City Center

You can give yourself a good workout walking around Lausanne`s city center, which spreads down a hill from the medieval Cité at the top through the pedestrian Old Town to the trendy warehouse district of Flon and then down to the main train station. For ease in dealing with the hills, everything is linked by bridges, escalators, steps and lifts - not to mention the handy Metro M2 line. Make sure you explore the pretty Escaliers du Marché, which takes you down to the Place de la Palud, the Old Town`s main square and home to the town hall, where you can stop for a coffee at one of the charming cafes. On Saturdays and Wednesdays the square and surrounding streets fill up with market stalls which are well worth a browse. Elsewhere in town, window-shop the designer brands in Flon, or head away from the main drag to Rue Marterey for independent boutiques and street food outlets.

The attractive old town, north of the railroad station, is largely pedestrianized. Small alleyways with cafes and boutiques shape the streetscape in the medieval city center. The old town is dominated by the cathedral, which is regarded as Switzerland`s most impressive piece of early Gothic architecture. Walking through the old town of Lausanne is one of them major attractions, and the shopping and business heart of Lausanne.

Ouchy

Ouchy, once a sleepy fishing hamlet, is now the port and hotel resort area of Lausanne. The beautiful harbor area of Lausanne consists of shady quays, hotels, charming shops and delicious restaurants spread across a lakefront district of about half a mile. Adjoining place de la Navigation is place du Port immediately to the east. Quai de Belgique and quai d`Ouchy are lakefront promenades filled with greenery and offering stunning views of the lake.

There is so much to do in Ouchy such as the always popular water fountains, cruises, museums and scenery, along the shores of Lake Geneva itself. Return boat trips are available to nearby Evian-les-Bains (France). Also worthy of a visit are the parks, containing many Mediterranean plant species.

Montriond Cour

Formed by an ancient glacial moraine, this hill offers a unique panoramic vista over Lake Geneva, the mountains and the city center. The area is where the cantonal Botanical Museum and gardens are housed. These gardens boast more than 6,000 plants from around the globe. Also here, the Place de Milan, a green space with a large grassy area, an ornamental lake and some children`s amusements that extend out from the base of the hill. The beauty of the landscape, its cultural richness and stunning views make this area a desirable spot.

Outskirts

The city is not in the Alps, but day trips to the mountains, the Lavaux vineyards and Geneva are perfectly doable from the outskirts. If you want to stay closer to the mountains, or prefer a smaller town, then consider to base yourself more to the east, in Montreux for example.

Sous Gare Ouchy

The part of Lausanne known as the Sous Gare is located alongside the Gare CFF railway station and directly north of Ouchy. This is a mainly residential neighborhood, although the Sous Gare does offer a range of accommodation and cheap eats, all conveniently close to the station itself.