Montreux, Vevey & Chillon Castle Riviera Tour from Geneva

Lavaux Terraces: UNESCO Landscape above the Lake

Between Lausanne and Vevey the hillside drops to Lake Geneva in hundreds of narrow stone-walled terraces, first shaped by monks in the Middle Ages. Known as Lavaux, this landscape of walls, steep lanes and small villages such as Cully, Epesses and Saint-Saphorin was listed by UNESCO in 2007, and it is one of the most photographed views in Switzerland.

On the summer version of this tour the coach pauses amid the terraces so you can walk a few steps along a quiet lane, look down on the lake and across to the French Alps, and enjoy a glass of juice. Many people ask whether Lavaux is worth visiting on a short trip; this stop answers it in the best way, with the whole sweep of the slope below you. The winter departure skips this stop.

Chillon Castle: Medieval Fortress on the Water

Chillon Castle stands on a rocky islet at Veytaux, just beyond Montreux, linked to the shore by a small bridge. Its origins go back to the eleventh century, and the Counts of Savoy enlarged it into a fortress and a residence that controlled the route between the lake and the Alpine passes. The Bernese took it in 1536, and today it belongs to the canton of Vaud.

Your ticket is included, so you can explore the courtyards, the vaulted underground halls cut into the rock, the great halls where banquets were held, the ducal bedrooms and the chapel with its fourteenth-century wall paintings. Allow about an hour and a quarter inside. Chillon Castle opening hours are long in summer and shorter in winter, and our guide times the visit for you, so you avoid waiting at the ticket desk.

A Film Museum in a Manor Estate above Vevey

Above Vevey, in the village of Corsier-sur-Vevey, a nineteenth-century manor house set in a large park has become a museum dedicated to the early days of cinema. The visit combines the elegant rooms of the manor, a separate studio building where classic film sets are recreated in full size, and gardens with wide views over Lake Geneva and the mountains.

Families especially enjoy this stop: children can step into the sets, and the park is a pleasant place to sit after the castle. Entrance is included in the tour, and the guide gives you time to explore at your own pace, usually around an hour and a half. The estate sits on the hillside, so the views towards the lake are a highlight in themselves.

Vevey: Market Square, Lakefront and the Giant Fork

Vevey is a relaxed lakeside town at the eastern edge of Lavaux. Its broad market square, one of the largest in Europe, opens straight onto the water and still hosts a market on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Just off the promenade, a giant steel fork stands upright in the lake, a playful art installation that has become the town's favourite photo stop.

During your free time in Vevey you can stroll the lakefront, explore the old streets behind the square or sit by the water with an ice cream. A funicular climbs from the town to Mont Pèlerin if you ever return for a longer stay. Vevey is only about fifteen minutes from Montreux by train, which is why this Riviera tour from Geneva combines the two so easily.

Montreux: the Heart of the Swiss Riviera

Montreux curves around a sheltered bay where the mountains block the cold northern winds, so palm trees, cedars and flower beds thrive along a lakefront promenade of several kilometres. Grand Belle Époque hotels line the shore, and the town is known for its summer music festival and a lively Christmas market in December.

The free time in Montreux is a good moment for lunch, which is not included, and for a walk along the flower-lined quay with views across to the Alps. Halal options in Montreux are limited, so many guests bring a snack or ask our team for suggestions in advance. If you want to come back, Montreux is about an hour from Geneva by direct train, and the Rochers-de-Naye cog railway climbs from here to a summit viewpoint.