Lausanne is made for a treasure hunt. The city rises in layers: from the historic heights with their palaces and cathedral you descend to lively squares, then climb back up to a brand-new art quarter. Those slopes, hidden viewpoints and centuries-old details suddenly turn into clues the moment you start reading the city like a game.
How the treasure hunt works
You open the walk right in your browser — no app to download, no account. The route guides you from place to place, and at every stop you read the story of that spot and solve a puzzle. The answer is right there, in the surroundings themselves. That's how you start to look more closely: at a rose window, a neo-Renaissance façade, or a clock that tells time in its own way.
What you'll discover along the way
The hunt counts eight stops, among them the Lausanne History Museum in a former bishop's palace, the lively Place de la Palud with its animated town-hall clock, the Gothic Lausanne Cathedral and the majestic Palais de Rumine. The new art quarter Plateforme 10 — home to the MCBA and the design museum MUDAC — joins in, as does the Esplanade de Montbenon with its sweeping view over Lake Geneva and the Alps. Which puzzle you solve where, we won't reveal — that's the game.
Practical details
The route is about 3.5 kilometres and takes roughly 1 to 2 hours, depending on your pace and how long you linger at each stop. You start at the Lausanne History Museum and continue at your own rhythm; pausing for the view is always allowed.
Who it's for
A treasure hunt through Lausanne works for almost any group: an original outing with friends, an active city walk for two, or a family day out. All you need is a phone.
The Lausanne walk is free to play. Start the treasure hunt in the CityWalkGems app and discover how much more the city reveals when you have to look for it.
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