Are there any walking tours recommended for Lausanne? I will only be in the city for 2 days in August and have found city walking tours a good way to 'dabble' in an unknown metropolitan area on short visits.
Posted by
Montreux, Switzerland
262 posts
I recommended stopping at the tourist office when you arrive. You can describe your interests and they will provide you with walking maps. From Lausanne, it's worth it to take the 10 min train to the Lavaux UNESCO vineyard terraces. The views are breathtaking over Lake Geneva as you walk through vineyards and small villages. It's easy to return back to Lausanne as the trains run along Lake Geneva just below these terraces. From the vineyards, Vevey is another 10 min train ride and has a terrific market on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Montreux is another 10 min away (same direction), so you can fit quite a lot into two days using public transport. This region operates on the Mobilis network, and most of the tickets are interchangeable within a certain time window. Take a look at the sbb.ch 1/2 price cards, travel discounts. Well worth it.
Posted by
OP
39 posts
Thank you. This is very helpful.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Usually walking tours are indeed a good way to see a city. But the walking tour I took in Lausanne was one of the most disappointing walking tours I have taken. Of course, that's just one data point, but when Rick says he can't recall a bad walking tour, he never went with my Lausanne tour guide, who spent what seemed like hours in one church, and only touched on one interesting thing I would have missed on my own (a small shop with a collection of shoes from all periods; the owner explained the different construction methods over the centuries).