Europe / Switzerland
Places to go. A little room to wander.
THE SHORTLIST
Place de la Cathedral 4
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.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Place de la Cathédrale
At the summit of the mountain that the old town is built on. The cathedral is architecturally quite interesting with a lot of small towers and windows. There is a fantastic look over the city and the surroundings from the tower, but as the cathedral is situated at the top of the city, already the view from the small square outside it worth taking a picture of.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Rte du Signal 2
Built in 1841 as a residence for the banker Charles-Juste Bugnion, the Hermatage occupies its own wooded space on the hill above old-town, with marvellous views of the Cathedral and the Alps. The family donated the house and land to the City of Lausanne in 1976, which now uses the building to host first class travelling international art exhibitions.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Av. des Bergières 11
This must-see collection of works by untrained artists will at turns delight, amaze, baffle, and irritate. Many of the artists whose works are shown here found life difficult or impossible outside (or inside) of institutions, finding solace and purpose in sometimes compulsive acts of creation.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Lausanne
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.
Allow about 60 minutes · planning estimate
A note before you go. Start with Musée Historique de Lausanne, then decide whether Notre Dame cathedral deserves a separate visit rather than rushing both. The suggested days are an editable grouping, not a timed tour. Visit allowances exclude transfers, meals and queues; confirm the exact entrance and current visiting arrangements for Enjoy the lakefront of Ouchy before setting off.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. Suggested days and time allowances are editorial starting points. Check the linked visitor information for opening hours, access, and reservations.
BEFORE YOU SET OFF
There is also a local railway operated by the private LEB company, with trains connecting with the other two metro lines at Flon which run out to the far northern suburbs of Echallens and Bercher, but with increasing frequencies it has started to function as a third Metro line. A free metro and bus pass valid for two weeks is provided to all Lausanne hotel guests. The CFF Abonnement General rail passes are good for unlimited travel throughout the TL and LEB system.
Musée Historique de Lausanne and Notre Dame cathedral are about 0.0 km apart in a straight line. Use the route link to compare the actual streets or transport connections before putting both in the same morning; the measurement is not a walking distance or a transfer estimate.
A LITTLE STRUCTURE. ROOM FOR DISCOVERY.
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Geographic reference: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0.
This city guide includes selected, abridged material by Wikivoyage contributors, adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. The adapted guide text is available under the same license; photographs and website design retain their separate terms. Selected and abridged reference descriptions; operational prices and timetables omitted. Elsewhere added the shortlist, geographic grouping and planning notes.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. It is community-edited background, not firsthand reporting or a live opening-hours service.
KEEP EXPLORING