Summer Lausanne
City Trip Ideas

Curious, unexpected, warm and festive: the annual Festival de la Cité takes place every July - a music festival right on the lakeshore. It offers live music (the musical focus is on the hip-hop, post-punk and Italo disco genres), good food and a great atmosphere. The Festival de la Cité takes place at various locations in the city centre and around the old town centre. Whether children, adults or young people, residents of Lausanne or tourists - the Festival de la Cité is for everyone. The varied programme includes theatre and music, performance and dance, circus and street art.

On the shores of Lake Geneva, numerous sand and pebble beaches invite you to dive into the cool water and relax in the sun. The new beach of Ouchy is located in the old harbour - from a platform built on the water, you can dive directly into the turquoise waters of Lake Geneva. A stone's throw away, you can treat yourself to a gelato italiano originale at the famous Glaces Veneta ice cream stand. The beaches in the Louis Bourget park behind the port of Vidy await you with more than a kilometre and a half of beach, light sand, clear, turquoise water, pedalo hire and refreshment stands. On the more intimate beach of the Théâtre de Vidy, you can dream of Phuket as you take turns jumping into the cool water and sipping delicious cocktails in the neighbouring bars. Those with a penchant for sport should not miss the Bellerive. Half beach, half swimming pool, the complex offers a 400 metre long sandy beach, 3 swimming pools, basketball, beach volleyball, petanque and football courts, table tennis tables as well as a large lawn and a restaurant.

Would you like to discover Lausanne in a different way than on foot? The Tour de France recently named Lausanne a ‘cycling city’. Why not get on your bike and explore the beauty of the shores of Lake Geneva and the region on a hire bike? Whether it's a stroll through the city, a trip along the lake or into the heart of Lavaux, the city has numerous specially designed cycle paths. The marked routes allow you to explore the city on side paths - sometimes through a park, sometimes under a wisteria arbour. A greenway links the neighbouring municipalities of Saint-Prex and Morges. A cycle and pedestrian bridge crosses the railway station and the art district. By the way: the town is built on three (steep!) hills - so even an electric motor is not a luxury. Looking for a bike to rent? You'll find what you're looking for on the Publibike online platform.

Halfway between the train station and the lake, the Botanical Gardens and the neighbouring Parc de Milan are a popular destination for walkers, joggers, families (that playground!) and nature lovers. The hill offers a spectacular view of the city, and the medicinal herb garden and carnivorous plant collection are not just for botany fans. The Parc de Sauvabelin above Lausanne, with its lake, animal park and oak forests, is also a popular destination for families and summer holidaymakers. Montriond Park is perfect for a relaxing afternoon in the countryside, including a picnic or a game of boules.

Lausanne has more than 300 restaurants - from trendy brasseries to traditional pubs. If you have an appetite for perch fillets, you can choose from some legendary addresses right on the lakeshore: Situated on the lake with a magnificent panorama - the Hôtel du Port restaurant. The Bistrot du Petit Port in Saint-Sulpice near the university, with an idyllic terrace offering a magnificent view of the mountains and lake TheJetée de la Compagnie, where you can indulge in la dolce vita with a spritz, sunbathing, yoga and a dip in the turquoise waters of Lake Geneva in addition to the culinary delights. Tucked away in the city centre, just off Place St-François, is a tiny gourmet restaurant with a short but very creative menu featuring only ultra-fresh seasonal produce. Under the arcades, opposite the Opera, a Lebanese chef whisks your taste buds away: mezze, salads and kebabs are presented in wonderful compositions of colours and flavours. Who wouldn't want to eat more!

In the heart of the Cité, one of the most beautiful Gothic cultural monuments in Europe towers over the city. The majestic cathedral is largely made of molasse, a soft sandstone that is practically constantly being restored due to its low resistance. A visit to the cathedral is free of charge. Those who dare to climb the 232 steps to the Belfry Tower for a fee are rewarded with a 360-degree panoramic view. Seven bells hang in the cathedral tower, including 5 historic bells. Between 10.00 pm and 2.00 am, the night watchman calls out the hours from the belfry. As the guardian of Lausanne Cathedral, it is no longer his job to watch over the city, but to continue a tradition that goes back more than 600 years. Originally, the night watchman rang the bell, the Clémence, when a fire broke out somewhere. Today there are more modern alarm systems, but the joy of the ritual lives on. Incidentally, since 2022 and for the first time since this local tradition was introduced in 1405, a woman has been entrusted with this task: Cassandre Berdoz. Of course, she wears the black felt hat just like her predecessors. A point of honour! Every night between 22:00 and 02:00. Access to the bell tower is open to the public daily from 10 p.m. by reservation. Book in advance on +41 21 312 74 91.