Last Updated on March 2, 2025
Geneva – Possibly the most relaxing city break in Europe
When you think of travelling to mainland Europe for a short break, where do you consider? Geneva somehow hasn’t been on my radar – and that’s a real shame because this charming International city in Switzerland has such a lot to offer visitors.
Having grown up before we joined the European Union, I do wonder if it’s in part because Switzerland has never been a member. Or perhaps it’s just that people recognise Geneva as an international centre but don’t realise it has a history and life of its own too. That’s a shame because there’s so much to see and do in this compact city. Add in a very special relationship with cheese and chocolate and you have somewhere that deserves to be a lot better known.
It’s easy to get to Geneva from London and flights take around an hour and a half. You arrive at an airport that’s less than 10 minutes from the centre of the City and there are frequent fast trains. What’s more, for most visitors to Geneva, public transport is free of charge with a city pass provided by the local hotels. Unlike in the UK, you simply get on board your train, tram or boat with no need to tap in or out. I was warned that ticket inspectors can fine you if you are found travelling without a pass, but during my stay, I didn’t see a single inspector. That in itself makes Geneva feel very, very relaxed.
For my own part, I’d honestly anticipated something closer to the City of London than this chilled lakeside City. Geneva is known for its role in banking and finance but if you anticipated men in grey suits with shiny black shoes and briefcases everywhere, you’ll be disappointed. Perhaps what the finance industry does encourage is a wealth of rather special designer shops where you can buy beautiful clothes, jewellery, and leather goods.
So, where to start?
Table of Contents
The Old Town, Geneva
Despite having visited Geneva for day trips many times as a teenager, I never ventured away from the lake. From the hotels on the north side of the lake, you can cross by boat or bridge to Geneva’s old town. There are guided tours available, some of which are included in the City Pass. In my experience, it’s definitely worth exploring with a guide so that you don’t miss anything as you walk through the narrow streets.
The Place de Bourg de Four, an historic small square in the old town was home to Geneva’s cattle market in medieval times but is now buzzing with restaurants and shops. Somewhere to stop for a coffee perhaps.
Take the pasage des degres des poules, a steep walk from one end of Place de Bourg de Four and you’ll find yourself just outside St Peter’s Cathedral. Built in the late 12th Century, it was originally a catholic church but was converted to Protestantism during the Christian Reform Movement and was a focal point for Calvin. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, Calvin had fled to Switzerland from France after breaking from the Roman Catholic church. He supported the reform movement in Geneva and was invited to lead the church of the city from 1541, at which point he introduced new forms of church government and liturgy.
Inside the Cathedral, you’ll find Calvin’s chair, from which he preached, along with some rather quirky pews with curious carvings.
To one side of the cathedral is a large side chapel which was restored in gothic revival style in the 1890s to show the kind of décor that the Cathedral as a whole might have had during its Catholic period.
The Cathedral has two towers with 157 steps that you can climb for a panoramic view of the city
Some of the City’s museums are in the heart of the Old Town, including the International Museum of the Reformation (currently closed for refurbishment), Geneva’s oldest standing building, Tavel House (a medieval palace rebuilt by the Tavel family after it was destroyed by fire in 1334 and now a museum run by the city to illustrate life in Geneva).
It’s the kind of place where you’ll find something to explore on every corner – as I did with the quirky House of Rousseau and Literature, curious to find out how Rousseau was connected to Geneva.
The Old Town is also home to the original headquarters of the International Red Cross, next door to Tavel House
Other Museums and Galleries
With a Geneva City Pass, you can visit many of the museums and galleries in Geneva free of charge and get a good discount on others.
Some of the most famous museums are intrinsically linked to the history and development of the city and if you have a chance to do so, it’s worth visiting the Patek Phillipe museum. Watchmaking developed in Geneva during the Calvinist period when making and wearing jewellery was forbidden. The craftsmen instead turned their hands to making clocks and watches, so beautiful that they were a good replacement for forbidden jewels.
Similarly, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum is focused on the history, current affairs and challenges of the Red Cross both in Geneva and across the world.
In these times, the four Geneva conventions seem particularly pertinent. They are as follows
- Protects the sick, wounded, medical and religious personnel during conflict.
- Care for the wounded, sick and shipwrecked during war at sea.
- Treat prisoners of war with humanity.
- Protect all civilians, including those in occupied territory
The origin of these ideals and of the Red Cross was a Swiss businessman, Henri Dunant. Disturbed by the suffering caused during the battle of Solferino, he proposed national relief societies made up of neutral and impartial volunteers. That was the origin of the Red Cross and of the original Geneva Convention which was first adopted internationally in 1864. You can find more at the Museum itself
Places not to miss
A stone’s throw from the Old Town is Parc des Bastions. Most people end up here to see the Reformation Wall, which was designed by Paul Landowski and Henri Bouchard and started to be built in 1909. Featuring the major figures from the 16th-century reformation – John Calvin, William Farel, Théodore de Bèze and John Knox– it’s a striking construction with giant representations of each of the figures carved into the rock. It also carries the Geneva city motto ‘Post Tenebras, Lux’.
There’s more to see in the park including Geneva’s first botanical garden, the old university building, the Palais Enyard, giant checkers and chess board and a charming restaurant built into the former bandstand. Oh, and the world’s longest park bench!
The recently refurbished Grande Theatre has an innovative programme of opera, ballet and more. I went along to see the first night of Jenufa, originally with some trepidation but found that surtitles were in English and French (perfect for me!)
The Brunswick Monument sits in the centre of the Jardin des Alpes. While a casual passer by might think this large mausoleum was a tribute to a great warrior, it’s actually the resting place of Charles d’Est-Guelph, the Duke of Brunswick, who was exiled from his duchy in Germany in 1930. Having subsequently made a fortune in Paris, he retired to Geneva where he died, leaving his fortune to the city in exchange for the neo-gothic monument and a beautiful funeral. It’s a replica of the Scaligeri family tomb in Verona from the 14th Century.
Lake Geneva/Lac Leman. Of course, it’s impossible to miss since the city essentially wraps itself around one end of the lake. But, although there are plenty of bridges, you should take to the water at least once. Your Geneva City Pass allows you to travel free of charge on the mouette waterbus routes (there are four) and you’ll find it just takes a few minutes to cross from one side of the Lake to the other.
Some of the routes will take you up close and personal to the Jet d’Eau, the fountain which dominates this part of the lake, so you can get a unique selfie! For a more leisurely lake excursion, there are Lake Geneva cruises – some with inclusive lunches and dinner. The trip to Lausanne is, apparently, the most scenic but will take several hours. Or for those who are a little more adventurous, you can hire SUP paddleboards, boats and pedalos and make your own way around the lake.
Things to do on a short break to Geneva
Apart from trips into the Alps (you can see Mont Blanc from Geneva), there’s plenty to do in and around the city itself.
I loved making my own Swiss Army Knife at the Victorinox Flagship Store in Rue de Marche. While there’s plenty to look at in the store, anyone can book a session and walk away with their own knife, complete with a personal engraving and the cover of your choice. It takes about half an hour for a novice like me to make the knife up!
Did you know this part of Switzerland makes its own wine? The hills surrounding Geneva are full of vineyards and you can take a tour out to one of the wineries for a tasting and t learn a bit about Swiss winemaking. It’s fun to use one of the City tuk-tuk taxi services for this – the tuk-tuks are powered by e-bikes and come with a waterproof roof and removable rainproof panels on the side.
They are also equipped with their own fondue facilities – so if you fancy a picnic, it’s worth finding out more.
The winery I visited was small, charming and still family-owned – Les Perriers – they offer tastings to groups of four or more, where you can enjoy some of their local wines accompanied by a rather fine meat and cheese platter.
Finally, who wouldn’t want to try the Choco Pass? Switzerland is known for its fine chocolate and with a Choco Pass you can try the chocolates from seven of Geneva’s finest chocolatiers. Each one will either let you sample in the shop or take away a selection of chocolates. The takeaway option was great – I really wouldn’t have wanted to miss any of the shops, but by the time I’d visited a couple I needed a break!
I particularly liked La Bonbonnerie Chocolaterie and Chocolate Bar where you can enjoy a hot chocolate with your samples. And, Du Rhône Chocolatier, a traditional Swiss chocolate maker that has existed since 1875.
Just in case you needed more to tempt you to visit Geneva, this summer the City has introduced a ‘Resort Pass’ which gives visitors to the City even more for free or at a discounted rate. There are over 100 activities to tempt you – find out more from the special Geneva Resort Pass portal.I stayed at Hotel Bristol in Geneva and I’ll follow this feature up with a short introduction to two boutique hotels in Geneva, each with great but very different restaurants!
I was a guest of the Geneva Tourist Board and flew to Geneva from London Gatwick with EasyJet
