|
Who's Online |
|
We have 56 guests online |
|
Visitors Counter |
|
1882749 Visitors
|
|
|
|
Things to do |
|
|
In Geneva:- Lake cruises: There are several companies that operate cruises on Lake Geneva. These range from 8CHF for a 1 hour cruise up to full day cruises with dinner onboard. The largest company operating cruises is CGN. If you don't have time for a cruise, take a short ferry trip across the lake on the famous yellow boats.
Swissboat runs the shuttle boat services that form part of Genevas public transport network and also operates cruise services from Geneva.
- Bain des Paquis: Swim in Lake Geneva, take a Sauna or a Turkish Bath, or just eat at the reasonably priced cafe and do some people watching.
- The Old Town: Quiet, cobbled streets and tall, shuttered, grey-stone houses that give nothing away. Relaxed terrace cafés, funky shops. Lots to look at.
- Cathedral St. Pierre and Calvin's Chair: Located in the old town, begun in 1160, the original building took some 72 years to complete. Open for visits 9am to 7pm (11am on Sundays). For a small fee you can climb to the top of the tower and see the magnficient view (on a clear day, that is).
- Musée d’Art et d’Histoire: Geneva’s biggest and most important museum and Switzerland’s unofficial national collection. Located in the old town.
- Parc des Bastions and Place Neuve: We recommend a stroll through this tranquil patch of green below the high walls of the Old Town. This park is loved by students (the university buildings are all around) and locals playing games of giant chess and checkers. Church history buffs should check out the gigantic Mur de la Réformation, a 100m-long wall erected in 1917 and dominated by forbidding, 5m-high statues of the four major Genevan reformers. The monument lies at the east edge of the park, in a dramatic location propping up the Old Town.
- Boat rental: Several boat rental companies operate on Lake Geneva. Within Geneva there are two, one on the left side of the lake beside Bain des Paquis where you can rent pedalos and motor boats, and one near the Jet d'Eau, called les Corsaires, where you can rent pedalos, motor boats and sailing boats.
- Jet D'Eau: The symbol of Geneva. The height of the jet is an incredible 140m, pumping 500 litres of water every second at 200kph. It’s worth risking a dousing by walking out onto the jetty to appreciate the force and noise of thing close up.
- CERN: CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the world's largest particle physics centre and birth place of the World Wide Web. CERN organizes free guided tours lasting 4 hours, but reservations are required and should be made well in advance. Microcosm, CERN's interactive science centre, is free and open to the public, no reservation required.
- International Red Cross Museum: Acclaimed as one of the best museums in Europe. Chronicles in detail the history of conflict in the twentieth century, and the role the Red Cross has played in providing aid to combatants and civilians caught up in both war and natural disasters
- United Nations Office at Geneva: The hub of UN operations to deliver humanitarian aid and uphold human rights around the world. Based around the Palais des Nations. Visits are only moderately interesting.
- Carouge: 2km south of the Geneva city centre, the suburb of Carouge is quite different from Geneva proper. Low houses with wooden, Mediterranean-style galleries looking into internal gardens, quiet, attractive streets packed with artists’ workshops, old-style cafés and some of the city’s best small-scale nightlife. Excellent for wandering, window shopping, and sitting in a café. Tram 12 or 13.
- Botanic gardens. Le jardin botanique is nothing spectacular but there are nice walking paths and beautiful flower and shrub arrangements. Good for leisurely Sunday strolls.
- Lakeside walks. On both sides of the lake there are generous footpaths, green parks and lots of flowers and people to see.
| |
Day trips in Switzerland:- Lausanne: A nice city just a short drive or train trip from Geneva. Highlights include the Olympic Museum, where you can get a feel for just how long the longest long jump is; the Collection de l'Art Brut, an art museum for works by "fringe society"; and pleasant waterfront walks in Ouchy.
- Château de Chillon/Montreux: The Château de Chillon is one of Europe's best-preserved medieval castles and is accessible from the town Montreux. Enjoy the ambience around the castle or go inside and see the dungeons that inspired Lord Byron to write "The Prisoner of Chillon". Bring a sweater, it's chilly in the Chateau.
- Gruyere: If you want to experience a quaint swiss village complete with castle and cheese factory, Gruyere is the place to go.The village is accessible by train and car and makes a good day trip from Geneva. The chateau is open to the public and has interesting art exhibits inside. Stop for a fondue and if you are feeling particularly adventurous, visit the H.R. Giger musuem, devoted to the works of Alien's illustrator.You can also tour the dairy and discover how Gruyere cheese is made.
- Bains de Lavay: Thermal baths about a 45-minute drive from Geneva. Hot pools, saunas and turkish baths inside, hot pools outside have fabulous view of the mountains.
- Route des vignobles (wineries): Between Lausanne and Montreux the steep hillsides are covered with vineyards. The drive along the route des vignobles (follow the grape cluster signs) offers a closer look at the vineyards and perhaps some wine-tasting opportunities, and on a clear day stunning views of the Alps across the lake.
- Estavayer-le-Lac. Small resort on Lake Neuchâtel with a preserved medieval centre. Apparently the main attraction is a museum of stuffed frogs. From the Lonely Planet Switzerland: "The stuffed slimeys are the work of 19th-century eccentric, François Perrier, who spent much of his leisure time killing frogs, preserving their skins, and filling them with sand.He then arranged the frogs in parodies of human situations - courting, studying, playing games, etc - and ornamented them with props. Go figure."
| |
Day Trips to Nearby France:- Ferney Market: Saturday mornings the town of Ferney-Voltaire turns it's centre into a thriving market. The market has a wonderful atmosphere. You can find fruit, vegetables, local wine, meat, clothes, shoes and lots of other stuff. We like just wandering around the stalls. Accessible by Bus F or car.
- Yvoire: This charming medieval village is where Phil proposed to Ali. Visit and you will see why: the cobblestone streets, castle, lake and bright flowers tumbling from windowboxes make it a very romantic place. You can get there by boat from Geneva or by car.
- Chamonix/Mont Blanc: From Chamonix you can take a cable car to the Aguille du Midi at 3842 metres and catch a stunning view of Mont Blanc, Europe's tallest mountain. It's best to go early in the morning and only worth it in clear weather. Dress warm. Not recommended for kids under 2. You can also take the cog railway to the huge glacier Mer de Glace, or try the Chamonix summer luge. It has a track for kids and a 910m track for adults. Kids under 6 go free.
- Annecy: This town is about 45 minutes by car from Geneva and is one of our favorite places in France. The old town is beautiful with many yummy restaurants and cafes. Lake Annecy is spectacular and great for pedal boating.
- Jura mountains: The closest option for hikes, many with views across Lake Geneva to the Alps. Also good for winding drives and cute villages.
- The Saleve: This little mountain is right at the edge of Geneva but is actually in France. Some good hiking trails, a cable car (accessed from the end of the 8 bus route, Veyrier) to a panoramic restaurant and picnic area, climbing, and for the very brave, parapunting from the top.
| |
Further afield in Switzerland:Further afield:
|
|
|
|
Geneva Guide 
