Things to do in Geneva

Geneva sits where the Rhône leaves Lake Geneva. Its fountain, the Jet d'Eau, throws water 140 metres and shows from most of the shore. The old town climbs the hill behind it, French-speaking, where Calvin once preached at St Pierre Cathedral.

Old town and the international quarter

• Vieille Ville. Cobbled streets around St Pierre Cathedral, with a climb up its towers for the view.
• Jet d'Eau. Started in 1886 as a pressure valve for a hydraulic network, kept running once people liked the look of it.
• International quarter. The Palais des Nations and the Red Cross museum sit north of downtown; Geneva is one of the largest UN hubs outside New York.
• CERN. The particle-physics laboratory sits just outside the city, straddling the French border.

What people book from here

Geneva's own sights fill half a day at most. Everything longer heads out along the lake or into France.

• Lavaux vineyards. Terraced slopes toward Lausanne, a UNESCO landscape best seen by boat or on foot between villages.
• Chamonix and Mont Blanc. An hour into France, for cable cars up toward the glaciers.
• Annecy and Gruyères. A lake town and a fortified hill village, often paired with a stop at a cheese dairy.
• Yvoire. A walled medieval village on the French shore, reachable by boat across the lake.

Practical

• Money. Swiss francs, not euros, despite the French border running through the suburbs.
• Transport card. Most hotels hand guests a free card covering buses, trams and the lake shuttle for the length of the stay.
• Weather. The lake softens temperatures: about 26C in July, 5C in January. A cold, dry wind called the bise can still cut through a mild-looking day.
• Language. French first; English covers hotels and the main sights.
• Tipping. Service is already in the bill; rounding up covers the rest.