Spending Time in Geneva
Looking for a grand day out?
Or perhaps, a short Springtime break?
Then look no further, Geneva combines beauty and sophistication with intrigue and fun.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Geneva’s a slightly stuffy, boring metropolis geared to business travellers and nothing else. After all, it has a reputation as a city of international bankers, luxury watches, and world-renowned organisations.
…. but boring? That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Geneva’s a vibrant, quirky, quaint little city that’s easily discoverable on foot. The old town has kept much of its traditional architecture and its sense of history.
Curving around the western end of the crescent-shaped Lake Geneva, this low lying city is cradled in Spring by the snow-capped mountains of the Jura and the Salève and watered by the clear mountain river, the Arve, and by the Rhone.
My Favourite Things to do in Geneva
Here are just some of the things you can do to get a real feel for this legendary city.
Walk out along the jetty to the famous ‘jet d’eau’ and take selfies
Stand under one of the world’s most famous fountains and dodge the spray. Built in 1886 the plume of water rises to a staggering 140 meters.
Check the direction of the wind before venturing too close, you could end up soaked to the skin.
Fun fact
As you walk along the jetty try to spot the small metal box inserted in the wall which contains the button (yes it really is a very small button) that switches the jet on and off
Top Tip
There are days when the fountain isn’t operating but don’t let that spoil your visit to this beautiful city.
Take a water taxi
Next to the fountain, on the Quai Gustave-Ador, you’ll find the little yellow water taxis that criss-cross the lake constantly.
From the Quai, you can cross to the opposite side of the lake, at Paquis, for only 2 CHF. This is one of the best bargains in Geneva. The trip lasts a few minutes but saves you the long walk along the promenades. Particularly useful in the long hot summers here.
Fun Fact
From your seat on the boat, it’s easy to see just how low-lying most of this city is. In 563 AD a huge landslip at the opposite end of the lake triggered a tsunami that destroyed much of the waterfront of Geneva.
Top Tip
The water taxis stop at five different points along the lakeside.
To be close to the shops take the water taxi from Paquis to the Molard jetty. The water taxi from Molard will also take you to the furthest stop from the city, at Geneve Plage. The plage or beach is super popular with sunbathers in the summer.
From the Plage, you can take the De Chateaubriand taxi which will take you to the park at the Perle du Lac.
Enjoy a break on the water’s edge
Why not spend some time over a coffee or an afternoon cocktail here? Well, you are on holiday after all!
On the northern side of the lake, opposite the fountain, you’ll find the long promenades that are home to the exclusive hotels of Geneva.
The Hotel President Wilson is rumoured to house the world’s most expensive hotel suite, a mere $80,000 per night. Find out what you can expect for that eye-watering sum here.
In the summer the area close to the water taxi terminal, Molard, is lined with small colourful pop-up bars. Head out along the jetty with the white beacon, to the Baie de Paquis for lunch.
Fun Fact
In the summer months, concerts are held by the Bains de Paquis at 6 am. Yes, that’s right, 6 in the morning! Great if you’re an early riser.
Take your swimming costume with you as the Bain de Paquis is where the locals go to swim, sunbathe and eat at the cheap self-service outdoor restaurant.
Top Tip
The pop-up bars often don’t accept payment by card so make sure you have some cash on you or you could end up doing the washing up.
A taste of history
If you prefer your coffee in more sophisticated surroundings, head up the steps from the lakeside, sidestep the doorman, and slip into the elegant Beau Rivage hotel.
The Beau Rivage
This is where the Austrian Empress Elizabeth or Sisi regularly stayed in Geneva. Sisi was assassinated here by Luigi Luchini an Italian anarchist, as she boarded the Belle Epoque steamer ‘Genève’ for a cruise.
Weird fact
Her assassin stabbed her with a fine stiletto blade which pierced her heart. Strangely she didn’t die instantly but carried on walking onto the steamship. No one realised what had happened until she fainted. They loosened her corset and she died instantly. It was only then that they discovered she’d been stabbed.
The Empress was renowned for her tiny 14-inch waist. The theory is that her corset was so tightly laced that pressure on her heart had kept it beating.
The hotel has a small display of some of her personal possessions in the palm-filled lobby.
Andreas Faessler via Wikimedia Commons
Visit the Old Town
The old town of Geneva is a warren of steeply rising cobbled streets.
It’s easy to spend an afternoon poking around the quirky little shops, or watching the world go by from sunny pavement cafes and restaurants.
Top Tip
If you pick the Menu du Jour or Plat du Jour (Menu or dish of the day) you can eat quite cheaply in Geneva. The cosmopolitan nature of the city is reflected in the variety of food on offer here.
A good place to eat is on the ground floor of the department store Globus. They have everything from Indian and Thai curries, Japanese sushi and fresh Buddha bowls, to champagne and caviar.
In the old town, you can find the Cathedrale de Saint Pierre that dominates the town and the Maison Tavel.
The Protestant Cathedral of Geneva
The Cathedral became a Protestant place of worship in 1536. Very much in the Calvinist tradition, its interior is strikingly austere. In the southwest wing is the small Chapel of the Maccabees, a riot of colour in contrast to the main building.
Look out for Calvin’s wooden chair in the north transept. If you’ve got a head for heights, you can pay CHF 4 and climb the 157 steps for a panoramic view of the city and the lake.
Beneath the Cathedral lies the real gem.
An archaeological site tracing the growth of the Cathedral and Geneva since the 3rd century. The official Swiss archaeological website calls it ‘one of the most significant sites north of the Alps’.
The fruit of 30 years of excavation the site is a maze of beautifully lit pathways that draw you into the convoluted history of this iconic building.
Fun Fact
The monks who lived here in the Medieval period benefited from central heating in their small cells. Very cosy.
Top Tip
The entrance to the site is behind the iron railings on the right of the cathedral façade before you go up the main steps. The entrance costs 8 CHF.
Maison Tavel
The Maison Tavel is the oldest private house in Geneva.
It contains a large and amazing 3D digital map that shows how the lake and Geneva have changed over the centuries.
The house also contains beautifully reconstructed 18th and 19th-century interiors with original wallpapers.
Interesting fact
There’s also a collection of iconic pieces of Geneva’s history.
Perhaps the most chilling of these is the well-worn guillotine blade. Introduced by the French in 1799 it was used a tragic 46 times. Geneva finally abolished the death penalty in 1871.
Top Tip
Don’t be put off by its slightly Disneyesque exterior.
Enough!
I think we need some air.
If you prefer to spend your day relaxing, head along the promenade of the Quai Wilson named after President Woodrow Wilson.
Mon Repos and the Perle du Lac
Following the quayside will take you to Secheron and the park called Mon Repos. The park was once home to many exclusive private residences and the once-famous ‘Hotel d’Angleterre. The park now houses the Museum of the History of Science.
Fun Fact
The hotel owes its fame to Lord Byron who stayed there briefly in 1816, scandalising the locals. When he decamped to the Villa Diodati on the other side of the lake the entrepreneurial hotel owner rented telescopes to the curious.
The hotel is long gone, and only the stables still exist.
Interior of The History of Science Museum
The parks of Geneva continue to delight.
If you had any energy left you can continue strolling to the tranquil park of the Perle du Lac.
A little further on you’ll find the park Ariana and the Ariana Museum with its collection of over 27,000 ceramics.
Top Tip
The permanent collections in Geneva museums are free to visit. Temporary exhibitions are free on the first Sunday of every month.
…..but even I’m feeling exhausted now.
There’s so much more that I could tell you about Geneva, but I’m hoping that this is enough to give you a taste of what there is to do in here.
Whether you’re here for a day or for a longer stay… Geneva is never boring!
