Geneva, Switzerland, is an international city with French, Italian, and German influences visible in the architecture, food, and languages spoken. It is also a vibrant city beautifully located along Lake Geneva and the Alps. Similarly to other Swiss towns, it is an expensive place but if you look around, you’ll be able to find affordable prices on food and drink.
There are lots of things to do in Geneva. My husband and I spent 4 full days in the city and enjoyed it quite a bit. We typically like to walk around to get a good feel for the place we’re visiting, and that’s exactly what we did in Geneva. Although we didn’t visit museums, we explored the city well and here are my suggestions for making the best of your time in Geneva, Switzerland:
Things to do in Geneva, Switzerland
Check out the Jet d’eau Fountain
The fountain is apparently a favorite attraction in Geneva. It shoots water into the air as high as 160 feet and can be seen from many places in the city.
Admire the Floral Clock at the Jardin Anglairs
The English Garden, Jardin Anglairs, is a nice green space at the southern entrance to the Mont Blanc Bridge. The park has several interesting statues, many benches and a pretty fountain in the center.
The floral clock decorates the entrance to the park and attracts lots of visitors. Since Geneva is the watch -making capital of the world, they memorialized it with the flower clock. It’s certainly pretty!
Visit Geneva’s Old Town
The Old Town of Geneva is charming! There is a tiny (certainly by European standards) Bourg-de-Four Square with a little fountain and flower boxes in the center. Cafes fill the square and it’s especially enjoyable to sit here after a stroll through town.
A block away sits St. Peter’s Cathedral– a gorgeous church over 850 years old. John Calvin, the Protestant reformer and founder of Calvinism, preached here in the late 16th century.
The Old Town has a number of adorable narrow streets with cafes, restaurants, and unique shops. Take your time and explore this area. It’s certainly enjoyable.
Ponder the Reformation Movement by the Reformation Monument
The Protestant Reformation Monument is located in the Parc des Bastions, slightly southwest of the Old Town. It is dedicated to the Swiss Protestant Reformation Movement with a timeline of events and major players. In the center of the monument you will find Guillaume Farel, Jean Calvin, Théodore de Bèze, and John Knox. It’s interesting to see this monument since those figures, while historic, also contributed to the death of lots of people.
Marvel at the Broken Chair at the Palais des Nations
Geneva is home to the the seat of the United Nations in Europe. Although we didn’t get a chance to go inside (closed on Sundays), you can see the building and the flags representing member nations from outside. The grounds are well designed with a large square decorated with multiple water jets and a statue of a Broken Chair right in front of the Palace. The statue is particularly interesting. It makes you realize that if one leg – (metaphor for a country) is broken, the whole chair (world) is not stable. It’s important to visit a site like this and ponder our interconnected world.
Enjoy Swiss Chocolates
Regardless of whether you have a sweet tooth or not, Switzerland is the place to try some of the world’s best chocolates. From sophisticated brands like Laderach to tiny chocolate shops, you’ll be able to find a flavor that will satisfy you. Bon Apetit!
Go shopping
One of the things to do in Geneva is to go shopping. Luxury stores are located along rue du Rhône while rue du Marché, rue de Rive, and rue de la Coix-d’Or offer more affordable shopping.
Take a trip to one of the smaller towns on Lake Geneva
Taking a day trip from Geneva to one of the neighboring towns along Lake Geneva is certainly a fun thing to do. We visited Montreux located about an hour from Geneva by train. Montreux’s scenery is lovely with the high Alps surrounding it on 3 sides. The town is also home to the International Jazz Festival.
You can read more about my trip to Montreux here. A piece of advice: download the SBB mobile app and buy your tickets through the app. You’ll save a significant amount of money on train tickets. They are much more expensive at the train station.
There are lots of things to do in Geneva, Switzerland. We certainly enjoyed experiencing a little bit of the country over the 4 days we spent here. It was a great trip.
