Climbing steeply between Lake Geneva and the heights of Sauvabelin, Lausanne is easy to visit in a day or two. At the bottom, the port of Ouchy and the Olympic Museum; at the top, the Gothic cathedral, where a watchman still calls out the hours; in between, an automatic metro that climbs the hill. To visit Lausanne well, here are the essentials: what to see, how to get around and when to go based on the official normals of the Pully station.
The capital of the canton of Vaud, Lausanne has about 150,000 inhabitants, making it the fourth-largest city in Switzerland. The International Olympic Committee has been based here since 1915, and the city has held the title of « Olympic Capital » since 1994. French is spoken, and most sights can be visited on foot and by metro in one or two days.
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Lausanne at a glance
- Location north shore of Lake Geneva, facing Évian-les-Bains (France), canton of Vaud
- Language French
- Currency and time Swiss franc; UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer), 1 h ahead of London and 6 h ahead of New York
- Getting there Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF) station with international trains; direct train to Geneva Airport
- Entry US and UK: visa-free up to 90 days in any 180 days (Schengen rules) · travel.state.gov · GOV.UK
- Must-sees the cathedral, the old town, Plateforme 10, the Art Brut Collection, Ouchy, the Olympic Museum, Sauvabelin, Lavaux
- Ideal stay 1 to 2 days, plus a day in Lavaux
What to see in Lausanne: the top sights
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Built from about 1170 to 1235 and consecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X, in the presence of Rudolf of Habsburg, Lausanne Cathedral is a Gothic building in molasse sandstone that became Protestant at the Reformation. Its rose window, made around 1205, retains almost all of its 13th-century stained glass. Viollet-le-Duc led his last restoration project here from 1874. The belfry can be visited: the tourist office counts 224 steps to the top, from where you can see the city, the lake and the Alps. A unique feature: since 1405, a watchman has kept watch from the belfry and called out the hours; the service is still running.
The old town, the Palud and the Palais de Rumine
Below the cathedral, the old town runs down to Place de la Palud, home to the town hall, seat of the municipal government and council. Further west, Place de la Riponne is dominated by the Palais de Rumine, a Florentine Renaissance-style building opened in 1902: the Treaty of Lausanne was signed there in 1923, and it now houses several cantonal museums (archaeology and history, geology, zoology, coins).
A multi-level city: the Flon and the bridges
The center is built on the bed of the Flon river, covered over since the 19th century. It left a gorge, spanned by several bridges, above which the city was built on several levels: one street can run several dozen meters above another. Check which level you are on before looking for an address. Flon is also the name of the metro station at the bottom of this gorge.
Plateforme 10, the arts district
Next to the station, on the site of former SBB locomotive sheds, Plateforme 10 has brought together three cantonal museums since 2022: the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts (MCBA, opened in October 2019), mudac (design and applied arts) and Photo Elysée, the photography museum. The site also hosts the collections of the Toms Pauli Foundation (textile arts) and the Félix Vallotton Foundation.
The Art Brut Collection
This is Lausanne’s most unusual museum. It grew out of the collection Jean Dubuffet began to assemble in 1945: works by self-taught and marginal artists, psychiatric patients, prisoners or recluses, which he named « art brut ». Dubuffet donated it to the city, and the museum opened in 1976.
Ouchy, the Olympic Museum and the lakeside
A former fishing village joined to Lausanne in the mid-19th century, Ouchy is the city’s port, with its castle, hotels and quays from which you can see the French shore (Évian, Thonon). CGN boats leave from here across Lake Geneva. The Olympic Museum, founded in 1993 and reopened in December 2013 after renovation, covers the history of the Games, Olympic torches and sports equipment over three floors; its sculpture park runs down to the lake. The IOC headquarters is further west, at Vidy, near the remains of the Roman town of Lousonna.
Sauvabelin: the wooden tower and the lake
Above the city, Sauvabelin forest has a small lake and a wooden tower more than 35 m (115 ft) high, opened to the public in December 2003. Its 302 steps (151 up, 151 down) form a double helix; from the top, the 360-degree view takes in the city, the lake and the Alps.
Lavaux, the terraced vineyards
East of the city, the terraced vineyards of Lavaux climb above the lake. The terraces date back to the 11th century and the Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries; Chasselas is the main grape variety. The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. A waymarked trail, the Terrasses de Lavaux, links Saint-Saphorin with Lutry.
Itinerary: Lausanne in 1 or 2 days
| Time | Day 1: the upper town | Day 2: the lake and the museums |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Cathedral and climb up the belfry | Plateforme 10 (MCBA, mudac, Photo Elysée) |
| Midday | Old town and Place de la Palud | Metro m2 down to Ouchy |
| Afternoon | Art Brut Collection or Palais de Rumine | Olympic Museum and its park, Ouchy quays |
| Evening | Flon district | Boat on Lake Geneva or up the Sauvabelin tower |
When to go to Lausanne
From May to September, when highs exceed 18.9 °C (66 °F), peaking in July (25.0 °C, 77 °F, in the afternoon, 16.2 °C, 61 °F, at night) with up to 8.3 hours of sunshine a day. June and September offer a good balance between mild weather and the number of rainy days. It rains in every season: May is the wettest month (112.6 mm, 4.4 in) and February the driest (63.5 mm, 2.5 in). Winter is cold and grey, with 4.7 °C (40 °F) in the afternoon in January and less than 2 hours of sunshine a day in December. The Pully station, at 456 m (1,496 ft), is by the lake east of the city: the upper districts are a little cooler.
| Month | High °C (°F) | Low °C (°F) | Rain mm (in) | Rainy days | Sun per day | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.7 (40) | 0.7 (33) | 75.4 (3.0) | 9.8 | 2.5 h | ❌ Cold, grey |
| February | 5.9 (43) | 0.8 (33) | 63.5 (2.5) | 8.5 | 3.9 h | ⚠️ Cold, the driest |
| March | 10.5 (51) | 3.7 (39) | 71.8 (2.8) | 9.0 | 5.4 h | ⚠️ Cool |
| April | 14.6 (58) | 6.8 (44) | 83.6 (3.3) | 9.2 | 6.4 h | ✅ Mild, spring |
| May | 18.9 (66) | 10.7 (51) | 112.6 (4.4) | 11.7 | 6.9 h | ✅ Pleasant, the wettest |
| June | 22.8 (73) | 14.3 (58) | 106.8 (4.2) | 9.9 | 8.0 h | ✅ Ideal |
| July | 25.0 (77) | 16.2 (61) | 102.7 (4.0) | 9.6 | 8.3 h | ✅ The warmest and sunniest |
| August | 24.5 (76) | 16.2 (61) | 109.6 (4.3) | 9.5 | 7.8 h | ✅ Warm |
| September | 19.8 (68) | 12.7 (55) | 98.4 (3.9) | 8.9 | 6.3 h | ✅ Mild, ideal |
| October | 14.6 (58) | 9.1 (48) | 110.9 (4.4) | 10.3 | 4.2 h | ⚠️ Cool, rainy |
| November | 8.9 (48) | 4.5 (40) | 99.2 (3.9) | 10.4 | 2.6 h | ❌ Cold, grey |
| December | 5.4 (42) | 1.5 (35) | 97.7 (3.8) | 10.9 | 1.9 h | ❌ The darkest |
Our page when to go to Switzerland uses the same Pully normals for Lausanne. Geneva-Cointrin, at the other end of the lake, is slightly warmer in summer (26.7 °C, 80 °F, in July) and drier (56 to 97 mm, 2.2 to 3.8 in, a month): they are two different stations.
How sunny is Lausanne?
The Pully station gets an average of 1,957 hours of sunshine a year, most of it in summer (July: 8.3 h a day), while November and December are dark (1.9 h a day in December). Destination de Voyage calculation.
How many rainy days in a 3-day stay?
Scaling the average number of precipitation days in each month to a three-day stay, you can expect about 0.9 rainy days in March and 1.1 in May. The difference between months is small: have a museum plan whatever the season. Destination de Voyage calculation based on 1991-2020 normals.
| Month | Expected rainy days in 3 days | Monthly rain |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0.9 | 75 mm (3.0 in) |
| February | 0.9 | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| March | 0.9 | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| April | 0.9 | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| May | 1.1 | 113 mm (4.4 in) |
| June | 1.0 | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| July | 0.9 | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| August | 0.9 | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| September | 0.9 | 98 mm (3.9 in) |
| October | 1.0 | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| November | 1.0 | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| December | 1.1 | 98 mm (3.9 in) |
Getting there and getting around
- By train: Lausanne station, whose main building is in Art Nouveau style, is served by international TGV Lyria trains from France and by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) trains. Check timetables on the operators’ websites.
- By air: Lausanne has no international airport; a direct train links it with Geneva Airport. Check flights and timetables with the airlines and SBB.
- In town: the m2 metro, automatic and running on rubber tires, opened in 2008 and links Ouchy with the north of the city via the station and the Flon; it partly follows the route of the 1877 Lausanne-Ouchy funicular, the first in Switzerland. Buses and trolleybuses are run by the Lausanne public transport company (tl).
- On foot: possible and pleasant, but the slope is steep: good shoes help, and the metro saves you the climbs between the lake and the cathedral.
Where to stay
The station area is convenient if you arrive by train and sits halfway between the lake and the old town. Ouchy, by the lake, has several large hotels around the port. The center and the old town put you within walking distance of the cathedral and the Flon. Compare offers and book early.
If you… then…: choosing your plan
| If you… | Then… |
|---|---|
| only have one day | the cathedral, the Palud, the metro down to Ouchy and the Olympic Museum |
| love art | Plateforme 10 and the Art Brut Collection |
| are traveling as a family | the Olympic Museum, the Sauvabelin tower and its lake |
| love walking | the Terrasses de Lavaux trail, from Saint-Saphorin to Lutry |
| get a rainy day | museums: it rains on average 8 to 12 days a month all year round |
| are continuing around the lake | go on to Geneva by train |
Entry requirements, health and safety
- US citizens: according to the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov, last updated January 15, 2026), Switzerland applies Schengen rules: your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your stay, and you will need proof of sufficient funds and a return ticket. Short tourist stays are visa-free for up to 90 days.
- UK citizens: according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 11 August 2026), you can travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expire at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), you may need to register your fingerprints and photo.
- Safety: serious crime is rare in Switzerland, but petty theft has increased in larger cities (GOV.UK, updated 11 August 2026); most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, on public transport and at major railway stations (U.S. Department of State).
- Health: UK travellers need a GHIC or EHIC, which does not replace travel insurance (GOV.UK). Emergencies: 112; ambulance 144, police 117. See our travel insurance guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need to visit Lausanne?
One day for the cathedral, the old town and Ouchy; two days to add Plateforme 10 or the Art Brut Collection and Sauvabelin; a third for Lavaux.
What is the best time to visit Lausanne?
From May to September. July is the warmest month (25.0 °C, 77 °F) and the sunniest, according to the 1991-2020 normals of the Pully station; May is the wettest.
What is the cathedral night watch?
Since 1405, a watchman in the cathedral belfry has called out the hours. This service, once responsible for spotting fires, is still running.
Does Lausanne have a metro?
Yes: the m2 line, automatic and running on rubber tires, opened in 2008 and links Ouchy, on the lakeshore, with the north of the city.
Do US and UK citizens need a visa for Lausanne?
No, not for short stays: Switzerland applies Schengen rules, with visa-free stays of up to 90 days (travel.state.gov; GOV.UK, which also mentions the EU Entry/Exit System).
Our sources
- 1991-2020 normals of the MeteoSwiss Pully station (Lausanne), WMO station 06711, WMO 1991-2020 normals archive published by NOAA (NCEI), checked on 23 October 2026
- Entry, health and safety information read on 26 October 2026: U.S. Department of State, Switzerland country information (travel.state.gov, last updated January 15, 2026), and UK FCDO, foreign travel advice for Switzerland (GOV.UK, updated 11 August 2026)
- Lausanne Tourisme, « 7 things you must see in Lausanne » (belfry steps)
- Wikipedia: « Lausanne », « Lausanne Metro », « Olympic Museum », « Ouchy », « Lavaux », « Plateforme 10 », « Lausanne railway station », « Palais de Rumine », « Lausanne Cathedral », « Collection de l’art brut », « Sauvabelin Tower », checked on 23 October 2026
- Destination de Voyage calculations: sun per day, rainy days over a 3-day stay
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026.
To plan the rest of your trip, see our Switzerland and Geneva guides and our destinations in Europe.
