Discover the most beautiful villages of Switzerland

Land of culture, heritage and traditions

To learn more about the history of the canton of Vaud, simply open your eyes and ears. Perfectly integrated in today’s landscape, the castles, chalets, palaces and even some boats bear witness to our region's rich past. Encountering passionate artisans is also a way of sharing living history.

Visitors who are most interested Vaudois culture and heritage can choose between many museums, whose collections tell a thousand and one stories, whereas the exhibitions at cultural sites in Vaud are of interest to anyone.

But heritage is also forward-looking in the canton of Vaud: contemporary art museums, as well as futuristic buildings and villages that combine tradition and modernity allow our guests to understand the current issues of a canton that is attached to its identity.

Museums in Vaud
The canton of Vaud is a region with the most museums per capita. With such an offer, each culture buffs is sure to find what they are interested in, be it history, contemporary art or societal topics.

Cultural itineraries and historical routes
Combining the effort of hiking, the discovery of landscapes and a journey through time: this is the promise of the cultural itineraries and historical routes of the canton of Vaud.

Vaudois sites forming part of the UNESCO World Heritage
The vineyards of Lavaux, prehistoric stilt dwellings, the architectural work of Le Corbusier, the archives of the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Winegrowers’ Festival in Vevey have so far constituted the canton of Vaud’s contribution to the UNESCO world heritage.

Built heritage and contemporary architecture
Vestiges of history and modern edifices exist harmoniously side by side in the county of Vaud. As representatives of their time, their point in common is to serve as witnesses of the development of a dynamic region.

Crafts
Many Vaudois craftspeople offer their objects of art that either perpetuate traditions or stem from their creativity.

Castles in Vaud
With twelve castles open to the public and an even greater number of private buildings that can be rented for events, the canton of Vaud is a land that values history and the vestiges of its past. Of various sizes and styles, these fortresses are well preserved and often livened up with varied interactive exhibitions.

The most beautiful villages of the canton of Vaud
Distributed all over the cantonal territory, several picturesque villages have been classified among “the most beautiful villages of Switzerland”. The canton of Vaud is thus one of the most represented Swiss cantons within the eponymous association.

The traditional festivals
Alphorns, cow processions costumes, arts and crafts: all these aspects of our heritage are inseparable from the traditional festivals of the canton of Vaud. These preserved customs take place throughout the year to the delight of all.