Geneva (French: Genève, German: Genf), Switzerland's second-most populous city and the largest French-speaking city in Switzerland, is one of the world's major centres of international diplomacy, having served as the site of the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross since its foundation in 1863.
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In 1536, a young man named John Calvin, fleeing the persecution of Protestants in France, spent a night in Geneva. As it turned out, he was to do a lot more there than sleeping. After being expelled from Geneva for nearly three years, Calvin returned triumphantly in 1541 to help elevate the city to the rank of a Protestant Rome. The intellectual influence of the Reformation extended to all realms of Genevan life: politics, economy, and administration. Geneva was an independent republic from at least the 16th century until it became a Swiss Canton on 31 Dec 1813. This is a point of some pride to the Genevois, who still refer to their Canton as the République et Canton de Genève.
Old Town (vieille ville) and St. Gervais Paquis Plainpalais Hopital Eaux-Vives The old-town can be easily visited on foot starting anywhere around the tour boat dock on Lake Geneva, or if you come from the Cornavin station, walk down to the Bel-Air island and continue straight on uphill to the old town. Crossing the bridge (Pont du Mont Blanc), you'll get to the English Garden with the famous flower clock and a sculpted bronze water fountain. Then you can cross the street (Quai de General Guisan) and go up the hill (on Place du Port and Rue de la Fontaine) and up the long stairs passage and end up behind Saint Peter's Cathedral.
1 Jet d'Eau, the Rade (visible from most of the Lac Léman waterfront). daily 10:00-23:00 (shut off in November for maintenance and during strong winds.). One of the crowning symbols of Geneva is the monumental Jet d'Eau, a fountain of water pumped 140m into the air. The spectacular plume was once an occasional pressure release for hydro-power generation on the Rhône River, but people liked it so much that in 1891 the city created a permanent pumped fountain. It's beautifully lit at night. Best viewed from a distance — the surrounding half kilometer is soaked with water.
1 Salève cable car (Téléphérique du Salève), Veyrier, France (Number 8 Bus to either Veyrier Douane or Veyrier Tournettes. Or line 41 to Veyrier-École). Just over the French border, this high alpine ridge has a stunning view of Mt. Blanc and the Lake Geneva area and miles of walking trails. A cute little corner shop in Pas de l'Échelle Village (France) sells about 100 varieties of French cheeses and is open on Sundays. Don't forget your passport. Association Genevoise des Amis du Salève (AGAS), ☏ +41 22 796 41 33. Organizes free hikes around Geneva every Sunday. Start at 10:00 (sharp) at terminus (End station) of bus number 8 at Veyrier-Douane. 2 Genève Plage (buses 2 and 6).
Geneva has a huge number of restaurants for a city its size, and the international community means there's more variety than you'll find in most Swiss cities. On the downside, Geneva is possibly the most expensive city in an expensive country. Additionally, it can be quite difficult to find food on Sunday night, so it might be worth planning ahead or just visiting the more touristy region near the train station. If you have the possibility to cook your own food, self catering is a good idea to save money.
1 Les Brasseurs, 20 Place de Cornavin (directly across from the train station), ☏ +41 22 731 02 06. Tuesday to Saturday until 02:00, Sunday and Monday until 00:00. One of the few brew pubs in Geneva, Les Brass serves three flavours of home brew in the usual half pints, pints, and litre glasses or you can go for one of the giant plastic tubes filled with three to five litres. A small menu of pub food and a full restaurant in the back makes it a good spot to waste an evening. Beer: Fr. 3.40-7.40. 2 Café de la Gare, 2 Rue de Montbrillant (directly outside of the TGV arrival area of the Gare Cornavin). Open until 23:00 daily.
Geneva is by and large a very safe place. Violent crime was almost unheard of, although it's important to keep an eye on your belongings in public, as petty theft is a fairly common occurrence. Do report any such activity to the police, you will probably find them much more interested and helpful than police in many other Western cities, especially if you speak a little French. Since 2013 an increase in violent crime was reported, especially during the nighttime and near party areas. Alcohol & aggressive behaviour led to fights between the multicultural mix in the city.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Geneva typically sees ~26°C daytime highs and 12 rainy days.
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