Holidays To Lausanne - Lake Geneva (Vaud)

A vibrant lakeside city with cultural delights

Lausanne is a lively city whose pretty lakeside area of Ouchy boasts a marina with plenty of activities and a lively café culture. The Old Town features charming alleyways and the impressive gothic Notre Dame Cathedral. Don't miss the Parc de l'Hermitage with its beautiful view over the town and the lake. Visit the museum here and maybe lunch in 'l'Esquisse' restaurant before a walk back down the the centre of town Indeed, all around the city you'll find a variety of excellent art and history museums as well as the Musée Olympique, one of the prime attractions in the city. Lausanne is home to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and at the museum, you can learn about the history of the Games, admire sporting sculptures and relive iconic Olympic moments.

The Lavaux region, just outside the city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The steep terraces rise up from the lake and are heavy with vines originally cultivated by medieval monks. The villages offer plenty of opportunity to try the local wine - and the food in the village restaurants is a gastronomic delight. Visitors can reach the the Lavaux vineyards by bus or by using the alpine trains and funiculars. Another way to enjoy a spectacular view of the gravity-defying vines is from the water; cruises depart throughout the summer from Lausanne. Hotel guests benefit from the FREE Lausanne Transport Card, allowing you to hop on and off the local buses and trains. 

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Contact us to book your holiday

Call us on 0800 619 1200 or email us at info@swissholidayco.com

Choose from our handpicked Lausanne hotels

Hotel Continental

Hotel Mirabeau

Most visitors will want to visit the Lavaux vineyards, which are easily reached and offer lovely scenic walks between the villages such as Lutry and Cully. A paddle steamer cruise is also a must - travel directly across to Evian-les-Bains in France, or along the lake to Montreux. Here you can spend the days in the elegant resort and visit medieval Chillon Castle. Another popular trip is to the pretty lakeside village of Morges, beloved by Audrey Hepburn.

In the city, there are recommended guided walking tours around the historic centre. Further afield, the mountains are always worth visiting: Les Rochers-de-Naye is a popular destination, a lovely spot with fabulous views. If you want a true alpine experience, head for Glacier 3000  where you can enjoy beautiful views and snow fun all year round. There are also some very special train journeys. The nostalgic Cheese Train takes you on a magical winter journey to Chateau d'Oex for a cheese-making demonstration and fondue lunch. The Chocolate Train is a summer trip to picturesque Gruyères and then on to the Nestlé-Cailler factory. Please ensure that you pre-book these popular journeys with us to avoid disappointment. Click here for our summary of the best the region has to offer.

There are a number of day trips you can undertake from Lausanne to visit a UNESCO site, indeed the beautiful Wine Terraces of Lavaux are on your doorstep. The Old Town of Bern is also a most charming place to browse around and there's the history of watchmaking to be found in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Find more Swiss World Heritage Sites here.

Our holidays include the Half Fare Card, which entitles you to a 50% discount on most rail, mountain railways, cable cars, boats and PostBuses across Switzerland.

If you are planning daily outings, it can be well worth pre-booking the Lake Geneva Regional Pass, as it saves you a great deal of money - and helps you avoid the queues at the ticket office! If you are planning to travel further afield, you might consider the Swiss Travel Pass as an alternative. We will be delighted to help you choose the one that's right for you. Call us on 0800 619 1200 for more advice.

Enjoy a fantastic two or multi centre holiday, with a scenic rail journey connecting your resorts.

It is a short transfer to Montreux, where the GoldenPass Express begins its journey to Interlaken. There are also easy connections to Brig, where you can pick up the famous Glacier Express (for St. Moritz).  

If you prefer to be based solely in Lausanne, there are many lakes and mountains journeys to be enjoyed locally. We can tailor make any itinerary you choose, please contact us for details on 0800 619 1200. 

Your ticket wallet will contain comprehensive travel instructions to help you reach your destination with ease, including recommended rail connection times and platform numbers. These are the most common routes for your Lausanne holiday. 

Fly to Geneva

Flights available from London, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle.  

Swiss Railways: Geneva Airport > Lausanne with a transfer time of around 50 minutes. 

Fly to Zurich

Flights available from London, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow.

Swiss Railways: Zurich Airport > Lausanne with a transfer time of around 2 hours 30 minutes. 

Travel by international rail

Rail from London St. Pancras via Paris to Basel.

Swiss Railways: Basel > Bern > Lausanne with a transfer time of around 2 hours 20 minutes. 

Request your holiday quotation

Call us on 0800 619 1200 or email us at info@swissholidayco.com