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- Family Friendly Attractions
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More Top 10s
- Ask a Local
- Locals have answered 3 questions about Lausanne.
- Ask Lausanne Locals
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1. Cathedrale de Lausanne
One of the most beautiful Gothic structures in Europe, the cathedral stands 150m (492 ft.) above Lake Geneva. Construction began in 1175; in 1275...
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2. Castle St. Marie
- Situated on the border of the Old Town, St-Marie Castle is currently home to the Government of the Canton of Vaud. The most interesting way to... read more
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- Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings
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4. Place de la Palud
- Place de la Palud is a quaint cobbled stone square near the Town Hall but with the wonderfully colored buildings, each with its own window box... read more
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- Architecture
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5. Fondation de l'Hermitage
- Fondation de l'Hermitage, a wonderful old house has been refurbished and holds exhibitions of paintings in a magnificent setting. The house itself... read more
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- Museums
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6. Lake Geneva (Lac Léman)
One of the most popular activities along the shores of Lake Geneva (called Lac Léman in French) is to promenade with the locals, especially on... read more-
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- Lakes and Rivers
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7. Olympic Museum
Seeing that the Comité International Olympique has been installed in Lausanne since 1915, the city decided in 1993 to open a museum recalling the...
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- Art Museums/Galleries
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8. Lausanne-Vidy Roman Museum
- The Musée Romain de Lausanne-Vidy, on the site of the former Roman town of Lausanna, is the ideal place to see after visiting the neighboring Roman... read more
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- Culture
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9. Grandvaux Village
Founded on Roman and Celtic ruins, Grandvaux has seen its name change many times. In the 15th century, it was Grantval and eventually became Grandvaux... read more-
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- Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings
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10. Medieval Wooden Stairs
- These medieval wooden stairs up lead up from the Place de la Palud to the Notre Dame Cathedral de Lausanne. The bottom of the steep stairs looking... read more
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- Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings
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The Best of NileGuide
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Crowning the hills of Lausanne is the 12th c. Notre Dame Cathedral, my top pick which is the biggest and the most beautiful Gothic building in Switzerland and impossible to not see. Try to catch classical concerts which are held often in the Cathedral. Behind the Cathedral is La Cité and fairytale-like Castle St. Marie which now houses the Cantonal government.
Going downwards past the Cathedral on the wooden covered stops you will find yourself at the Place de la Palud, a quaint cobble stoned square with boutiques, a historical animated clock near the Fountain of Justice and the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) which dates from the 16th c.
Be sure to check for the latest exhibition at the Fondation de l'Hermitage, a historical house up on a hill overlooking the city that has some of Europe's and the world's best art works as well as occasional concernts.
The shores of Lake Geneva (Lake Léman) are a must and you will enjoy promenading past rare plants and trees that are labeled as you view with awe the Swiss and French Alps on the other side of the lake. Here you will be able to visit the Olympic Museum and the Roman ruins and Museum at Vidy.
Grandvaux, another top pick of mine is a very charming medieval village up on the slopes of the Lavaux vineyards and in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking Lake Geneva and the Swiss and French Alps. After enjoying lunch or a drink on the balcony of the Le Monde restaurant, head down to Cully Village on the lake to taste of the best of the local wines such as the Cave de la Cour Blondel Family.
