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June is the perfect time to visit Lausanne, the beautiful city is packed with many great activities, food and drink hotspots and surrounded by the lake, mountain views and gardens.
In addition to the HackSummit Side Events and two-day programme we want to make sure you enjoy the very best of what our city has to offer.
Here’s 60 insider tips to live like a local and get the most out of your time in Lausanne
Restaurants
- Brasserie Montbenon - best terrasse view in Lausanne, reservation recommended
- Doki Doki Ramen - delicious homemade ramen, using local products
- Ristorante Amici - authentic delicious italian, but no pizza on the menu
- Café Saint-Pierre - inventive cocktail menu, and ingenious, gourmet bistronomy
- Pyxis Café - vegetarian restaurant with views of the lake and cathedral
- Le Lacustre - lakeside casual dining and popular afterwork
- Auberge de Montheron - 20 mins from Lausanne, in the forest, and well worth a visit
- Fratel e Napule - rustic charm with really good pizza
- Luigia - enjoy a pizza in an old cinema
- Un po’ di Piu - Italian dining with gluten-free options
- Da Carlo - a classical Italian restaurant experience
Bars and Cafes
- Les Jardins - laid-back garden atmosphere, for drinks in the old town
- The Great Escape - a large terrasse for afterwork drinks
- La Rincette - lakeside cafe and drinks
- La Jetée de la Compagnie - lakeside bar, tip: take your swimsuit
- Le Vestibule - cocktail bar
- Les Arches - for an atypical location
- Deli Social - top notch homemade sandwiches and great coffee
- The BreadStore - for the best croissants in town
Speciality Coffee
Clubs
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- Le Bleu Lézards - centrally located with good food and music.
- Le Jagger’s - particularly popular among rock music fans
- Le XIIIe siècle - an authentic cellar in the heart of the city
Out in Nature
- Lausanne Botanical Garden - a tranquil escape to surround yourself in 4,000 trees and plants
- Swim in the lake - Head down early in the morning, you can swim from at the Public Beach of Vidy or La Jetée de la Compagnie
- Small lakeside beaches - head to Lavaux all accessible by train in 10-15 mins (Lutry, Villette, Cully, Epesses, Preverenges)
- Head to Cully - a 15 min train ride from Lausanne, stop at a cafe or restaurants in the village, beautiful lakes to swim in or arrange a visit to a one of the many wine producers
- Wine tastings - Try Domaine Wannaz or Domaine Piccard
Swiss Souvenirs we can Vouch for
- Freitag - Bags made from (used) truck tarpaulins
Cultural and Historical
- Place de La Palud - the main square of Lausanne’s Old Town. The musical clock will surprise you…
- Lausanne Cathedral - one of the most beautiful gothic art monuments in Europe
- Glaciers Exhibition - archeological and history collections
- Collection de l’Art Brut - raw art museum, right across from the Summit venue
- Hermitage Foundation - currently hosting an exhibition on Nicolas de Staël, a key figure in the post-war art scene.
- Olympic Museum - see the exhibitions and head inside the Olympic Stadium
- Plateforme 10: 3 of Lausanne’s best museums nestled around the same square (Mudac, Photo Elysée and Musée Cantonal des Beaux Arts
For Sports Lovers
- Bellerive-Plage swimming pool
Cultural Events and Showcases
- Concert: 2-14 June: Lausanne Opéra: Nabucco - Verdi
- Performance: 12-13 June: Théatre de Vidy: Forecast
- Stand Up in French: 13 June: Théatre Boulimie: Couleur 3 Comedy Club
- Dance: 14-19 June: Théatre de Beaulieu: Hamlet - Rhapsody in Blue - Boléro - Béjart Ballet
- Mudac, Lausanne: “objet du désir”
- Platform 10, Lausanne: “Le Grand Jeu”
- Alimentarium, Vevey: “Food - The essence of life”
Day Trips
- Hiking: Hike to Rochers-de-Naye for a spectacular view on the lake (you can also take a small train from Montreux - Rochers de Naye (50 min ride). Alternatively you can hike to the Dent de Jaman nearby for a view you will never forget
- Boat ride: Take a boat ride on the lake from Lausanne to Geneva or Montreux (or any stop in between) with the CGN boats. These are part of the public transportation system. Make sure you book with the “Belle Epoque” boat, the historical fleet. Note: some of these boats cross to France, so unless you want an international trip, make sure you book a trip from a Swiss city to another Swiss city.
- Fondue in the mountains: Experience a Swiss “alpage” and head to the Buvette le Vuipay (45 min drive from Lausanne). Plan some hours ahead to combine with a hike around the Dent de Lys!
Getting Around
You can find the schedules for virtually any type of public transportation on the swiss railway website: https://www.sbb.ch/fr
Good to Know
You can drink water from any fountain in or around Lausanne unless specified, so fill up your water bottles.