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User:(WT-en) Maj/Sandbox/Cochin

Cochin (now known as Kochi) is Kerala's most cosmopolitan city with a bustling commercial port.

Understand
Cochin merchants began trading in spices such as black pepper and cardamom with the Jews, Arabs, the Dutch, Phoenecians, Portuguese, Chinese more than 600 years ago.

Cochin has a lot of remnants from the past still clinging on. The famous landmark in Cochin is a row of Chinese fishing nets at the mouth of the harbour leading to the Arabian sea. It is a blend of modern India on one hand and while the old quarter -- the Fort Kochi area and Mattancherry area -- maintains a colonial air.

Now Cochin includes Ernakulam city, Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Kumbalangi and outlying islands

Cochin is comparatively cleaner and quieter than many other Indian tourist places. Having said that, Cochin is still a health and sanitation problem. Trash and rubbish litter most public areas. The infastructure of proper sidewalks and grey water control remains a problem. Be careful walking especially at night as poorly lit areas and multi-level sidewalks are common. Often gaping holes could land you in a puddle.

This area boasts of hundreds of islands, some even uninhabited, and is part of the Backwaters of Kerala. A famous island is that of Boghatty (local name Mulavukad) where the Dutch built a palace. This palace was later used as house of the British Resident administrator. Right now the Dutch Palace is a tourist hotel, and you are welcome to live there as guest.

Tourist information

 * Government of India Tourist Office, +91 484 266 8352. Willingdon Island, Cochin 682003.
 * KTDC Tourist Reception Centre, 91 484 235 3234. Shanmugham Road, Cochin 682011.
 * Tourist Information Office, +91 484 238 1743. Old Collectorate, Cochin 682011.

By plane
Cochin International Airport is located in Nedumbassery approximately 29 km from the city. There are flights to and from Colombo, Dubai, AbuDhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscat, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Take a pre-paid taxi to your destination.

By train
You can reach Cochin from other cities Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kozhikode (Calicut), Chennai, Bangalore, Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta by train.

There are two major Rail station in Cochin( Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction, locally known as North and South railway stations). The Indian Railways serves Cochin with a number of train services connecting it to other parts of the state and the country. One of the best ways to get to Cochin is to take the Konkan Railway train from Mumbai that passes through the Konkan coast. The train ride is renowned for the breathtaking scenery and the natural beauty of the terrain that the train passes through.

By bus
Cochin is accessible from all parts of the state of Kerala, through the extensive state run Kerala Road Transport Corporation (K.S.R.T.C.) bus services. These are generally cheap and reliable, but the drivers are notoriously reckless, although they have excellent control over their vehicles. There buses are classified as Ordinary Passenger, Limited Stop, Fast Passenger, Super Fast Passenger, Lightning Express and Garuda. The last is an air-conditioned service operating on the Thiruvananthapuram-Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram-Calicut routes both passing through Kochi. These are modern buses and compare with buses in Europe, with well maintained interiors and comfortable seats.

There are also numerous private buses or 'route buses' that connect pretty much every single district in Kerala to Cochin. Both the K.S.R.T.C and the private buses offer very basic comforts are rarely air conditioned.

There also exists daily services to and from other major cities in South India including Mumbai, Bangalore(12 hrs), Mangalore (12 hrs), Coimbatore (4.5 hrs) and Chennai (12 hrs). These are run by both private operators and by the respective State Transport Authorities. The private buses offer better comfort, cleaner and modern buses, though they are more expensive.

By taxi
There are also illegal services called 'parallel services' running between cities in Kerala. These are normally run parallel to the KSRTC service by private operators on the same routes and is normally a car-share or sharing a mini SUV. A solicitor will walk around a bus station informing people about the service. These are a bit more expensive than the normal bus service, but is marginally faster and is considered an option if you miss your bus.

It is also possible to hitch a ride with truck drivers if you pay them a marginal amount of money. Since most of the trucks are front engined, it would be very noisy in the drivers cabin and some travellers may find it uncomfortable. It is nevertheless hard to find trucks that would go to your intended destination. The truck drivers again are reckless drivers, so this option is not for the faint hearted.

Also, you could always get a 'lift' mostly for short distances, but as with anywhere in the world, caution is advised.

If travelling as part of a large group (14+) it is better to book a tourist coach that will take you to your destination. They also would take you sightseeing and is available in most of the cities. The full rates for the trips should be negotiated prior to departure to Cochin.

By boat
Cochin can be reached by sea in yachts or by occasional cruise ship from Goa or Bombay.

By bus
Cochin has an excellent and cheap local bus service system, operated by private bus operators. The numbering system is rarely used although it appears to exist. The buses are red in colour, and though they may vary in appearance, they still can be distinguished as city bus services.

Destination boards display signs prominently in Malayalam and in small letters the English version. Using the local bus service is not that difficult as most bus conductors would be able to provide assistance with basic knowledge of English or Hindi or even Tamil. Remember however that peak hours on weekdays can lead to overcrowded buses. That is not the best time to use these buses, like in any busy city.

Travellers must remember that a certain number of seats are allocated for ladies in the forward portion of each bus. Unless these seats are empty, gentlemen are not expected to occupy them, and they must be vacated when a lady wishes to sit there. The standard precautions of being wary of pickpockets and other anti-social elements must be maintained.

Several important points serviced by Cochin's city bus service include Fort Kochi, Thoppumpady, Edakochi, Mattancherry, Island (Willingdon Island), Thevara, Kaloor, Palarivattom, Kakkanad, Kalamassery, Edapalli, Alwaye, Tripunithura, and Vytilla Jn.

Many key routes that pass through the city (from Alwaye/Kakkanad etc to Fort Kochi/Thevara Jn etc) will have the following route/stops

Buses from/to Tripunithura/Vytilla Jn will deviate after Jos Junction to pass through:
 * 1) Kaloor (interchange for Long Distance Private Bus Services for Kottayam, Palai, Changanacheri, Mundakayam, Erumeli, Pathanamthitha etc.)
 * 2) Lissie Jn (Some Private Long Distance Luxury Bus Operators)
 * 3) Town Hall (Closest point to Ernakulam Town (North) Station)
 * 4) Kacheripady Jn (KSRTC State Transport Bus Stand - 1 km away & MG Road Start)
 * 5) High Court (KSINC Boat Jetty for Ferry to Vypeen, Mulavukad, Panambukadu, Ochanthurth, Murikkumpadam & Bolgatty, Long Distance Private Bus Services to Trichur, Kodungaloor, Irinjalakuda, Guruvayoor, Calicut)
 * 6) Marine Drive (GCDA Complex)
 * 7) Main Boat Jetty (Boat Jetty for Ferry to Vypeen, Fort Kochi, Mattencherry, Willingdon Island, Vallarpadam, Varapuzha, Perubalam, Karthedom, Mulavukad) Also KSRTC's ordinary limited stop buses to Paravur, Kodungaloor, Guruvayoor starts from here.
 * 8) Shenoys/YMCA (Some services only & services towards Kaloor) - (Closest point to KSRTC State Transport Stand - 0.5 km)
 * 9) Jos Junction - Virtual Centre of Ernakulam (Alighting Point for Ernakulam Jn (South) - 0.5 km, Private Bus Operators to Thekaddy/Kumili, Munnar, Muvattupuzha, Kothamangalam, Idukki and Private Long Distance Luxury Bus Operators - To Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Mangalore Coimbatore etc.)
 * 10) Ravipuram - Main Business & Commercial Area. Buses for Thevara, Edakochi, Fort Kochi, Mattancherri, Thoppumpady & W. Island Pass through here.
 * 11) Thevara Jn
 * 12) Island (Old Airport)
 * 13) Thoppumpady
 * 14) Mattancheri
 * 15) Fort Kochi

Buses from/to Alwaye follow the following broad route Kaloor Jn., Edapally, Kalamassery, Alwaye
 * 1) Kadavanthara
 * 2) Vytilla Jn.
 * 3) Tripunithura

Buses from/to Kakkanad follow the following broad route Kaloor Jn., Palarivattom Jn., Palarivattom Bye Pass, Chembukmukku, Padamugal, Kakkanad

Some Services may operate directly between Alwaye, Edapally, Kakkanad and Vytilla Jn using the Byepass Road via Palarivattom Bye Pass.

By autorickshaw
This is a cheap way of transport between attractions. You can find an auto stand at almost every bus stop. This is the ideal way to cover short distances. Make sure you agree on a fare with the driver before the journey.

By taxi
Tourist taxis are the most convenient way to travel around attractions, especially while travelling in a group. Most airports and railway stations have tourist taxi services that would take you anywhere you would want to go.

You can hire a taxi or minibus with a driver for a specified number of days. Rates are reasonable and unless you are on a very tight budget, try to hire an air-conditioned vehicle. Usually, you pay a daily minimum charge (for the first 100kms)- this charge includes the hire of the vehicle with the driver, and a specified number of kilometers. Any additional distance travelled is usually billed on a per kilometre basis. If the journey includes overnight stays, the driver is paid an additional allowance. The drivers are usually quite experienced and helpful. The usual style of driving on Kerala roads puts the fear of god into you, it is always a good idea to gently remind the driver that you are not in a hurry and that you want to reach your destination safely.

By car
There are many Car rental companies offering cars with drivers or self drive.

By ferry
There are also good ferry services between islands. A useful service is the 'Junkar' between Fort Kochi and Vypeen.There regular boat services from Ernakulam to Mattancherry, Fort Kochi, Vypeen and Willington Island which are much cheeper than bus.

Museums and Galleries

 * Hill Palace Museum - The King Palace now converted to Museum along with a small zoo is 12 Km south-east of Ernakulam at Tripunithura have Painting, Epigraphy, the collections from Travancore & Cochin Royal families.

 * Museum of Kerala History - at Edappally

 * Parikshith Thampuran Museum contains Oil paintings, old coins, sculptures and Mughal paintings, Interesting temple models and traditional style Kerala buildings.

Landmarks in and around Kochi

 * Fort Kochi
 * Mattancherry
 * Willington Island - An large artificial island made out of sand removed in order to deepen the Kochi Port.
 * Vypeen & Gundu Islands - The Island toasts a lighthouse at Ochenthuruthu, beaches and the early 16th century
 * Bolgatty - built in 1744 as Dutch Palace; one of the KTDC  Hotels with green lawns and Golf Course.
 * Chinese fishing Nets - at Fort Kochi.
 * Dutch Palace -  constructed by Portuguese in 1568 for Maharaja of Kochi Veera Kerala Varma. Later rebuilt by Dutch.
 * St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi - constructed by the Portuguese[1503]. Vasco da Gama was buried here [1524] and later his remains were transferred to Libson, Portugal. His tombstone can be seen inside the church.
 * Jew Street & Synagogue - at Mattancherry, it constructed in 1568 and rebuild in 1662.
 * Santacruz Cathedral- at Fort Kochi
 * Art Complex - Madhavan Nayar Foundation - Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures at Edappally, 10 km. north of city. (There is the Kerala History Museum, history students take note!)
 * Thirumala Devoswam Temple, Mattancherry - Gowda Sarawatha Brahmins temple for Lord Venkatesha, its famous for second largest brass Bell in Asia.The North Gopuram is fully roofed with copper.
 * Ernakulam Siva Temple - situated at the centre of the town, near the Durbar Hall Ground.
 * Durbar Hall Ground - venue of many fair during festivals
 * Kalady - is the birth place of Sri Shankaracharya [786-820], the Great Indian Philosopher, who is the founder of advatic philosophy, shrines of Shankaracharya here are open to all pilgrim's irrespective of religion or caste, its 48km north of City.
 * Kanjiramattam Mosque - Muslim pilgrim center, venue of Kudikkuthu Festival, 30km east of City
 * Chenamangalam - Historically the seat of Paliath Achan, the Prime Minister of Kochi Kingdom, old Oriental Jewish synagogue and colony. Now center for handloom weaving and coir manufacturing, view of annual fair "Mattachanda" (Barter Systems). It is 42km north-west of city.
 * Pallipuram Fort - built by the Portuguese in 1503, one of the oldest existing European monument in India. Situated in Vypeen island at Pallipuram.
 * Aluva also spelled "Alwaye" few years ago, is a town on the way from airport to Kochi has some place of attraction
 * Aluva Manalpuram - is famous for the Shivarathri festival on the Sand Beach on the banks of Periyar river.
 * Malayattoor Mount - A Christian Pilgrimage Centre supposed to be a place visited by St. Thomas. (St. Thomas visited Kerala in AD 52.  Don't  forget Christianity reached the stores of India, much before it did Europe!
 * Cherai Beach - near North Paravur is a new generation tourist hot spot with Golden beaches, (sand grains are big and looks like river sand used in construction, probably deposited by Periyar at some point of time) coconut palms corridors, backwaters, historical monuments.

Do

 * Cruises

Buy
Depending on what you are looking for, many clothing and jewelery shops along MG road and Marine Drive are available. Prices are reasonable for western budgets. Shopping Malls are a new concept for Cochin and the new Bay Pride Mall offers air conditioned comfort with a small food court and a nice coffee shop.
 * Books
 * Hamlet, Kurien Towers, Banerjee Road
 * DC, Kurien Towers, Banerjee Road
 * DeeCee, Island Castle, Chitoor Road
 * Shankar, M.G rd,Padma Road
 * Alphabet, Kadavanthara Road

Eat
Good seafood is available aplenty. Worth visiting is the Fort Kochi beach where you can buy fresh fish and get it cooked in the nearby food stalls. Fish fry, fish molly, fish curry and fish peera are the favourites, usually taken with rice or steamed tapioca (cassava).

Also worth trying are the traditional rice based breakfast snacks - puttu and kadala, appam and stew.

Pizza Hut, for those of you missing it is available.

Drink

 * Karikku / ilaneer (tender coconut)
 * Sambhaaram (buttermilk), especially on hot summer days
 * Fresh toddy from the coconut tree, especially around the Kumarakom area.

Fort Kochi
It is quieter and more scenic than the rest of the city. There are quite a lot of tourists so prices are relatively high, but that’s still very cheap by western standards. Some of the heritage hotels are located here.

 * Brunton Boatyard
 * Malabar House Hotel

Willingdon Island

 * Taj Malabar, on the tip of Willingdon Island, without exception, is the best located property in Cochin. Perhaps the best as well.
 * Trident Hilton

Ernakulam city

 * Abad Plaza
 * Abad Fort
 * Abad Metro
 * Hotel Mermaid
 * White House
 * Abad Airport
 * Abad Atrium
 * Best Western Avenue
 * Casino
 * Gokulam Park Inn, A very nice hotel with good food, clean rooms and excellent service.
 * Le Meridien Presidency, Five star hotel with a quiet location yet not far from the city centre.
 * Renaissance
 * Taj Residency

Get out

 * Alappuzha is famous for House Boats, is 70 km away.
 * Munnar a hill resort in Idukki District is 130 km east. And on the way to Munnar are
 * Kallil Temple - an old Jain temple but now a Hindu temple is 13 Km from Perumbavoor.
 * Kodanadu - Elephant training centre.
 * Bhoothathankettu - A Dam, 8 Kms north east of Kothamangalam.
 * Thattekkad - Bird sanctuary near Bhoothathankettu.
 * Idukki District is a hilly region with lots of hill resorts.on the way to Idukki are
 * Thommankutthu waterfalls in Idukki District via Muvattupuzha
 * Athirappilly waterfalls near Chalakudy,Thrissur

 * Thekkady and other places in Idukki

 * Kumarakom in Kottayam

 * Guruvayoor and Thrissur

 * Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud in Tamil Nadu

Kochi Kochi, India

title: User:(WT-en) Maj/Sandbox/Cochin


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User:(WT-en) Maj/Sandbox/Gelnhausen

Understand
Hintergrund

History the city was created 1170 of Kaiser Barbarossa. Barbarossa established on an island in Kinzig the its hessen.de/schloesser/gelnhausen/gelnhausen.htm imperial palace, whose ruins are visible still today. In the Middle Ages gel living lay at the trade route between Frankfurt/Main and Leipzig, which gave to the city incomes and prosperity.

The city did not remain spared by military conflicts. In the dreissigjaehrigen war the city was depopulated nearly and in 19. The troops Napoleons drew century by the Kinzigtal. The destruction in gel living in the dreissigjaehrigen war is to be reread in the contemporary novel the adventurous Simplicissimus of Johann Jacob Christoffel of Grimmelshausen.

Beginning 19. Century lost gel living its status as realm city and the cure principality Hessen Kassel was awarded, after it belonged to the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt for short time.

1936 became gel living garrison town. The armed forces barracks were taken over after the war by the Americans and called Coleman barracks. Most well-known one US-American military, which performed its service there, was the later US minister of foreign affairs Colin Powell. The barracks became meanwhile into a trade area umgewandelt.[[Image:Gelnhausen - closest Stelle.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Alte trade route]

1974 lost the city during the reestablishment Main Kinzig circle and task of the circle gel living the district town rights, which regained her 2005 as new district town of the Main Kinzig circle.

Gel-live were 1996 hosts Hessentags, to an one-week meeting, which is delivered once in the year in a city in Hessen.

In the year 2005 approximately 22,000 inhabitants in gel living and the quarters Hailer, Haitz, Höchst, Meerholz and Roth.

Fauna and Flora

Gel-lives lies in the Kinzigtal and north of the Buedinger forest, to one of the largest German coherent forest areas is limited. In the forest are still red and black game. The wild pigs penetrate for the disappointment of owners of property into the peripheral areas of the city, so that one meets already once a wild pig on the road at night, which takes however usually tear from. Except the domestic game in gel living also still Waschbaer eingenistet itself. In 19. and at the beginning 20. Century also wine was cultivated here, but the Reblaus prepared an end for the laborious cultivation.

By air
Flugzeug

For hobby fliers gel living is attainable by airplane. Beside the A66 runs the fastened runway of the airfield gel living. For aircraft passengers is airport.de Rhine Main airport Frankfurt the 45 autominutes distant.

Bahn
Bahn

With the course one can reach gel living with the regional express or the regional course of Frankfurt/Main (30-40 minutes travel time), Fulda or pouring directly. Fulda and Frankfurt are started at least once per hour also on weekends. (opening times of the fahrkartenschalters: Mo-Fr: 6.00-18.45, SA 8.00-14.00, so and holiday closed; in addition, there is present two ticket automats)

By car
Auto

Gel-live is convenient to A 66 between Frankfurt and Fulda. Fulda is distant approximately 50 kilometers into eastern direction, Frankfurt of approximately 60 kilometers in western direction; out pour is there approx.. 80 kilometers and out Aschaffenburg likewise approx.. 60 kilometers.

Gel-live possess with the departure gel living west ( 43) and gel living east (  44) two motorway departures. For the attendance of the old part of town the departure gel living east is suitable better, here is also well out-described the way to the old part of town.

Fahrrad
Fahrrad

1

Mobilität
Mobilität

in gel living operate city penalty, so that one is not necessarily dependent on the car. Approximately around the old part of town parking is difficult. One can park on the usually overfilled upper market or use the multi-storey car park city center. A further somewhat remote alternative is the liable to pay the costs parking lot to the Kinzig. Also with the wheel gel living can be explored. Since the city is because of the mountain, some smaller upward gradients are to be overcome.

At in the year 2005 the again opened Raiffeisen gas station in the gel houses road (corner depot road) one can refuel around the clock by transfer with the Maestro map. Here one receives also bio Diesels. Further a liquid gas gas station on the area is in planning and presumably in 2006 in enterprise is taken.

For vehicles with natural gas drive the shell gas station at the local exit direction free court (proximity of motorway departure gel living west) offers a possibility for refuelling (opening time taegl. to 22,00).

Those, which do not want to explore gel living and the environment with the own vehicle or by foot or wheel or to be able, find taxi conditions at the station. (taxi collective call 2108)

Kirchen und Synagogen
Kirchen und Synagogen

the city possesses 13 with gelnhausen.de/ Marienkirche the beautiful, Roman church (Dreifaltigkeitskirche) from that. Century with four towers. 1543 became the church by the Westfaeli peace Evangelist. For many centuries a tower an inclined tower hood, those zierte only in the eighties 19. Century one corrected.

With the Peter church and the former synagog two further places of worship remained preserved. The Peter church (builds in 13. Century) was used after the reformation, when the church became redundant, occasionally than cigar factory and only 1920 again to the place of worship were geweiht. The synagog got over the time to a large extent without prejudice to. After a renovation in the eighties of the last century by the city gel living there concerts and exhibitions take place in today's time.

The Godobertuskapelle became in 12. Century delighted and is thereby gel living oldest place of worship. It is outside of the earlier stadtmauern in the proximity of the upper wood gate.

Burgen und Schlösser
Burgen und Schlösser

On an island of the Kinzig is the great of emperor Friedrich Barbarossa in the Roman style built imperial palace. The imperial palace was established on some thousand oak stakes on a swampy island. Important event was approximately the process Heinrich the lion 1180. In the dreissigjaehrigen war the castle was heavily damaged. The Pfalz purged in the years increasingly and it had even into 19. Century a part because of state of decay to be torn off. Nevertheless the imperial palace belongs to the besterhaltensten buildings in to Germany from Stauferzeit. (opening times: Di-Di-So 10.00-16.00, entrance 1.80 �'�).

Bauwerke
Bauwerke

the old part of town from gel living remained preserved in large parts. From the many town-gates and towers the Buttenturm, the two wood gates, the brick gate, the ship gate and the Haitzer gate remained preserved. The Haitzer gate became in 19. Century, after the road was shifted beside the gate, to a house converted. Also the halbmond (lain in the today's city garden), which a panorama over gel living offers, as defense tower the centuries defied.

The witch tower is an attachment tower from the center 15. Century. After the legend witches and Hexer were kept imprisoned here. In the tower torture instruments are issued, although tortures did not take place here. The entrance to the witch tower is possible only within a city guidance.

Further unusual buildings in the old part of town are the house Johanniterordens from that 13. Century, one of the oldest half timbered houses of Hessen, and that Roman house at the Untermarkt.

Denkmäler
Denkmäler

On the Untermarkt stands a monument of Philipp rice, for the inventor of the telephone, who is born in gel living.

Museen
Museen

 * In the local history museum, which is to be found at the upper market in the same building as the tourist information, one can look at oneself pieces of find out over 800 years urban history. (opening times: Mo-Fr 8.00-12.00 and 14.00-16.30, SA 9.00-12.00 and 14.30-16.00, and so 14.00-16.30).

Straßen und Plätze
Straßen und Plätze

Are historically important the under and the upper market with the old city hall. On the upper market take place nowadays the week and the Weihnachtsmarkt. The long lane and the Schmidtgasse represent the typical road courses in the old part of town.

Parks
Parks

The only park of gel living is the city garden, which is convenient both between two of stadtmauern and between the Haitzer gate and the lower wood gate. As local recreation area otherwise the Buedinger serves forest.

Do
Aktivitäten

 * from May to Septembers historical city guidance take place on in each case first Friday in the month, which are visited regularly by up to 1.000 daily tourists. Tickets for the experience guidance become direct at 19.30 o'clock before the city hall, to which starting point for the city guidance sells. Beginning of the guidance is at 20.15 o'clock. The costs of a ticket amounted to for adult 8 � ' � and for children of 7 to 16 years 4 � ' �. it are offered always different topic round courses, then the wheel of the life takes also in 14. Century. Sunday in the afternoon also "classical" city guidance take place.
 * Admits is gel living in the Main Kinzig circle for its on the second weekend in October taking place Schelmenmarkt, to a entertainment celebration, which belongs together with markt.de/ cold market in local mountain to the largest people celebrations the region. In the spring the Barbarossamarkt in gel living takes place, which leans against the Schelmenmarkt in the autumn. The lantern celebration in the city garden is the festive high point in the summer.
 * The Panaromaweg loads for moving in. At former vineyards along it offers a view over the Kinzigtal.
 * The blockhouse is starting point for migrations and Mountainbike routes in the Buedinger forest
 * Into approximately five kilometers distance lies in Gettenbach huehnerhof.de/ 9-Loch-Golfplatz.
 * In the city there is one 2004 open open-rir swimming pool (Webcam) (entrance 3 � ' �) (opening times May until Septembers) and an indoor swimming pool (entrance 3.20 � ' �) (opening times: Mo geschl., weekday of 7.45-13.00, additionally Di 14.30-19.00, Mi 14.30-22.00, DO 14.30-22.00, Fr 14.30-19.30, SA 13.00-18.00 and so 9.00-17.00 (summers only to 13,00).
 * Hand ball friends can visit the heimspiele of the Zweitbundesligisten TV gel living.
 * Each second Sunday in September a auto-free Sunday takes place in the Kinzigtal. At this Kinzigtal total one can drive with the bicycle from Hanau over gel living on locked roads up to the delta of the Kinzig to Sterbfritz. In this meeting participate up to 200.000 humans.

Buy
Einkaufen

The shopping street in gel living is gelnhausen.info/ brick building with its many specialist shops. Otherwise all kinds from business are to be found to, only supermarkets find one due to that limit surface nearly only in the local parts or in neighbouring municipalities in the central center gel living.

In guard brook (of approx. 10 kilometers removed from gel living) ceramic(s) of the same name is resident. Here one can acquire new ceramic(s) articles in the manufacturers sale both as well as favorable parts with small lack. In the cure city bath Orb one can buy in the purchase zone also Sundays.

Eat
Küche

Approximately around gel living there is a multiplicity of Italian restaurants in all price situations. In addition come a Mexican, a Thai and a Chinese restaurant. Also various nearly Food restaurant is present.

Günstig
Günstig

 * Beer well, familiar, deftige meals (master meals), so quiescent day, Brentanostrasse (proximity of synagog) Tel.: 06051-4331.
 * emperor well, Graslitzer road (opposite the vocational school), good-civil kitchen, Mo quiescent day, Tel.: 06051-3233.
 * Schelm of mountains, rustikales Ambiente, very comfortably, rich meals, Di Ruhetag, Tel.: 06051-2755.
 * Sale e Pepe, long lane, Tel.: 06051-12996, tiny Pizzeria at the Untermarkt. The house-made noodles on weekend are sensational.
 * Pizzeria A66, convenient in the quarter Hailer, which secrettap, according to opinion of many gel houses gives it here the best Pizza of the wood furnace, in addition, the other meal is not to be despised, very favorable, Tel.: 67929.

Mittel
Mittel

 * Tony`s Pizzeria at the sports field, Tel.: 06051-2192. Rather expensively, but with wood furnace.
 * Castle mill, Tel.: 06051-82050.
 * To the lion, long lane 28 in the old part of town, Tel.: 06051-2816, where already Dr. Faust fed...
 * to the good source, at the upper market, German kitchen, telephone 06051-472794

Gehoben
Gehoben

 * Bergschloes, Italian haute cuisine restaurant, Tel.: 06051-472647
 * seitz.de/ Schlemmerstube Seitz, Tel.: 06051-74517, in the neighbour municipality lens court.
 * shooting house in the quarter sea wood, Tel.: 06051-66929.

Kneipen
Kneipen

For under dreissigjaehrigen ones:

 * bar.de/ Coconut, Lohmuehlenweg 33, Cocktailbar.
 * eulenspiegel, turn red ago lane, music tavern in the old half timbered house.
 * , station route, music tavern.

Starting from thirty upward:

 * Dudelsack, bank way, on Mondays quiescent day.
 * Klamotte, long lane.
 * cafe kind, upper market opposite of the old city hall.

Kino
Kino

The cinema in gel living consists of two Kinosaealen in two different buildings in the heart brook way (Pali) and in that turn red ago lane gelnhausen.de/ (Casino). The Blockbuster starts usually at the same time with the large cinemas. The cinema map costs 6 � ' �, fresh Popcorn and cinema-usual little things is available in the cinema before area.

Eisdielen
Eisdielen

 * gelateria by elisa at the brick tower 1, ganzj. opened, Tel.: 2910.
 * Ice cafe Riviera, Untermarkt 19, Tel.: 13610.

Günstig
Günstig

 * Schelm of mountains, at the historical upper market, Tel.: 2755.

Mittel
Mittel

 * Grimmelshausen hotel, Schmidtgasse, Tel.: 92420.
 * horseshoe yard (duly to the municipality lens court), approx.. far away in the forest convenient, for wedding celebrations much, EZ 58 likes to 6 km von Gelnhausen � ' �, DZ 79 � ' �, Tel.: 96610. fax: 9661-19, E-Mail: info@hufeisenhof.de.

Gehoben
Gehoben

 * castle mill, lain to the Kinzig (opposite the imperial palace) in an old mill, Tel.: 82050.

Learn
Lernen

In gel living the resuming schools of the region are like a High School and vocational schools. The professional school Fulda, the university and professional school in Frankfurt and even the 80 kilometers distant university and parts of the professional school in pouring are well attainable with public means of transport.

Work
Arbeiten

Gel-live offer since the assumption of the district town function of Hanau numerous jobs in the public service. Largest private employers in the city are a supplier of the automobile industry with several locations in the city and a large furniture house in the neighbour municipality Gruendau. Many inhabitants of the region oscillate after Hanau, where larger industrial enterprises are, or to Frankfurt.

Stay safe
Sicherheit

The police is in the heart brook way 63 in the range of the old barracks, Tel.: 827-0.

Stay healthy
Gesund bleiben

Most physicians (under it also in each case a dentist and a pharmacy) are either in the station route or in Triangulum in the proximity of the bus station.

 * [http://www.kreiskrankenhaus gelnhausen.de/index.php?id

Feiertage
Feiertage

In principle the hessian holidays apply in gel living. To the nineties there was the hail day on 15 August still as gel houses holiday, at which the business had closed totally or partly. The hail day reminded of a fire on 15 August 1736, when the advice and department store at that time were on fire and after by a hail shower one saved to the legend.

At the Bavarian holidays the business lying approximately around gel living is used gladly from the Bavarian neighbours to buying.

Cope
Klarkommen

In gel living there are two regional daily papers, which on the happening in the region report with tageblatt.de gel houses day sheet (GT) and the gel houses new newspaper (GNZ). Besides the expenditure for regional of the Frankfurt round rundschau possesses a side over gel living. The GT extra, which to GT on Sunday and the gel houses messenger report as free advertising newspapers likewise on the region.

Money automats of the savings bank, cooperative bank, postal bank and the Dresdner bank are in the city center, so that for nearly all current account owners free money taking off is possible.

A cleaning is at the corner Barbarossastrasse and Schmidtgasse directly in the city centre opposite the district savings bank gel living and in Altenhasslau in the proximity of the central railroad overpass between gel living and Altenhasslau.

Communicate
Kommunizieren

The preselection for gel living reads 06051. All telephone numbers in this article are indicated without preselection. The quarters Roth with the municipality Gruendau grew together. Here is to be considered with the use from telephone boxes to, in which place one is, since the preselections of the two places are different. Always along-select best the preselection in telephone boxes.

In department store Joh there is an InterNet cafe, where one has access to the Web.

Get out
Weiter geht's

 * In the proximity Ronneburg, a medieval castle is convenient, where regularly historical markets and knight plays take place.
 * East of gel living are bath Orb, a health resort with historical old part of town and various baths, under it a Themalbad and a nature bath.
 * For moving the nearby Spessart] is offered] or somewhat far [[Rhoen on.
 * In Steinau at the road brothers the Grimm house lies, where the brothers Grimm grew up. Steinau offers still further attractions with the doll theatre and the lock.
 * West lie long same old with the leisure area Kinzigsee, open-rir swimming pool and the lock.
 * In the proximity the present Hanau lures the visitors with the hessian doll museum and the two locks Philipps peace and William bath.
 * North of gel living lies the town Buedingen with its lock, whose old part of town outlasted also the times.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: User:(WT-en) Maj/Sandbox/Gelnhausen


text:
User:(WT-en) Maj/Sandbox/Lausanne

Lausanne, (pron: law-ZANNE) 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.

Lausanne is a French speaking city, but Swiss-German and Italian are also spoken. A large enough part of the population has English as a second language that you probably will have little trouble, but it is not as commonly spoken as in nearby Geneva.

Understand
There has been a settlement on the hill of Lausanne since at least the stone age, but most histories of the city trace its origin to the roman camp Lausanna which occupied a position just down the hill toward the lake in what is now the village of Vidy.

Relocated to more defensible hilltop in the dark ages, Lausanne's increasing wealth and importance were largely derived from its placement on the primary north south routes between Italy and the north sea. It was the first major town north of the St. Bernard pass, at least until the establishment of the bishopric of Valais.

In 1538 the Bernese took the city from the Dukes of Savoy as part of their drive to secure their southwestern frontier. The Bernese held the territory until Lausanne gained its independence from Bern after the invasion of a French army under Napoléon Bonaparte in 1798. The city was later, in 1803, admitted to Switzerland as the capital of Vaud.

Lavaux, the mini region of the northwestern shore of Lake Geneva from Lausanne to Montreux (sometimes called the Swiss Riviera) has been a second home to writers, artists and musicians for about 150 years starting with the Shelleys and Lord Byron, who partied and wrote in Lausanne (Frankenstein is rumoured to have been composed here). Other famous residents include Ernest Hemingway, who wintered here with his young family around the time related in A Movable Feast and Charlie Chaplin who lived in Vevey from the mid 1930s on.

 * The Lausanne Tourism Office, at the main station, and in Ouchy at Place de la Navigation 9 just across from the (now closed) M2 station. + 41 21 613 73 73. . 9AM-7PM every day. The staff at the tourism board offices or over the phone can almost always place you in a hotel in your price range even at the very last minute. In addition they have a fantastic free map of the city and huge assortment of useful printed materials in English as well as French, German, and Italian.

By train
Lausanne is served by one of the most efficient passenger rail services in the world, the Swiss Federal Rail system. Trains run roughly each half-hour between 4:45am and 1:30am every day to and from Geneva, Zurich, Bern, Neuchatel, St. Gallen, Brig and points in between. There are four trains daily from Paris Gare de Lyon via the SNCF's TGV "High Speed Train"",  and 3 per day from Milan on the Swiss-Italian Cisalpino (CHEEZ-al-PEEN-o).  The Italian rail service also provides twice-per-day trains to and from Milan and night trains to and from Rome and Venice.

By plane
The closest airport, Geneva airport is served by almost all European carriers, and by two daily trans-Atlantic flights, one from New York, JFK on Swiss and one from Newark on Continental, otherwise when flying from the U.S. you will have to change planes at your airline's hub airport. Zurich airport provides an alternative, with more frequent trans-Atlantic service mainly via Swiss.

By bus
International buses arrive daily from Spain, France, as well as major cities in Central Europe. Many buses pass through Geneva or Basel before stopping in Lausanne.

By boat
Boats ply both the Swiss and French shores of Lake Geneva with several daily ferries to Evian (passport required to enter France), Montreux, Geneva and many smaller lakeshore towns. Lunch and dinner cruises are also popular with tourists. Most of the ferries are meant as scenic trips and not the fastest way to get around. If travelling from Geneva to Lausanne, a boat trip is worth the time on a clear day.

Districts
The neighborhoods of Lausanne which are of primary concern to a visitor are the Cité, the Ville Marché, and the port of Ouchy. In between you'll find the Flon which is mainly a nightclub district these days, and the otherwise sleep Sous Gare neighborhood just under the train station which boasts one of the best cafés in town. If you feel up for a hike it's also probably worth while to spend a few hours climbing around in the woods of Sauvebelin which is above and north of the Hermitage.

 * Cité This hill is the part of Lausanne's old town which goes back the furthest, and holds a lot of interest for travelers, being the site of the Cathedral, the Castle, MUDAC, several other museums, a children's theatre and a really good toy store.
 * Ville Marché The medieval city of Lausanne grew up with outdoor markets arrainged around several of the entrances to the old city, together with the old city these markets make up the balance of the Old Town, including Place Palud, Place St. François, and Place Riponne.
 * Flon The original rail line into Lausanne once came up the Flon river into this valley, but there was no way to go through town, so it was surplanted in the 19th century with a line one ridge further south which could serve destinations in the Valais and Italy.  Today the former warehouses of the Flon Valley are mostly occupied with trendy restaurants and discos.
 * Ouchy Once a fishing Village, Ouchy was incorportated into the City of Lausanne in the mid-19th century to serve as a port on Lac Léman.  The incredible views of the lake and the Alps, and the cooler air in summer have make Ouchy a popular place especially in the summer months.  There's a major cluster of hotels and restaurants around the port.
 * Sous Gare In the 19th century Lausanne expanded to fill all of the land between the current location of the train station (or Gare CFF) and the port of Ouchy. This is mostly a district of apartment buildings and houses, but it's worth a walk through, if only for the Café de Grancy and the park on the Crêt de Montriond.

Walk
Walking is a great way to get around Lausanne. There are a number of sites within a short walk of the main railway station with the largely carfree streets beginning right across the street with rue du Petit-Chêne, which leads up to Place St. François in the old town. Like many streets in Lausanne it is a bit steep though, so if that's a problem consider taking the metro M2 line.

Metro
There are normally two Metro lines provided by Transports publics de la région lausannoise which have their hub at the Flon Metro station. The M2 connecting Flon to the main train station, and the lakefront at Ouchy is currently out of service. When service resumes sometime in 2008 the new M2 will be a fully automated subway system connecting Ouchy to the northern suburb of Epalinges via the central station, Flon, and multiple stops in the old town. The M1 serves points west, including the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). A third Metro line is provided by the private LEB company, with trains connecting with the other two lines at Flon which run out to the far northern suburbs of Echallens and Bercher.

Metro (and bus) tickets are sold from vending machines at all stops, and at the main train station and the Flon. Normal tickets are sold by distance, as determined by a zone system. You can determine the number of zones your ticket needs to cover by inspecting the diagram on the ticket machines, or on the free map available at all ticket-sales points. Tickets are available for single rides, return, and in day and week passes. The CFF Abonnement General rail passes are good for unlimited travel throughout the TL and LEB system.

If you have a CFF pass for non-swiss travelers you should ask at the main station if your pass covers the local transit system, since some passes do and others don't.

Bus
Clean and fast buses, also provided by TL, are very frequent and form a dense enough network that you will rarely find yourself more than a few hundred feet from one bus stop or the other.

See

 * Collection de l'Art Brut, rue des Bergières 11, Bus 2 (Toward Désert, stop at Jomini), Bus 3 (toward Bellevaux, stop Beaulieu), . Tu-Su 11AM-6PM. This must-see collection of works by untrained artists will at turns delight, amaze, baffle, and irritate.  Many of the artists whose works are shown here found life difficult or impossible outside (or inside) of institutions, finding solace and purpose in sometimes compulsive acts of creation.
 * Palais de Rumine, Place de la Riponne 6. Tu Wed 11AM-6PM, Thu 11AM-8PM, Fri-Sun 11AM-5PM. Based on an Italian renaissance design, this lovely building is not as old as it looks. There are five different museums inside with exhibitions covering subjects ranging from fine arts to natural history.
 * Musée cantonal d'archéologie et d'histoire, +41 21 316 34 30,.
 * Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts, +41 21 316 34 45,.
 * Olympic Museum, Quai d'Ouchy 1, +41 21 621 65 11, Fax: +41 21 621 65 12, . From 1 May to 30 Sep: Every day 9AM-6PM, 1 October to 30 April: Tu-Su 9AM-6PM. Closed on Mondays.  The museum advertises itself as presenting "wealth of memories which will keep your passion for Olympism burning". The sculpture garden, overlooking Lac Léman, is open to the public. 14 Chf for the whole museum, 7 Chf for just the temporary exhibitions.  Children get in half price.  Children under 10 admitted free.
 * Musée Historique de Lausanne, Place de la Cathedral 4, +41 21 315 41 01. Tu-Th 11AM-6PM, F-Su 11AM-5PM. A collection of maps, images and documents about the history of Lausanne, and the Lake Geneva Region from the earliest times through the long Bernese occupation to liberation and the present day.  A beautifully hand-crafted diarama of 16th-century Lausanne is worth a visit all by itself. 4 Chf, students 2.50.
 * Mudac, place de la Cathédral 6, +41 21 315 25 30, . The museum of design and contemporary applied arts.
 * Musée de l'Elysée, ave de l'Elysée 18, +41 21 316 99 11, . A photography museum.
 * Musée Romain lausanne-Vidy, chemin du Bois-de-Vaux 24, +41 21 315 41 85, . This Roman settlement site at Vidy has the remains of walls and a forum from the time of Caesar.
 * Espace Arlaud, place de la Riponne 2bis, +41 21 316 38 50,.
 * la Tour d'Ale, one of the few surviving parts of the medieval ramparts.
 * Fondation de l'Hermitage, Rte du Signal 2, +41 21 312 50 13, . Tu-Su 10AM-6PM, Th 10AM-9PM, Bank holidays 10AM-6PM. Built in 1841 as a residence for the banker Charles-Juste Bugnion, the Hermatage occupies its own wooded space on the hill above old-town, with marvelous views of the Cathedral and the Alps.  The family donated the house and land to the City of Lausanne in 1976, which now uses the building to host first class traveling international art exhibitions.  Adults 15 Chf, Seniors 12 Chf, Students and unemployed 7 Chf, Under 18 Free.

Do

 * Explore The Old Town, Take Metro 2 to the Flon, and either take the elevator up, or just cross the street. Alternatively, if you don't mind climbing, the car-free section of old town really starts right across from the train station, with a steep walk up the hill. Shops keep strict hours of 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, and 10am-5pm on Saturdays. On Saturdays year-round almost all of the huge car-free area becomes a vast farmers market. Thanks to the hills making it hard to pave over, Lausanne's old town is larger than most found in Swiss cities, with the notable exception of Zurich. You can spend days wandering the old cobbled streets and still not know all of its nooks and crannies. After the shops close there are dozens of quaint, cozy, hip, or just warm restaurants, cafes and nightclubs, especially considering that at Place Central the old town joins with the Flon nightclub/gallery district. Wander as long as you like, there's no charge of course.
 * Enjoy the lakefront of Ouchy, Take Metro 2 to Ouchy, et voila, as you leave the metro station you'll find the lake (and on a clear day the alps) stretched out in front of you. The lakefront also offers restaurants, bars, and the Chateau d'Ouchy castle/hotel.
 * Observe the construction of a subway system. The city and canton are building a new subway line, the first urban subway system in the country.  Métro M2 will include the current M2 inclined railway (part of which is already underground), and will wind its way up into the hills above the city, coming out in the super posh suburb of Epallinges.  Construction started in 2004 and is scheduled to continue into 2007 or 2008.  There are observation platforms at the top of the elevator above the Flon Métro station, above place de la Riponne, and at several other locations.  Guided tours are available for groups.

Concerts and Theater

 * Métropole, rue des Terreaux 9, . A major concert hall for western Switzerland, the Métropole books danse, world music, pop, jazz, etc. If you are passing through town at the right time you might catch anything from the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra to the Cure here.
 * Espace de Terreaux, rue des Terreaux 14, +41 21 21 320 00 46, . The local council of protestant churches has de-concecrated the chapel located across the street from the Metropole 2000 shopping center and now uses it to present weekly concerts with a mix of sacred and profane acts ranging from American gospel singers through Eastern European Klezmer bands to puppet theatre for children.
 * Arsenic, rue de Genève 57, +41 21 625 11 36, [mailto:info@theatre-arsenic.ch info@theatre-arsenic.ch], . Specializing in more offbeat acts the Arsenic books a full schedule of avant-guarde theatre, jazz and pop music, and installation/performance art throughout the fall, winter and spring.

Buy

The usual Swiss trinkets are available in a couple of places around town, although they are not nearly as ubiquitous as in Geneva or Bern. 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.

Mixed in with the expected and the posh are a couple of things which might surprise you:

 * Maniak, Rue J.-J. Mercier 6, +41 21 312 58 40. punk chic
 * Pompes Funèbres, place de l'Europe. The name of this shoe-store, a spin-off from Maniak above, means "Funeral Services", of course pompe can mean either a ceremony or a sort of shoe, so there you go.  They carry all of the trendy lines; Doc Martin, Camper, and others.

Budget
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, and there are plenty of great places to take your picnic, for instance you might try the Crêt de Montriond. To get there turn left after leaving the station and follow the street on the left as it passes below the rails. After the turn you should see a green hill around the size of a five story building directly in front of you.

If you have a valid student ID many budget and even some mid-range restaurants offer a student menu for a reduced price.

 * Manora, 17 Place St-François.  A buffet style cornucopia just at the top of the steep walk up rue du petit chaine from the main station.  There is also a branch on the top floor of the Manor department store with a nice view from the terrace in summer.  The variety is good, and the prices don't get any lower. 10-25Chf.
 * P'tit Bar rue louis-curtat 6. Open every day until 7PM. Tiny, as the name would indicate this place can accommodate around 12 people at a time, and that's with strangers seated together at the tiny table, (it works out to be a good place to meet people.)  They only serve lunch: salads in the Summer and excellent soup in the Winter.
 * Dhanyaa, 13, rue du Simplon (Near the southern entrance of the train station), +41 21 617 24 60, [mailto:info@dhanyaa.cominfo@dhanyaa.com], . M-F 10AM-7PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. Strictly vegetarian, and strictly take-away Indian foods. 20 Chf.
 * Crêperie de la Chandeleur, 9 rue Mercerie (In the carfree section of the old town, between the Place de la Palud and the cathedral), +41 21 312 84 19, Tu-Sa 10AM-11PM. This cute little crêperie offers the best crêpes in Lausanne in a homesy Breton atmosphere.  If you are traveling with children this is a great place for lunch or dinner as you will be in good company with the owners and locals, and the kids can amuse themselves with the large collection of toys. 12-30Chf
 * Crêperie d'Ouchy, 9 place du port (next to the hotel Angleterre). Without the authentic Breton atmosphere of the Chandeleur, but with a terrace across the road from the lake, this crêperie offers a wider selection than most of ingredients to put in either your savory or sugary crêpe.  Be warned though, the savory crêpes are made with white flour just like the sweet ones.  12 - 30 Chf

Mid-range

 * Café de Grancy, avenue de Rond Pont 1 (one block south of the main train station), +41 21 616 86 66, . The Grancy offers a full dinner menu of substantial quality, which always includes a few good vegetarian options. The reason many travelers will want to visit however is to linger - outside of dinner hours - over a coffee and a book or newspaper, or to really catch the spirit of the place your still-unfinished master's thesis.  It's as though the front door is some kind of science-fiction transporter which links it directly to Berkeley.  3.00 Chf for coffee, 3.50-4.20 Chf for a glass of wine or a beer. 16 Chf for the (amazing) risotto of the day.
 * Café de l'Eveche, rue louis-curtat 4 (very near the cathedral),  +41 21 323 93 23.  This student hang-out is the place to go in Lausanne for fondue.  There are several good vegi choices - but also quite a bit of choice for carnivores, including (for better or worse) horse steak. 10-40 Chf.
 * Le Saint Géry, galeries Benjamin Constant 1, (021 323 36 36, www.stgery.ch). New Belgian restaurant in Lausanne. Interesting menu, with a very decent selection of fish and seafood, most of it "Belgianized" and very very tasty. Sexy decor and friendly staff make it a good choice for a romantic dinner. Look at 40-60 Sfr for a good night out.
 * Poco Loco, Place Chauderon 5, also accessible from the Flon district off of rue de Genève. +41 22 329 11 11, . So you probably aren't going to travel to Switzerland for the Mexican food, but if you get a hankering while you're there you could hardly do better than this noisy, popular, and fairly authentic joint which is attached to a Spanish-language cinema and a hip bar.  The desert menu offers a selection of Mexican cigars, tequillas, and of course sweets.  Not super vegi-friendly, but they do have vegetarian fajitas. 30 - 40 Chf.
 * Quai des Brunes, Place Benjamin Constant (at the eastern edge of the old town), +41 21 351 24 60, [mailto:info@quaidesbrunes.ch info@quaidesbrunes.ch], . M 8AM-Midnight, Tu-Th 8AM-1AM, Sa 8AM-2AM, Su 8:30AM-2AM. Nice, laid-back place with comfy brown leather lounge chairs, and an eclectic fusion menu. The food is well prepared and presented, and the prices are very nice for the quality. 30 Chf - 60 Chf  (Saturday brunches for 19 - 20 Chf).
 * Java, rue Marterey 36 (between rue Enning and Place des Ours), +41 21 321 38 37, . There's something very welcoming about this little bar/restaurant that makes it a fantastic place to linger for a few hours before staying on for a dinner of one of Java's many gorgeously presented Mediterranean inspired dishes, or optionally one of the large selection of savory crêpes.  Vegetarians will feel right at home. ~ 20 Chf for dinner.
 * Mövenpick,

Splurge

 * Pur, Flon Valley (take Metro M2 to Flon, and walk through the flon valley past Café Louis).  The upscale Italian cuisine in this large trendy all glass restaurant simply glows.  For a real treat try the .  After dinner hours the bar crowd here leans very slightly gay, but there are usually lots of young hetro couples (and singles too) mixed in. In the summer the terrace, nicely insulated from motor traffic is a big draw for singles of all persuasions. Expect to pay around 50 CHF per person for dinner.
 * MYO, 1 allée Ernest-Ansermet (in the park of Montbennon), +41 21 323 22 88. A high-quality sushi/fusion restaurant with a superb view of the lake and the alps. Vegetarians fear not!  The creativity of the chef extends to non-seafood items as well. ~ 60 Chf per person
 * Louis, Place de la Europe 9 (across from the LEB metro station), . This restaurant/wine bar offers a range of European and American wines and a full dinner menu with a good deal of seasonal variation. Upstairs there's an even fancier version with a menu dégustation. Expect to spend around 50 Chf per person downstairs and about twice that upstairs.
 * l'Accademia, 11 Place du Port (in the hotel Angleterre), +41 21 613 34 34. Very high-end Italian cooking in a warmly decorated room.  The service is impressive, as is the wine list.  Of course you pay for what you get. 60 Chf + per person.
 * la Table du Palais, rue du Grand-Chêne 7-9 (in the Lausanne Palais Hotel), +41 21 331 32 15. Known for inventive and subtle cooking and super attentive service, the Table has won a Michelin star, one of two in central Lausanne. 100 Chf + per person
 * la Grappe d'Or, rue Cheneau-de-Bourg 3 (under the Pont Bessière), +41 21 323 07 60. Angelika and Peter Baermann are the royal family of within the city of Lausanne, having received numerous awards over the years including a star from Michelin. The food is as creative as the restaurant is formal, with meat and seafood menus. Don't be surprised if you wind up dropping 200 Chf per person with wine.
 * Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville de Crissier, rue d'Yverdon 1, 1023 Crissier (Bus 18 Crissier-centre gets you fairly close, or take a cab), +41 21 634 05 05, . The top of the top in Suisse Romande or possibly in Switzerland. Reviewers use words like "incomparable", "stellar", and "spectacular" when writing about the culinary stylings of rock-star chef Pierre Rochat.  They have 3 (three) Michelin stars which is as high as the scale goes (and quite rare).  Consider reserving several months in advance, especially if your diet is limited in some way.  The Menu will run you 265-295 Chf, without wine.

Drink
The sheer number of nightlife spots makes it hard to choose which ones to list. As a general rule they tend to be clustered into nightlife districts, like the Flon, Place du Tunnel, Place de la Gare, rue Marterie, etc. This list tries to prevent one or two individual establisments from each of those clusters, plus a few which are a bit more off the beaten path.

The city's own official website has surprisingly good music listings, so if you would like to see what's going on during your visit give it a try.

 * Le Bourg, Rue de Bourg 51, +41 21 625 07 07. A great place to see up-and-coming jazz and performance oriented acts from all over the continent.  The place is a real theater with a tiny bar in front, and the booking is simply amazing for a room which can hold maybe 30 people tops, with acts ranging from French accordeon jazz or gypsy jazz to Coco-Rosie-like "new folk" to famed Chicago and NYC djs.  You would not be alone in asking how they could possibly pull that off (a little bird mentions that they are underwritten by the city). 6 Chf drafts.
 * Café Luna, Place de l'Europe 7 (just at the top of the M2 Metro line), . Open Tuesday through Saturday nights until 2AM. A jet-set place, Luna specializes in atmosphere. The place is at its best during the week when DJs spin the best in period and contemporary Easy-Listening hip. Weekend evenings tend toward standing-room-only, but what do you expect? There is a limited food menu, which includes a dozen or so Bruschetta possibilities.  3.50-7.00Chf for a beer or a glass of wine.
 * Bar Tabac, rue Beau-Séjour 7, +41 21 312 33 16. This super-friendly café across the street from one of the city's administration buildings has a huge selection of Belgian beers and French wines. The decor is understated hip, the climate is calm, and the clientele is a very pleasant mix.
 * Brasserie Artisanale (aka Café du Château), Place du Tunnel 1, +41 21 312 60 11. Open from 5PM every day, this Brasserie offers a number of beers made on the spot including a speciality, 100% natural ginger beer. They also have a kitchen offering a range of tasty pizzas at reasonable prices.  Note the signs that say "service au bar", which means you have to order at the bar or you'll wait some time to be noticed and served. A pint of ginger (or other) beer will set you back 5 Chf, a pizza 15 Chf.
 * Freeport Lounge, Place de la Gare, (in the train station building). Open every day until 5AM. Just about the most convenient watering hole in town for the traveler, the Freeport can afford to get a couple of other things wrong. The decor and atmosphere are just OK, as is the service..  but of course the back door opens directly onto the platform for the trains to Zurich.  At night the place can get downright lively, serviing as a plaform for new djs to find their beat, and with a student crowd.  3.00 - 7.00 Chf
 * Le Fellini, Place St. François 12, +41 21 34 34 400. A non-pretentious café/bar which keeps long opening hours, just around the corner from St. Francis' church. There's fine view of the French alps from the front window. They also have a dinner menu, with a dining room upstairs fro the cafe.
 * Bleu Lézard, rue Enning 10, . The Blue Lézard is a popular student hangout with a restaurant-café-bar upstairs and a dancefloor in the basement. There's usually live music on Wednesdays and DJs on the weekends. 4 Chf for a beer.
 * Atelier Volant, 12, Côte de Montbenon, . Wednesday through Sunday until 4AM. Offering three floors of entertainment including live Brazilian and Cuban bands, and salsa dance parties.  The downstairs bar leans a bit more to Punk and Rock music.
 * MAD, Rte de Genève 23, . Large dance club with international DJ appearances. Doesn't get started until after midnight. Check local listings for details.
 * Café/Caveau de l'Hôtel de Ville, place de la Palud 10 (in the old town), +41 21 312 10 12. This is a good place to meet friends or just prop yourself up with a book and 2 or 3 decilitres of good local wine. The atmostphere is friendly  as is the service. The food is good too so at dinnertime and lunch on saturdays the place is packed up, but it's easy to find spot in between.  There's a second bar in the basement which is only open after 10PM, and which features live music and theater, especially check out the jazz jam session on thrusday nights. 3.50 Chf for 1 deci of wine, 4 Chf for a beer.
 * Le Lounge, Place du Port 2 (Metro 1 line down to the lake. The Lounge is on the east side of the Chateau, facing the Vaudois Alps). The Lounge of the Chateau d'Ouchy hotel has comfy red sofas, and a few tables inside but the real draw is the terrace which in facing east has a magnificent view of the Vaudois Alps. On a clear day try to pick out the Rocher de Naye above Montreux and the twin towers, the Tour d'Ai and the Tour de Mayen above Leysin.  The blinking light you see at night in the same direction is the restaurant on La Berneuse.
 * WhiteHorse Pub, av. d'Ouchy 66 (Just up the road from the Chateau). So many English pubs try to actually be English.  This one is very Swiss-Romande and is possibly better for it, at least as a pub experience for the traveller who presumably would have gone to England to visit an English pub.
 * MGM, Rue du Lac 14 (50 meters east of Métro Ouchy), +41 21 616 38 81. A red storefront facing the lake and the alps, the MGM has two terraces: the usual sort on the sidewalk, and better yet a deck on the second floor which makes for a great place to relax and enjoy a drink while taking in the view of the Massif du Chablais in the lingering sunlight of a summer evening.
 * XIIIème Siècle, rue Cité-Devant (In the old city, behind the Cathedral). Claiming to be a bar for students this "13th Century" basement bar really gets going after midnight, when the other bars start to close.  The dancing (and massive pulling) goes on until 5AM. A big plus: the very clean bathrooms are 21st Century, having been remodeled just a few years ago. Drinks are a bit pricier here than elsewhere though: 7 Chf beer.

To perhaps a surprising degree for visitors from outside of Swiss Romande gay nightlife is very well integrated into nightlife at large. Most Lausanne nightspots are definintely gay-friendly, and many have a mixed straight-gay barstaff. There are a couple of places though which either advertise themselves as gay, or just have a majority gay crowd rather than just being gay-friendly. If that's what you are looking for there are a number of such bars along the avenue de Tivoli, and just one in the old town:

 * La Canttine, Place Auberjonois(the triangle shaped square between place Palud and Place de la Riponne). Regardless of a recent change in ownership and name, La Canttine (they really do spell it with two t's) is still only majority gay bar in the old-town of Lausanne.  This trendy bar/café/restaurant does serve its fair share of young straight couples, but mainly during the off-peak early evening hours.  The decor is hipster-chic, and the service top notch.

Sleep
Most of the hotels in Lausanne are in the mid-price range, though there are also a number of luxury hotels as you would expect in the city which hosts the International Olympic Committee. There are also a few cheapies.

Budget

 * ADA-Logements, Av. de Tivoli 60, +41 21 625 71 34. A good value bed and breakfast with 12 rooms, with a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. 60/100 Chf.
 * Raisin, Pl. Palud 19, +41 21 312 27 56. This traditional inn still offers a handful of rooms just as it has for several hundred years. They've kept prices low by avoiding any suggestion of remodeling. 70/130 Chf
 * Jeunotel, Ch. du Bois-de-Vaux, +41 21 626 02 22, . This hotel near the university and sporting complexes offers 55 Casual rooms aimed at younger travelers, with 6 rooms designed for the needs of Chaperons. Starting at 32 Chf. for a bed in a triple, 54/85 Chf Singles without/with Shower.
 * Lausanne GuestHouse, Epinettes 4, +41 21 601 80 00, [mailto:info@lausanne-guesthouse.ch info@lausanne-guesthouse.ch], . Near the CFF railway station, thus absolutely in the center of Lausanne. It's in a nice 19th century town house. Place in a four-bed room starting at Chf. 29, Chf. 88 for a Single (with shower).

Mid-range

 * Chateau d'Ouchy, Place du Port 2 (Metro 1 line down to the lake. The hotel is across the street from the metro station.), +41 21 616 74 51, Fax: +41 21 617 51 37, . It's a castle!  ...And it's in the mid-price range. The staff is super friendly and the location is great, with a magnificent view of the Vaudois alps.  The boat to Evian is just steps away too. 140 - 150 Chf (Specials as low as 130 Chf).
 * Hotel Regina, rue Grand St-Jean 18 (In the old town. Metro Flon, Bus to Place Bel Aire), +41 21 320 24 41, Fax: +41 21 320 25 29, . Desk open until 10PM. This cute little hotel is in a great location for exploring the old town and the Flon gallery and nightclub district. The staff is super nice, and they offer free wireless internet service to their guests! 84 Chf - 135 Chf.
 * Hôtel City, rue Caroline 5, +41 21 320 21 41, . A nice well-kept hotel at the other end of pont Bessières from the Cathedral, and thus offering some magnificent views. 125-160/160-195
 * Hôtel des Voyageurs, rue Grand St-Jean 19 (In the old town. Metro Flon, Bus to Place Bel Aire), +41 21 319 91 11, . Just across the street from the Regina, and offering rooms of a similar quality. 149-178/219-260 Chf singles/doubles
 * Mövenpick, av Rhodanie 4 (On the waterfront at Ouchy, just down from the Metro station), +41 21 612 76 12, . The Swiss Ice-Cream and hospitality giant's Lausanne location is a very good value for the price, if you're going to spend that much anyway. There are three very good value (splurge quality, mid-range prices) restaurants downstairs to choose from.  The main one offers fusion dishes and — a rarety for Europe — a good choice of California wines. 180-360/194-440 Chf singles/doubles

Splurge

 * Lausanne Palace, rue du Grand-Chêne 7-9 (next to park Montbenon), +41 21 331 31 31, . Reception operates 24 hours per day 365 days per year. This stylish 5 star just off of the old town offers superb views of the lake and mountains, and three different restaurants including the Table du Palais which has a Michelin star.  Starting at 350/450 Chf.  2,600 Chf for the presidential Suite.
 * Beau-Rivage Palace, pl Port 17-19 (across from the Chateau d'Ouchy), +41 31 613 33 33, . The absolute pinnicle of Lausanne guest accommodations, the Beau-Rivage practically defines luxury. It's a perfect choice for delegations to the IOC, or for anybody whose boss is footing the tab. 410-680/470-780 Chf singles/doubles

Contact
The city-owned power company, SIL, has now added high speed internet by cable to its C.V., and along with that has been installing totally free wireless access points around town, notably in Place Palud, the Flon valley, and on the hill of Montbenon near the casino. It's rare now to find a café in Lausanne which doesn't have access to one of these. As an aside SIL also provides a range of wines to those same cafés including a nice little Chardonnay, and a fairly bold Gamay. Neat huh?

 * Metropole 2000, rue des Terreaux 15-19, . A multi-level shopping mall which was built as an add-on to the Metropole theater and tower has wireless access in each of its 3 food courts and 7 restaurants. Free
 * Shiva Cyber-Bar, rue du Grand Pont 10 (Metro M2 to flon), . 6AM-2AM every day. Shiva is a nice enough bar to warrant placement in the Drink section above, and there's a decent internet cafe upstairs. The connectivity is usually quite good and although the machines do not have an ssh client installed there's no limit running programs off of the net. The catch: abnormally high prices on just about everything. 5 Chf coffee 8 Chf beer.
 * Fragbox, rue de la Tour 3 (in the center of Lausanne, one street above rue de l'Ale. Bus: Place Bel-Air). An amazing cybercafé and permanent LAN party. They speak English, Italian, German and Portuguese. 5.-/hour and goes down to 2.-/hour with coupons. It's a highly equipped center, with 35 computers. You can install any software you need.

Stay safe
Lausanne, like most of Switzerland, is pretty safe in general. You are only likely to run into problems just outside of the entrances of popular dance clubs near closing time, when imported tensions sometimes show themselves. Name a conflict worldwide, odds are that both sides are represented among young people in Lausanne.

Stay healthy

 * CHUV, rue du Bugnon 46. +41 21 314 11 11 or dial 144 for emergency telephone assistance (in French). 24 hour emergency medical care at this the University Hospital of Canton Vaud.
 * Hôpital d'Enfance rue Montétan 16. +41 21 213 77 77 or dial 144 for emergency telephone assistance. 24 hour emergency medical care for babies and children.
 * Hôpital Ophtalmique Jules Gonin, ave de France 15. For emergency on problem on the eye.
 * Pharmacie 24 SA +41 21 613 12 24. 8am and midnight every day. This service provides for pharmacy service at one or more Lausanne pharmacies between.  Call for the pharmacy open nearest you.  Be ready to state your current address in French, or have someone at reception do it.
 * Parmacie de la Gare, in the train station. If you are staying in the old town this will almost certainly be the pharmacy you are referred to by 24 SA at least until it closes at 10pm.

Get out
One of the nicest ways to spend an afternoon anywhere is to take a boat from the port of Ouchy on the Lakefront of Lausanne to either Vevey or Montreux. The Steamboats of the CGN offer you an amazing view of one of the most gorgeous corners of our planet. On the left side of boat the you can take in the beautiful vineyards of Lavaux, and on the right side the Masif of Chablais, and the franco-swiss alpine giants, the Dents de Midi.

Here's a partial list of selected daytrips, in order of distance:

 * Lavaux - Terraced vineyards and one of the prettiest landscapes anywhere streching between Lausanne and Vevey.
 * Vevey - A lovely city in a cove, and the corporate home to the Nestlé chocolate and food empire.
 * Montreux - The jewel of the Swiss Riviera
 * Evian - The French bottled water capital. 40 minutes by steamboat.
 * Geneva - The international capital by default, only 33 minutes by rail
 * Leysin - A super laid back ski resort in the Vaud alps above Montreux, about 45 minutes by train.
 * Verbier - A popular ski resort in western Valais, about an hour by train.
 * Berne - The swiss capital. 70 minutes by rail.

Lausanne Lausanne

/Regional/Europe/Switzerland/Cantons/Vaud/Lausanne Lausanne

isin: Lake_Geneva

title: User:(WT-en) Maj/Sandbox/Lausanne