Itineraries for Your Trip to Geneva
3 Days in Geneva for First Timers
When I was a child, my grandmother regaled me with stories of Geneva, this Swiss city of imperial, lakeside hotels and a turquoise lake ringed with white, Toblerone-like mountains. When I visited as an adult, the city seemed no less magical.
Impossibly clean for a city of its size, Geneva is polished. Luxury boutiques, designer watch outlets, and chocolate shops compete for the shiniest window display. Snooty, though, it is not, and all this glitz and glamor comes with an outdoor lifestyle and deep appreciation for nature. After all, the mountains are so close that a pre-work ski is entirely possible.
Pack appropriately for the season and expect hot summers, cold winters, and often strong winds.
If you only have time for one thing, make it the Old Town and cathedral.
Trains run from the airport to downtown Geneva regularly, taking less than 10 minutes. Once in the center, trams are efficient and easy to navigate, but a walking tour is the best way to get a feel for the place. Take in Geneva’s Old Town and St Pierre Cathedral.
After getting acquainted with the city streets, walk along the lakeside to admire Geneva’s cinematic backdrop and the numerous art displays on the lakeshore. Particularly fun are the portly statues of the wandering cat (le chat deambule) by artist Philippe Geluck.
It’s time to take a dip. Bains des Pâquis is a giant, open air pool complex that juts out into Lake Geneva. Coldwater swimmers go year-round, and in the summer the pontoon is full of people lounging by the waterside with a drink in hand. Not a swimmer? The complex also hosts poetry readings, exhibitions, and many other events.
The giant green letters spelling Rolex have been omnipresent as you’ve been exploring Geneva, so spend the afternoon taking a tour which introduces you to the city’s watchmaking industry. Hop in an electric tuk-tuk to give your tired legs some respite.
Geneva city is great, but an undeniable appeal of the city also is how well located it is for day trips. Chillon Castle, at the opposite end of the lake to Geneva, appears to be straight from the pages of a fairytale, with some parts of the building thought to be more than 1,000 years old.
If you need an added incentive to visit, castle vintners make their own wine, and many of the caches are aged to perfection underwater in Lake Geneva itself.
