Do you want to get away to where the air is crisp, the lakes are blue, and the mountains are snow-capped? And a place that has a lively gay scene as well?

Geneva, Switzerland’s second biggest city, is just a 10-minute train ride from its international airport, will welcome you as an American-style city with wide streets and excellent transportation.

Stroll down to the Southwestern end of Lake Geneva to see the largest waterfall in Europe. Walk along the promenade along the lake, and enjoy the scenery of the water with the Alps and Jura mountains in the background, and if the weather is nice, lots of joggers.

Crossing over the bridge will take you to Rue du Mont Blanc, the expensive shopping area of Geneva. And nearby, up a hill, is the old town, with lots of pretty shops, cafes and the requisite cathedral. Spend a couple hours walking around with a partner as it has the romantic feel of a small French village.

There’s lots to do for gay nightlife in Geneva. Scandal, near the train station, is always packed with fashionable young Swiss and their more fashionable female friends. Le Declic, the oldest gay bar in Geneva, is a popular cocktail bar, and keep an eye on out for one-off gay dance parties held every once in a while.

Combine a trip to Geneva with a trip to Lausanne, 30 minutes north, which is successfully marketing itself as a gay destination. Yes, a town of only 125,000 people has a thriving gay scene which runs the gamut from bars and discos to sex clubs and saunas.

Lausanne is a picturesque city which overlooks Lake Geneva. Overlooks really means overlooks, as Lausanne is a city on top of a mountain with many, many hills, and little alleys which take you down (or up) to a whole different part of town.

If you are just wandering around, one wrong turn and you will be lost. Its best to get a city map from the tourist information center at the train station, first thing you do. And if you are staying at a Lausanne hotel, you are given (for free) a transport card, so learn the tram routes or else if you walk everywhere you will be totally exhausted.

The city is the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee, and a visit to the museum is worth the time, if not only for the view of Lake Geneva from its garden.

A few other highlights of Lausanne? The city cathedral which dominates the city skyline and is the biggest cathedral in Switzerland, with a history going back to the Roman era. It has 105 panels recounting the history of the medieval world and has an impressive organ, with 6,000 pipes. The grounds have an amazing view of the city rooftops and Lake Geneva.

Also check out the Flor district in the lower valley of the city – once an area of dreary warehouses it has turned into the entertainment area of Lausanne, with movie theatres, clubs (both gay and straight), shops and all kinds of fun to keep the locals out of trouble.

The 17th century town hall has a Renaissance facade decorated with two copper gargoyles in the form of dragons. Two statues represent justice, and close by is a clock which presents the history of Switzerland in animated scenes every hour, from 9am to 7pm.

And take a walk along the Esplanade Montbenon, in the heart of the city, which offers exceptional views over Lake Geneva and the mountains in the distance.

Depending on how much time you have, a water trip away from Lausanne is highly recommended. A 30-minute boat ride to Evian, across the lake, is nice, to experience the city (and to drink water directly from a tap in a mountain, rather than having to buy it in plastic bottles). Better yet, take an all day boat ride to Montreiux. Leaving in the morning the boat disappears into the cavernous mountains which surround you on all sides. The stunning scenery will make you feel like you are in a Lord of the Rings movie.

Now back to the gay scene. For a city this small, there are almost a dozen gay bars, restaurants and other venues to keep you busy. On Avenue de Tivoli itself, ‘the gay area of Lausanne’, as it calls itself, there are two gay bars, two gay cafes, and the popular and enormous Pink Beach Sauna. The Rainbow Inn Guesthouse, which is nearby, and is on the top floor of an apartment block and has four rooms which all share a living room and kitchen, with stunning views of the city and Lake Geneva from its terraces.

The best time to visit is from spring to autumn. The winter scenery is spectacular but the weather would be too cold for many. And don't forget, a visit to Lausanne means lots of walking up and down hills, so be prepared.

Switzerland’s tourist board has long marketed itself to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travellers and has a dedicated gay travel section on its site here.