With 2023 already underway, many individuals and families in Switzerland will already be planning a future holiday or excursion to another part of the country. While there are plenty of destinations and activities in the alpine nation worth considering, the Glacier Express, mountains and ski resorts to name a few, a new report by the New York Times has ranked Lausanne as one of the top places to visit in the world in 2023.

Lausanne one of the top tourist destinations in the world

According to the New York Times, Lausanne should be mentioned in the same breath as tourism-heavy hitters like London, Cuba, Vietnam, Guadalajara and Alaska as one of the top destinations to visit in 2023. This year’s list focused on what the newspaper described as the reasons why people travel in the first place: “for food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? This year’s list has all those elements and more,” they wrote.

“Already blessed with a sublime Lake Geneva location and dramatic mountain views, Lausanne, Switzerland’s fourth-largest city, has been adding architectural and artistic beauty to its repertoire as well,” noted New York Times contributor Seth Sherwood. With a number of castles, historical sites and other Swiss cities within easy reach by driving and public transport, it is perhaps unsurprising that Lausanne is ranked as one of the world's top destinations.

Swiss city praised for its new museums and art galleries

Specifically, the capital of Canton Vaud was praised for its new museums, with Blick guessing that the creation of Plateform 10 - the new location for the Cantonal museums of fine arts, contemporary design and applied arts, and the Musée de l'Elysée - was the main reason for the city’s inclusion. “The city’s three-year-old arts district recently inaugurated a bold new building that resembles an artfully cracked block of white stone for a pair of museums,” Sherwood noted.

Writing on Twitter, the Lausanne Tourist Office said that its inclusion on the list was an “honour.” The city's latest victory follows a similar accolade earlier in January 2023, where Lausanne was named as one of the 27 best vacation spots for couples by CN Traveller, with the magazine praising the city for stunning art and "Wes Anderson-style" hotels.

Want to see what other destinations were on the New York Times' bucket list this year? Check out the official website.