It also has a good selection of galleries, museums, restaurants, cafes, bars and boutiques. Another popular activity is a walking tour focusing on famous writers and artists like Hemingway and Chaplin, who have lived or stayed here in the past.

Just outside of the city to the north, there are the Pre-Alps where cheese making, skiing, hiking, paragliding, hot-air ballooning, rafting, canyoning, etc. reign supreme. Close by is the ancient Roman town of Vevey, La Tour de Peilz and the nearby villages of Corseaux, Corsier, Chardonne/Mont-Pèlerin, Jongny, St-Lègier/La Chiésaz and Blonay each make for a great day trips from the school.

Our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture and customs. Below are some of our recommended highlights. Some tours and packages can be organized when booking your program, please see the program price page for more information.

city tour
Start your walk along the flowered lakeside promenade, officially called the Promenade Fleuri. The Promenade stretches from Vevey to Villenueve, walk past the large villas that line the lake, to Vevey and Montreux with the Chateau de Chillon and providing a nice but long walk. Along the quais, there are many benches to sit and read or simply stare at the majesty of the lake and the mountains in the distance.

These benches are a great spot for people-watching. There are plenty of cafes to enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass or wine along the way to replenish your strength. If you have managed to walk all the way to Villeneuve, reward yourself with a wonderful pizza & beer lunch at one of the lakeside cafés in Villenueve, these cafés offer specialties of fresh fish. I n addition to the flowers along the quais, the city gardeners construct witty and elaborate sculptures along the promenade, changing their statues every few months.

If you are not up to doing the entire length of the quais in one day, the walk is easily divided in two: from the Forum (or the Casino) in the center of town, go east to Villeneuve, passing the Chateau de Chillon on one day, and from the Forum go west to Vevey on another day. You can return to Montreux by bus or train, or, if you visit during the summer months, take the ferry for the short trip back to Montreux. The ferry stops running in late September or early October.

To get to the old town, walk uphill from almost anywhere. The most interesting sights in the old town: the old church on rue du Temple, the Musee du Vieux-Montreux on rue de la Gare, and the panoramic views you catch as you wind your way uphill.

Eventually as you meander uphill you'll find yourself on rue de la Gare behind the train station; follow it until you find the museum. Take a few moments and step into the gardens of the old church and enjoy the views of the city below. Be sure to look for the pretty flowered bridge in front of the Hotel du Pont on rue du Pont. After fully exploring Montreux and its walks, there are still many activities to do.

excursions

vevey
If you don't walk,scoot, or bicycle along the lake to Vevey, the train trip is only 5-10 minutes on the local run. There, you can hunt down the antiques shops in the old town or stroll along the lakefront and admire the Grenette at the Place du Marche and find the statue of Charlie Chaplin who lived nearby. There is also the Musee Historique du Vieux-Vevey on rue du Chateau. One day, you can combine a trip to Vevey with a visit to the Lavaux vineyards. Take the train (the "Wine Train") for the 10-minute run from Vevey to Chexbres, then spend a morning walking the vineyards down to the lake, hitting the villages of Rivaz and St. Saphorin.

cully and lutry
Close to Lausanne, the lakeside village of Cully is a pleasant excursion, especially if you want to sample one of their two well-known restaurants, the Auberge du Raisin (a member of the Relais & Chateaux group) and the au Major Davel (recommended by the Karen Brown series of guide books).

Another small lakeside village, has a unique offering: a walking tour with 11 information panels about the village's medieval history. The walk over ancient cobblestone streets includes information on the origins of the village as well as a tower and many preserved buildings. It would be ideal to combine a visit to Lutry with Cully, as they are both on the outskirts of Lausanne.

nyon
On the other side of Lausanne, toward Geneva, is the city of Nyon, which was founded by Julius Caesar around 56 B.C. It takes about an hour to get there by train. Once you depart the train station, follow the signs for the Chateau du Nyon or the Musee Romain. The Chateau has roots in the 12th Century, and on its terrace there are remains of Roman columns as well as stunning views of the harbor and the lake. Just around the corner from the Chateau you can find the Roman museum.

gstaad
A great alternative to the lakeside activities, I like to spend a day in the mountains, taking the train for just over an hour to the resort of Gstaad. Gstaad is a small but very picturesque village with a few shops, a few upscale hotels, and many restaurants. Listen to the sound of moving cowbells, when Swiss "ranchers" are moving their small herds between pens and watch the cow herd parades.

On the way back to Montreux stop at Chateaux d'Oex, where the only successful round-the-world-by-hot-air-balloon trip was launched. Or stop at Glion for lunch at the Hotel Victoria with its panoramic views of the lake; then walk the rest of the way down to Montreux on a stair-step path through the forest that starts just next to the international hotel school -- or take the train to Montreux or the funicular to Territet.

guyeres
Another inland activity is to spend an afternoon in the medieval village of Guyeres. The train trip takes about an hour with a few minutes' wait to connect at Montbovon. Gruyeres offers stunning views of rolling hills and an ancient castle, but personally I make the trip only to get their famous crème-double. Of course, they're famous for their cheese as well, and it's worth having fondue here or raclette; but be sure to get some berries in crème-double for dessert. The Wine Museum in Aigle housed in the Chateau d'Aigle The revolving Kuklos restaurant in Leysin A ferry excursion to Evian-les-Bains in France.