Lausanne is built on a steep slope, and the easiest way to do it alone is to follow the slope: start high at the cathedral or a tower, ride metro line M2 down, and end at the lake in Ouchy. Each level has its own solo-friendly stop, and you can stop after any of them.
The top level: a cathedral and two kinds of view
Cathedral. Lausanne Cathedral, completed in 1215, sits above the Cité district and is the largest Gothic building in Switzerland. Entry is free. In winter the free opening hours run until 17:30, and on Sundays the cathedral is closed from 10:00 to 11:30 for church service. The rose window and its stained glass are inaccessible until spring 2027 because of vault renovation. The tower costs CHF 6 for adults aged 26 and over, with the last visit 30 minutes before closing (Lausanne Tourisme, free activities). From 22:00 to 02:00 the cathedral's night watchman calls out the hours, a tradition since 1405, and you can hear it from outside.
Sauvabelin Tower. Take bus 16 up to Sauvabelin and climb the 302 steps of a 35-metre wooden tower, built in 2003. The platform gives a 360-degree view of the city, Lake Geneva, the Alps and the Jura. It is free all year, but it closes in strong wind, snow or ice, and only 30 people are allowed on at once (Lausanne Tourisme).
Mon-Repos park. Lawns, aviaries and a neo-Gothic tower at the top, with the Folie Voltaire café. Lausanne's parks are open around the clock and free, which makes a bench here a no-pressure start (Lausanne Tourisme).
The middle level: Flon, the station and the squares
Cinémathèque suisse at the Capitole. All Cinémathèque screenings take place at the Capitole cinema on Avenue du Théâtre 6, which has two rooms and a bar. It shows heritage films every day it is open, plus previews and ciné-concerts. The Capitole box office opens Tuesday to Sunday from 14:00. By metro, take M2 to Lausanne-Flon (Lausanne Tourisme, Cinémathèque suisse). A film on your own is easy here, because the programme is built for people who come for the film. See going to the cinema alone.
Plateforme 10. Three cantonal museums share one site next to the SBB station: the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), mudac for design and Photo Elysée for photography. They open at 10:00 and close at 18:00. The MCBA is closed on Mondays, and mudac and Photo Elysée on Tuesdays. A single ticket covers all three and is valid for three months, so you can visit one museum now and the others on another day (Plateforme 10, tickets, Lausanne Tourisme).
Collection de l'Art Brut. Art made by self-taught artists, in a manor house at Avenue des Bergières 11. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00. Until 27 November only part of the permanent collection is on show while the next exhibition is installed; The World of Armand Schulthess opens on 27 November 2026 and runs to 25 April 2027 (Art Brut).
Place de la Palud. The country market takes place here on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, a craft market on the first Friday of every month, and a clock in the square plays the history of Vaud in animated scenes every hour from 9:00 to 19:00 (Lausanne Tourisme). If you like second-hand books, Lausanne Tourisme's bookshop guide lists Librairie de la Louve on Place de la Louve 3 and the English-language shop Books Books Books at Rue du Valentin 1 (bookshop guide).
The bottom level: Ouchy and the lake
The Ouchy quays are described by Lausanne Tourisme as a favourite Sunday walk for locals and visitors, shared by pedestrians, cyclists and roller skaters. The path runs from the Haldimand tower past Ouchy castle and the port to the Bellerive pool, past three parks, and the rose garden at Place du Général Guisan. You can extend the walk east towards Lutry or west to Saint-Sulpice, and the CGN landing stages are here for lake cruises (Lausanne Tourisme).
Olympic Museum. At Quai d'Ouchy 1, open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays except public holidays. Last admission is 17:00, you do not need to book, and the audio guide runs on your own phone for free in English, French, German and Chinese. The museum recommends about two hours. Metro M2 stops at Ouchy-Olympique and Jordils (Olympic Museum, visit page).
Free windows and audio walks
- First Saturday of the month. More than a dozen cantonal and municipal museums open free of charge, including the Musée de l'Art Brut and the Musée Historique. The next one is 5 December 2026. The MCBA also opens its permanent collection free on every day except Monday (Lausanne Tourisme).
- Audio walking routes. The free Urbirun app offers two audio-guided routes, one in the centre and one by the lake, from under 10 km to 18 km (free activities).
Getting around
The metro is the backbone of this guide: M2 serves Lausanne-Flon and the Ouchy stops. If you stay at a partner hotel, you receive the Lausanne Transport Card free of charge, with free public transport in the Mobilis zones and at least 20 percent off selected museums and tours (Lausanne Tourisme).
First solo outings
- Easy: the lake path. Walk the Ouchy quays for twenty minutes and sit by the water.
- Medium: a film at the Capitole. Pick a heritage screening and sit at the bar before it starts.
- Bold: first Saturday, whole day. On 5 December, string together two free museums and the Palud square, then finish at the Sauvabelin Tower.
Details change. Check the venue before you go.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era (an iPhone app) has a movement mission at level 2 worded "Explore an accessible waterside path." The Ouchy quays are one place to try it. Free to download. A subscription is required to start missions. Prices and any free trial are shown in the app and depend on the offer and eligibility.
For more Swiss options, read about Geneva on the same lake, Bern for a calendar-driven city, and Zurich. The full list is in things to do alone in cities, and a first week in a new place is covered in things to do alone in a new city. For museums, see how to visit a museum alone.
FAQ
Is Lausanne Cathedral free to enter?
Yes. Lausanne Tourisme lists access to the cathedral as free. The rose window is inaccessible until spring 2027, and the tower costs CHF 6 for adults aged 26 and over.
Which Lausanne museums are free?
On the first Saturday of each month more than a dozen cantonal and municipal museums are free. The MCBA also shows its permanent collection free every day except Monday.
How do I get from the old town to Ouchy?
Metro M2 serves the Ouchy-Olympique and Jordils stops near the Olympic Museum, and the same line stops at Lausanne-Flon. You can also walk down.
Do I need to book the Olympic Museum?
The museum says you do not need to book in advance. You can buy a ticket online or on arrival.
Can I climb the Sauvabelin Tower in winter?
It is free all year, but it closes in strong wind, snow or ice.
Sources (checked 2026-11-01)
- Lausanne Tourisme, Lausanne Cathedral
- Lausanne Tourisme, free activities
- Lausanne Tourisme, Sauvabelin Tower
- Lausanne Tourisme, Cinémathèque suisse
- Cinémathèque suisse
- Lausanne Tourisme, Plateforme 10
- Plateforme 10
- Plateforme 10, tickets
- Collection de l'Art Brut
- Lausanne Tourisme, Place de la Palud
- Lausanne Tourisme, bookshops
- Lausanne Tourisme, Ouchy
- Olympic Museum, practical information
- Olympic Museum, visit
- Lausanne Tourisme, Transport Card
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
