Lausanne: A perfect 48 hour itinerary

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Lausanne is known as the Olympic Capital of the world, and that was the main reason for my visit. In 1996, at 7 years old, I was captivated. Michael Johnson was lining up in the 200m final in his golden shoes going for his second gold medal of the Atlanta games. I made fake medals out of cardboard wrapped in tin foil, I kept cuttings of the newspapers and I was glued to the TV. 4 years later, I had a small black and white TV in my bedroom and I’d sneak awake at 2am to turn it on with no sound to watch across the globe in Sydney (sorry, Mum!). Not much has changed since – I’ve got dozens of books on the Olympics, I’ve got schedules of results highlighted and cross referenced going back 30 years. I’ve got handwritten medal tables, drawers stuffed with newspapers and a head full of memories. So – I had to visit the Olympic capital didn’t I?!

(Don’t worry if you’re not an Olympics fan though, this town is still incredible with loads to see and do).

Let’s go!


  1. Contents
  2. Itinerary Day 1: Ouchy & Grandvaux
    1. Olympic Museum
    2. Explore Ouchy
    3. Boat trip on Lake Geneva to Lutry
    4. Vineyard lakeside walk to Grandvaux
  3. Itinerary Day 2: Old town Lausanne
    1. Lausanne Cathedral
    2. Lausanne History Museum
    3. Place de la Palud
    4. Palais du Romaine
    5. Escaliers du Marché
    6. Le Barbare hot chocolate
  4. Have a little Longer?
    1. Chillon Castle
    2. Montreux & Ride a Panoramic Train
    3. Nyon
    4. Geneva

Obviously, I had to start my visit with the Olympic Museum. Even if you’re not an Olympics fan, it’s still a really interesting place to spend a couple of hours. It covers the birth of the Olympics, its ideals and purposes, host cities, key moments and key figures. It’s open 9am-6pm but closed on a Monday, and costs CHF20 per person, or it’s free with that trusty Swiss Travel Pass.

Happy Hannah (in a right mish mash of outfit and road side sunglasses due to that blinking lost luggage)

The Museum also lies in a lovely garden area which is well worth a stroll, and it has a nice little café in it which serves good food.

In the gardens

Ouchy is the waterfront area in Lausanne, just a short walk from the Olympic Museum. We absolutely loved strolling the shoreline and taking everything in. There are plenty of nice stops for lunch or drinks and if the weather’s nice – even better.

In Ouchy Park

Ouchy is a perfect spot from which to get on a boat and experience the lake itself. We chose to combine it as a mode of transport to our next destination, but you could do any boat trip on the lake and get the same beautiful views every way you look.

Sailing out on to the lake

Lausanne has some of the best vineyards in the region, and the picturesque rolling fields at the lakeside are a famous symbol of the area. The most famous stretch is from Lutry to Grandvaux, so we decided to walk it. It was one of the highlights of our entire trip, they were just so beautiful and the weather was perfect for us. We finished the walk off with a wine tasting in Grandvaux as the sun went down, and then got the train back to Lausanne (it only takes 8 minutes).

The beauty of Grandvaux


We decided to spend the day exploring Old Town Lausanne today, and there’s no better place to start than the Cathedral. A beautiful building perched on a hill with excellent views it’s a must visit site in the city. Even better, there was a classical concert practice on when I visited so I got to listen to the orchestra.

Inside the cathedral
View from the top

Right next to the Cathedral is the Lausanne History Museum, which I really enjoyed. It covers city history – it’s formation, development and expansion over time – as well as its challenge to get a clean water supply, transport network growth etc. It was super interesting.

There was also a temporary exhibition which blew my little inner historical geek away. I hadn’t realised that post WW1 Lausanne is where the treaty was signed that effectively created modern day Turkey. Previously it had been a bigger area, known as the Ottoman Empire, but after WW1 this was defeated and collapsed. The formation of Turkey was contentious as the area of Kurdistan was split between Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. The Kurds were not consulted as part of the negotiations. The negotiations also gave immunity for all human rights violations between 1914 and 1922, including the Armenian Genocide.

The Lausanne Treaty Exhibit

It goes without saying that the UK, France and Italy brokered this conference and had to agree to the split. What did they get in return for allowing this to happen and for Turkey to be formed? Well, oil rich lands that they made the ex-Ottoman empire surrender to them of course. As with most Middle East politics, Black Gold sat at the heart of it. And in my view, the Lausanne Treaty served as a pivotal international precedent for transferring populations against their will throughout the twentieth century.

Approaching the Museum

This little square is the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by with lunch and a coffee (or wine of course). We had a 27 degree day and spent 2 hours taking it all in.

This wonderful building is now home to a number of exhibits you can visit, covering archaeology, history, science and more. It’s free so we spent an hour or so browsing. It’s worth a look inside even if just for the foyer!

The wonderful foyer

One of the most beautiful streets in Lausanne is the steep passageway of Escaliers du Marche, lined by pretty shops and covered with a beautiful wooden roof built in the 1700s.

Along the steps you’ll find Le Barbare, a famous hot chocolate maker in the city. Finish of your day with a cup of the good stuff here. I don’t really like hot chocolate but I thought it was delicious (if a little rich)!


If you have longer than 2 days in Lausanne, or aren’t bothered about the Olympics and vineyards of Day 1, you could also choose to visit:

Spend a day visiting Switzerland’s most beautiful castle at Chillon, set alongside the lake with the most stunning views.

Full Post: HERE

Montreux represents the starting point for many panoramic train rides across Switzerland. We rode the Cog Railway to Rochers-de-Naye and it was truly amazing.

Full Post: HERE

Home to the Swiss National Museum and a beautiful old town centre, Nyon makes a perfect place to spend a day.

Full Post: HERE

Geneva is a great place for a day trip across the lake to visit the home of the UN, Red Cross and the famous Jet D’eau.

Full Post: HERE


I really loved Lausanne for its Olympic connections and as a place to unwind and explore. It was my favourite section of our Switzerland 10 day trip and I’m so glad we visited. Also as a side note, I think I’ve truly managed the art of avoiding people in my photos which is no mean feat and requires patience! What did you think? Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

41 responses to “Lausanne: A perfect 48 hour itinerary”

  1. I love your childhood Olympics shenanigans! The 1996 Olympics are the first ones I remember watching as well, and I spent it cheering on the US women’s gymnastics team as they won gold while attempting to mimic them in my living room 😂 I convinced my parents to sign me up for gymnastics not long after.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Aww that’s amazing – I love how many of us have been inspired by or influenced by the Olympics 🙂 Does that mean your handstands around the world were all sparked by the Olympics? 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I guess it does!

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Nemorino

    Great that you had such nice weather in Lausanne. My one visit there (so far) was in the middle of winter, to go to the opera.https://operasandcycling.com/the-lausanne-opera-and-gabriel-faure/

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  3. Lovely! I also visited the Olympic Museum whilst in Lausanne years ago. Like you, I’ve been enjoying watching the Olympics since I was a kid, and it’s wild to imagine that the next Summer Olympics is just around the corner (Paris 2024!). Besides the museum, Lausanne has a ton of natural beauty within its city, and going during the warmer season for a tranquil ride on the lake is the best possible thing to do!

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    1. It’s amazing how many of us love the Olympics. I have my Paris tickets – I was lucky enough to get 7 days worth of tickets so I’ve got a whole week covering 9 different spots, I’m so excited. I’m glad you liked Lausanne too, it’s a really beautiful place right up on the lake 🙂

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  4. I loved reading about your childhood obsession with the Olympics, so what a thrill for you to be able to visit Lausanne. It certainly is a beautiful place. The walk along the vineyard sounds particularly inviting. Lovely post Hannah!

    Liked by 2 people

  5. When the Sydney Olympics were on, I went to Greece! I paid for that by being in Crete when it was so hot, that it got unpleasant during the day. Still, lots of swimming was an agreeable alternative to sightseeing in the middle of the day. I agree with your comment about transferring populations against their will.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s crazy but I do understand as I avoided London during 2012. That said, I’ve got 9 sets of tickets for Paris so I’m going to have to just survive in the middle of it with all those people 🙂

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  6. I once visited Lausanne but it was years ago and I have only vague memories. I would also have enjoyed visiting the Olympics Museum as I’ve been to several others and found them all to be interesting.

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    1. Thanks so much Marion for taking the time to read and comment, like you I always find sports related museums so interesting and inspiring as there are always so many stories of super human achievements and comebacks against the odds.

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  7. The vineyards and views, castles and cobblestone streets, quaint villages and cathedrals…you certainly pick splendid places to travel, and Lausanne presents beautifully, Hannah 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much Phil, we loved Lausanne and all its little streets and corners 🙂 Have a great weekend my friend.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I would love to take a walk around the medieval streets of the Old Town which are blessed with beautifully lined shopfronts and inviting cafes, and explore the chic lakeside neighbourhoods of Ouchy and Flon for a more urban and scenic perspective of Lausanne. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. It was just so beautiful around every corner and down every street – my husband was going mad with me wandering off and taking photos all the time. I’m so glad you enjoyed hte little trip around Lausanne Aiva, thank you so much for reading xx

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  9. I’m obsessed with watching the Olympics, Jon always can’t wait until they’re over ha! It’s tough when there is a major time difference, but you won’t have that next year. This is making me excited for my trip! We are just doing Lucerne and Wengen.

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    1. Wohooo, I love there’s so many of us on here who are! I know, and I’ll be there in person – we have 9 sets of tickets spanning a week so I’ll be in the stadiums!! 🙂 Not long now until your trip, wohoo!

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  10. Given the chance, Mike and I would spend the entire day at the Olympics Museum. We love them too, but probably not quite as much as you. What a great place – I mean the entire city. It looks beautiful and clean, and you’ve done a fantastic job of getting peopleless photos! Great post, Hannah!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Amazinggg, I love there’s so many Olympics fans out there 🙂 Lausanne was a real treat and we loved exploring. Actually the people-less photos weren’t too difficult as we visited in low season (early May) and it’s quite off the tourist path. It was crazy how quiet it was really. Thanks so much for reading and have a great weekend.

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  11. I am a fellow Olympic adorer- I look forward to every Olympic games and just watch is amazement the athletic abilities they have. I remember watching the ’96 Olympics so I would love to see these Olympic sights. But the rest of the area seems to have a great wealth of things to see and beautiful views. All the more reason that I want to visit Switzerland 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Woop Woop, so glad you’re an Olympics fan too. I have tickets for Paris next year, 9 sets, so I’m super exited to get to watch loads of different events live. I’ve been round many Olympic cities and stadiums now – Berlin, Munich, London, Atlanta, Barcelona, Athens – so actually being there for it live will be super special. Lausanne is definitely worth adding to your Switzerland itinerary, it’s truly beautiful 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thats fantastic that youll be there live and in person for so many events! Ill watch next year and be looking for you in the crowd 🙂

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  12. This is a great little guide to Lausanne. The Olympic Museum and the history museum both look really interesting, while Gradvaux is stunning. I also hadn’t realised the treaty divvying up the Ottoman Empire was signed in Lausanne.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much. We found it to be a fascinating city with lots of varied things to do and learn about, it was our favourite place in our 10 days in Switzerland 🙂 Have a great weekend.

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  13. It must have been so much fun to visit Lausanne given how much you love the olympics. You had me at the mention of vineyards. Looks like a lovely spot to take a stroll, admire the views and taste some wine!

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    1. We had so much fun!! and yes the vineyards are just stunning perched over the lake like that – I must admit to being quite tipsy on the train back from them 🙂

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  14. I visited Lausanne in my college years, when I worked one summer at an inn up the mountain from there. The waterfront and old town photos sparked a fond memory of walking there. Unfortunately, in those days I hitchhiked down and up the mountain, and was propositioned or actually assaulted (I jumped out of that car) each ride.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh wow, I’m so sorry that you had that experience – it must have been horrendously scary having to jump from a car to avoid assault. I’m pleased that times have changed in that public transport is now much more widespread and safe – but it’s shocking how common assault still is.

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      1. It’s a shame that’s my most vivid memory from Lausanne. Glad to read your post.

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  15. This is an amazing Olympic Museum. Such a beautiful site in Lausanne. You really enjoyed your visit there. Anita

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  16. Lausanne looks like an absolutely wonderful place to explore. I love the lake views and lakeside walks, the vineyards and wine tasting, and of course the Olympic Museum. We visited a small Olympic museum in Sarajevo dedicated to the 1984 Winter Olympic Games hosted in the city. Though I was never much obsessed with the Olympic Games, I had a similar approach and passion to Football World Cups. I used to draw and write my own schedules and timetables and remember so many details vividly. Great post, Hannah, Grandvaux is gorgeous!

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    1. I’ve long had Sarajevo on my list for many reasons, including the Olympic museum there. Ahh you’ll like the FIFA museum in my Zurich post then 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the trip to Lausanne, thanks for following along.

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  17. I can’t believe I completely missed the Olympic Museum when I was there years ago! The Sydney Olympics were such a big deal in our city hahaha. There was even a whole family effort to get tickets to any event. I also did abit of a walk through the vineyards and it’s so beautiful. Beautiful pictures!

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    1. Oh wow how amazing about the Sydney Olympics – there was a whole section on it in the Olympic Museum as well so if you ever return you’ll have to stop by 🙂 Thanks so much for reading

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  18. […] really enjoyed this museum, although it wasn’t as good as the Olympics Museum in Lausanne. Understandably designed more with kids in mind, there was only one floor where the exhibits had […]

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  19. What a lovely tour of the Olympic Museum (I also remember late nights in front of the television when the time zones were ‘different’ from ours). Oh, and all the beautiful hiking trails (I especially like the one through the vineyards). Lausanne is stunning as shown in your photos!

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    1. Aw thank you, we absolutely loved visiting this part of Switzerland 🙂 Have a wonderful Sunday

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  20. […] Lausanne is one of the most picturesque cities in Switzerland, with a gorgeous old town and beautiful waterfront lying right on the shores of Lake Geneva. The Royal Savoy is close to the water’s edge, a short 5 minute walk down to the front. […]

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  21. […] Lausanne (45 minute train ride) – Olympic Museum, stunning old town, Ouchy waterfront. […]

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  22. […] a vibrant city nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva, is famous for its picturesque landscapes and rich cultural heritage. The city is renowned for its […]

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About the author

Hi! My name is Hannah, I’m a travel blogger from the UK who fits travel around a full time (and full on) job. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and hopefully help you to find some inspiration for destinations, things to do or places to stay. Thanks for stopping by – stay safe and happy travelling.

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