Are you in charge of acting as a tourist agency for a day for your loved ones arriving in Lausanne? Whether it’s for your in-laws with rather refined tastes, your cousin from America who has never set foot in Switzerland, or your best pal who appreciates coffee and museums, we’ve concocted three special itineraries that will have them discovering the wonders of our city in one stroll!
the parents-in-law :
With your in-laws, we start the morning by visiting one of our favorite museums: the Hermitage Foundation, or Plateforme 10. Both have so much potential, we’ll let you choose! And since art can whet the appetite, the Nabi at the Musée de la Gare, or the Esquisse at the Hermitage, will welcome you for a gourmet lunch break! The chef at Le Nabi offers daily specials inspired by the harvests of their market gardeners, while L’Esquisse specializes in gourmet brunches. After your break, we don’t want to stress your in-laws, so we take a leisurely stroll through the streets of Lausanne. Of course, a stop at one of Lausanne’s chocolate shops is a must, and this Easter, we suggest you drop by Noz Chocolatier to choose one of their incredible, original and colorful creations! And since we’re in the area, we’ll end the day at Rue de Bourg, for evening service at L’Appart! With unique, high-quality menus and a view of the cathedral, your in-laws’ refined expectations should be fulfilled by this day!
- Le Nabi : Place de la Gare 16, 1003 Lausanne, Ma-Me 10h à 18h, Je 10h à 20h, Ve-Di 10h à 18h
- L’Esquisse : Route du Signal 2, 1018 Lausanne, Ma-Di 10h à 18h
- Noz Chocolatier : Rue Marterey 11, 1005 Lausanne, Ma-Ve 6h30 à 19h, Sa 7h à 17h30
- L’Appart : Rue de Bourg 29, 1003 Lausanne, Ma-Sa 18h45 à minuit
The American cousin:
To start the day with this relative who knows nothing about Switzerland, we suggest lunch in the city’s last Belle-Époque tea-room: Wuthrich. And since your cousin has a sweet tooth, you sample one of their oldest products: a chocolate sablé with dark chocolate vanilla ganache, called a “Stéphanie.” To digest this sweet treat, you walk back up towards the Place de la Palud, stopping at noon sharp to listen to the talking clock tell a bit of Vaud history. Your cousin is hungry again, and just as well, because you’re in front of the Café du Grütli, which serves Swiss specialties all year round. After tasting the famous cheese fondue, you get motivated and climb the 177 steps of the market staircase, then the 224 steps of the Cathedral, to reach the top and admire a magnificent panorama of the city. On the way back down, we stop off at Saveur Pimenthé, a pretty boutique selling exceptional coffees and teas, to buy a few goodies to take back to America. Finally, we head for the capital’s oldest bistro: Pint Besson. We strongly advise your cousin to try the saucisse aux choux and papet vaudois, to get a good overview of the region’s gastronomic specialties!
- Wuthrich Lausanne : Avenue Juste-Olivier 11, 1006 Lausanne, Ma-Ve 7h30 à 18h30, Sa 7h30 à 17h
- Café du Grütli : Rue de la Mercerie 4, 1003 Lausanne, Lu-Ve 10h à 14h30 et 18h30 à 23h, Sa 10h à 15h et 18h30 à 23h
- Saveur Pimenthé : Rue de la Madeleine 5, 1003 Lausanne, Lu 10h30 à 18h30, Ma-Ve 9h à 18h30, Sa 8h30 à 17h30
- Pinte Besson : Rue de l’Ale 4, 1003 Lausanne, Lu-Sa 9h30 à minuit
Best mate:
Your best friend who lives in Zurich is discovering Lausanne for the first time, so we’re planning a day worthy of the name! After greeting her when her train arrives, we walk down to Ça passe crème, just a few minutes’ walk from the station. For a hot drink to go, your buddy will be spoilt for choice with all the specialty coffees on offer! On the way out, Loom gelateria 1900 catches our eye, of course, so we also indulge in a small cone flavored with salted pistachios, black sesame or kiwis to accompany the coffee. To savor all this, we take a few moments to relax in the Parc de Milan. And when the sun starts to beat down a little, it announces midday and our stomachs confirm it, so we set off again in the direction of the Olympic Museum, with the aim of tasting the eggs mimosa, creamy peas and smoked salmon from the Olympic Museum Restaurant. To digest in the best possible surroundings, we walk down the museum grounds to the lakeside, where the many tulips are just beginning to bloom! And to round off the day, there’s no better option than an aperitif at the Côté Lac Lausanne refreshment bar, which offers a selection of local products and a revisited Swiss Spritz.
- Ça passe crème : Boulevard de Grancy 49, 1006 Lausanne, Ma-Ve 8h à 14h30, Sa 10h à 17h, Di 10h à 16h
- Loom gelateria 1900 : Boulevard de Grancy 45, 1006 Lausanne, Ma-Ve 11h à 19h, Sa-Di 11h à 18h
- Restaurant du Musée Olympique : Musée Olympique, Quai d’Ouchy 1, 1006 Lausanne, Ma-Di 9h à 18h
- Côté Lac Lausanne : Quais de Belgique 4, Ouchy, 1006 Lausanne
*This blog post is not a ranking, the order is random.
