Lausanne & Lutry, Switzerland

As stated in my previous blog entry, after our two day stay in Montreux, we went to Lausanne, also situated on Lake Geneva. Lausanne is quite a hilly city, but is quite possible to see all the sights on foot, if you don't mind a good climb now and again. Host to the International Olympic Committee, the city has an interesing array of things to do and see.

On arriving at the main train station, we made our way to our hotel, City Hotel, located near the old quarter, close to Lausanne's famous cathedral. The fifteen minute walk to our hotel was a rather steep climb upwards, including some cobblestone roads, which wasn't very enjoyable as we had to lug our suitcases behind us. The hotel itself is quite modern, but lacks a certain element of warmth, which was slightly abated by the friendly reception staff. Our room was clean and spacious, and we had a small balcony, with a view over a busy street and other buildings. We happened to be staying in this hotel during the Football World Cup, when Switzerland won a game. The noise was unbelievable - cars hooting, people screaming and shouting, there was no way we could sleep. Obviously this is not usually the case, I'm sure that the rooms are generally much quieter and are usually able to deflect most outside noise - just a warning in case anybody is thinking about staying in this hotel during a popular Swiss sporting event!

After checking into the hotel, we decided to take a walk through the old quarter, known as the Flon district, which is largely car-free, taking in all the sights surrounding us. Numerous shops, restaurants and cafes abound and there also happened to be a market on that day, which made it all the more busier. We reached the cathedral and inspected it from the outside, impressed by its gothic architecture. Our plan was to then take public transport to Ouchy, the popular, scenic waterfront development by Lake Geneva, however we ended up walking all the way instead. It was quite a long walk, but we enjoyed it nevertheless. Swiss flags were fluttering from many buildings due to the patriotric spirit induced by the World Cup. There is a small metro system in Lausanne, however when we were there the line to Ouchy was not working and a bus service replaced it. Lausanne has a good, extensive bus network, but it proved quite difficult for us to get tickets from the machines placed near the bus stops, as we had to have the correct amount of change - the ticket machines do not give any change at all.

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon that we spent in Ouchy. We walked along the lakefront, admiring the moored yachts, with an impressive view of the Alps in the distance. At one point we sat on a low wall by the lake, sitting silently, savouring every moment. It is also possible to rent boats and pedal boats at the lakefront - it is an ideal place to enjoy such an activity. Ouchy also has good surfaces for rollerblading, something we might do next time. There are a variety of restaurants by the lakefront, and we decided to have a good meal, which consisted of a huge bowl of mussels and chips, washed down with some beer. Yes, we enjoyed that, and after our long walk, felt we deserved it. We went to have a drink at another bar/restuarant, closer to the lake. A hotel next door was having a big reception in its garden, so we had the sounds of live jazz drifting around us. Another attraction in Ouchy, which we visited the next day, is the Olympic Museum, an information centre about the Olympic Games. Set in the Parc Olympique, there are sculptures and exhibitions admist the gardens and fountains. It is a peaceful place to wander about, observing the history of the Olympics.

The next morning we decided to take short trip to Lutry, a small, medieval village also situated on the shores of Lake Geneva. We caught a bus from Lausanne's old quarter and the journey took about half an hour. We meandered along the winding, narrow cobblestone streets of the village, also known for its wine-making, appreciating the historic beauty of the place. Lutry's waterfront and marina seems to be a popular place for swimming and fishing. Alternatively it's a good spot to merely sit and appreciate the surroundings, or have a bite to eat at one of the restaurants or ice-cream stalls. Other attractions in this picturesque town are its castle and medieval church.

All too soon, our holiday had come to an end, and it was time to return home. Switzerland was definitely an excellent choice to spend our honeymoon in. It is one of our favourite counties that we've visited so far, and we can't wait to go back - I really can't recommend it enough. Next time we'd like to travel to Interlaken and Lucerne. I'm not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon.