Lausanne

Lausanne the capital of the Swiss canton of Vaud, is a medium sized city (around two thirds the size of Geneva) which sits at the northern most point of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). The city is the host to the International Olympic Committee and two major universities. It is also the transportation hub of Vaud, and a gateway to the alpine Canton of the Valais, home to some of the best known ski slopes in the world.

As you might expect the large student population makes for a lively nightlife and arts community, revolving around the Flon district. You'll also find a number of quality restaurants and two dozen museums of note, including the Olympic Museum and the offbeat Collection de l'Art Brut. Architecture buffs should note that at the top of the old town you'll find the best preserved Gothic cathedral in Switzerland.

The usual Swiss trinkets are available in a couple of places around town, although they are not nearly as ubiquitous as in Geneva or Berne. The real draw here is a colorful farmers market on Saturdays and Wednesdays in the steep, winding streets of Old Town. There are plenty of boutiques and department stores as well. Note that pretty much everything is closed on Sunday, except in Ouchy, part of which is on Federal land.

The usual tricks for budget travel dining work in Lausanne as well. There's a grocery store ("Aperto") inside the train station which is open every day until midnight (a bit expensive),COOP PRONTO is in the station below the railways, near the lane 9, it represents a good alternative, and there are plenty of great places to take your picnic, for instance you might try the Crêt de Montriond. To get there go belows the railways, take down the stairs and go to the main avenue, then turn to the left. After the turn you should see a green hill around the size of a five story building directly in front of you. If you are closer to the port of Ouchy there are two groceries open every day, "Migros" which is near the Mövenpick Hotel and "Coop Pronto", which is just uphill from the Chateâu d'Ouchy.