stop for sports buffs (and kids). State-of-the-art installations recount the…
Cathédrale de Notre Dame
Lausanne
Lausanne’s Gothic cathedral, Switzerland’s finest, stands proudly at the heart of the Old Town. Raised in the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of…
Place de la Palud
Lausanne
In the heart of the Vieille Ville (Old Town), this pretty as a picture 9th-century medieval market square, was once bogland. For five centuries it has…
Fondation de l’Hermitage
Lausanne
High-calibre temporary art expositions grace this beautiful 19th-century residence ensnared in the green peace and tranquillity of the Bois de Sauvabelin…
Musée de l’Art Brut
Lausanne
Brut means crude or rough, and that’s what you get in this extraordinary gallery with its huge collection of works by untrained artists (many from the…
Palais de Rumine
Lausanne
This robust neo-Renaissance palace (1904) was designed by Gaspard André. In 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed here, finalising the break-up of the…

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Attractions

Top picks from our travel experts

11 of the best things to do in Lausanne

Curated by Caroline Bishop

Olympic Museum
Lausanne
Musée Olympique is easily Lausanne’s most lavish museum and an essential stop for sports buffs (and kids). State-of-the-art installations recount the…
Musée Romain Lausanne-Vidy
Lausanne
Check out the remains of Roman Lousonna, and the adjacent museum, housed on the site of a Roman villa, with its modest collection of artefacts. Walk or…
Musée Historique de Lausanne
Lausanne
Until the 15th century, the city’s bishops resided in this lovely manor across from the cathedral (after which it became a jail, then a court, then a…
Fondation de l’Hermitage
Lausanne
High-calibre temporary art expositions grace this beautiful 19th-century residence ensnared in the green peace and tranquillity of the Bois de Sauvabelin…
Musée de l’Art Brut
Lausanne
Brut means crude or rough, and that’s what you get in this extraordinary gallery with its huge collection of works by untrained artists (many from the…