Lausanne

Sitting bang in the middle of the northern shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) in French-speaking Switzerland, Lausanne is a sophisticated, cultured city surrounded by wine-growing regions and with a wonderful backdrop of snow-capped Alps. With its origins in Roman times, it has developed among the lakeside hills and exists on several different levels, spanned by a multitude of bridges. 
The heart of Lausanne is its medieval core, dominated by Switzerland’s biggest and most flamboyant Gothic cathedral, which dates from the 13th century and is adorned with sinister, spiky spires; it is surrounded by a spider’s web of cobbled shopping streets. Ouchy is the city’s attractive, flower-and-fountain-filled waterfront promenade, passing a marina bobbing with pleasure craft as well as several neat city parks; from here boat cruises venture across Lake Geneva to Montreux and the vast lakeside, medieval castle at Chillon. In summer the lake is a hotbed of watersports from sailing to canoeing, water ski-ing to wind surfing. Come winter, skiers and boarders can get to the slopes of the massive Portes de Soleil complex, Champéry or Villars in under an hour for pistes of all levels. Lausanne is also is home to the International Olympic Committee and the refurbished Olympic Museum, where displays showcase the modern Olympic movement and highlights of the games.

Practical Info

Lausanne is just an hour from Geneva by scenic Alpine road along Lac Léman. Getting around is easy, as it is the only Swiss city with its own metro system.