Make chocolate, feast on fondue and hit the vineyards on a city break in Switzerland’s Lausanne
Expect a feast in this Swiss city, says Fabulous' Lifestyle Editor
THIS is a city break, but not as you know it.
Forget polluted streets and crowded trains and settle in for a truly heavenly getaway.
Set sail
Sitting on the shore of Lake Geneva with the stunning Alps as a backdrop, you’d be crazy not to hit the water in Lausanne.
Hire a pedalo, from £13 for 30 minutes, or hop on a cruise to feast on fondue as the sun sets (Best. Night. Ever). Tickets cost £38 per person.
Fancy a lazy afternoon? Grab a glass of wine, £3, and join the hipsters on the old pier at Jetée de la Compagnie.
Be moved
After climbing the cathedral’s tower to snap the city from a bird’s eye view, £4, reward yourself with steak, £15, and white chocolate eclairs, £5, at cosy Café des Artisans in the city centre.
Stop by our fave find, Caramel Beurre Sale, a few doors down for homeware and slogan fashion pieces, then check out the Collection de l’Art Brut.
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It’s full of works by unconventional artists, like prisoners and those with mental illnesses, and while some are a little dark, most are awe-inspiring. Entry costs £8.
Make chocolate
The Swiss know their choc, so join a workshop at Durig Chocolatier and learn to make your own treats. Bespoke classes cost from £15.50 per person.
Later, hit Brasserie de Montbenon for the terrace views, pretty gardens and cocktails – it’s near the cool Le Flon warehouse district, with bars aplenty to carry on your night.
Hit the vineyards
All the hotels in the city give you a free travel card. Use it to visit the UNESCO-protected Lavaux vineyards, less than 10 minutes from the centre by train.
Hop off at Grandvaux and walk two minutes to family-run Domaine Croix Duplex to sip vino, from £13 for four tastings, on the beautiful lake-view terrace.
We fell for the Fleurettes white, first blended by the owners’ grandad in 1947.
Race Usain Bolt
Home of the International Olympics Committee, the city also has an Olympic Museum, entry £14.
Get the facts on doping and try to out-sprint Usain on an interactive track.
Photography fans should then head through the gardens to the Elysée museum, entry £6, and stop by the bookshop stacked with coffee-table gems.
Before heading home, grab a board game and delicious asparagus risotto, £17, at locals’ fave Café de Grancy near the station.
Spa out
Opened this year, the spa at the Royal Savoy is pretty spesh. Expect a stainless-steel indoor/outdoor pool, heat rooms and Jacuzzi jets aplenty.
Day visits cost £60, or stay the night from £239 for a double room.
Flights to Geneva start from £59. Trains to Lausanne cost £18 return and take 50 minutes. Plan your trip at Lausanne-tourisme.ch.
For more getaway ideas, check out these family-friendly UK retreats.