HOW TO SPEND A WEEKEND IN GENEVA

Shortly after moving to Paris, I bought myself a Carte Jeune. This is a young person's railcard that actually gives massive discounts on TGV cross-country and international trains (more on how to navigate the French transport system soon!). When my railcard arrived in the post, I went straight on to the SNCF website to see where it could take me. I wanted to go to another country, but somewhere that would be faster than if I had taken a flight - so I settled on Geneva, Switzerland. Just 3h10 minutes from Paris Gare de Lyon, and I was in Switzerland by 10.30am!

My main source of inspiration for this trip was other travel blogs, and I think I was able to visit the best of several blogs to see Geneva's best sites, and on my short time frame of just over 24 hours. Geneva is such a beautiful place, the lake is stunning and the atmosphere is so different from neighbouring France. There are lots of interesting and completely unique museums in Geneva, but unfortunately, I didn't have the time to visit any on my trip. However, I will leave some suggestions I found at the end of the post. That being said, these are my top eight recommendations for your trip:

The Jet d'Eau

Geneva's Jet 'Eau water fountain is a well-known landmark of the city. It originally started as a release for the water pressure after plumbing the city but over time its aesthetic value was recognised, and the Swiss took it up the challenge of increasing it in size to make it even more magnificent. There are seven tonnes of water in the air at any given moment - so be careful when walking close by on the stone jetty, as a change in the wind direction could mean you get soaked. 

The Jet d'Eau operates all day, except in cases of frost and strong wind; while I was in Geneva it was turned off for the afternoon because it was too windy. So, a word of warning - take your pictures when you do see it if it feels like a windy day!

Heart of Geneva Walking Tour

By far the best thing I did in Geneva was the Heart of Geneva walking tour, a free walking tour run by volunteers in the city. In my (limited, I'll admit) experience of walking tours, free tours usually mean the guide has to work extra hard to captivate you, as they are working for tips only. This usually translated to a better tour all around. Our tour was perfectly done, a lovely mix of walking and stopping to learn about the history and culture of Geneva, exploring mostly the Old Town and historic Geneva. 

The walking tour company operate tours in both English and Spanish, and they have a second tour which showcases the international associations' side of Geneva in the afternoons - their schedule is on their website too! Even in the cold weather, we moved around enough to keep us warm and I learnt so much about the city; this is a great thing to do if you love impressing your friends with trivia from your trip. 

La Vieille Ville

I think nearly every long-established town (particularly in or near France) must have a 'vieille ville' aka Old Town, and these are usually the prettiest parts. There's something so special about old colourful paintwork, cobbled streets and no chain shops or really busy bus stops, and the Vieille Ville Geneva is no exception.

My favourite spot in the Old Town is the Old Arsenal which used to house the weaponry for the city to defend itself from attack. The three mosaics are set on the wall behind old cannons, depicting three important periods in the history of the city: the arrival of Julius Cesear, the merchant fairs of the Middle Ages and the arrival and welcoming of refugees into the city. They are stunningly made and so vibrant, and a great place for a photo too. The Old Arsenal is right next door to the Hotel de Ville which has free toilets (and very nice, clean ones at that) just in the courtyard, as a tip!

The World's Longest Bench

Behind the Hotel de Ville in the Old Town lies the world's longest bench. Supposedly. Many countries claim to have created the world's longest bench, but this one by Geneva's La Treille park seems to be the longest wooden bench in the world, at a huge 120m long. This is a pretty novel thing to be able to say you've visited - and you can get your fill of culture from the sculpted wall below which depicts important figures from the Protestant Reformation. It was constructed by the same architect as Christ the Redeemer, and you can see his typical style in the figures. 

The Reformation wall

La Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Gèneve

The cathedral is a must-see for me; nestled in the 
heart of the Old Town, its towers can be seen throughout the city. I learnt lots about the cathedral on our walking tour, including its rich history of different branches of Christianity, and one of its former pastors, John Calvin. Any history buffs will get a kick out of visiting the church where Calvin, a French theologist and Protestant reformer in Geneva, preached over 2,000 sermons in the 1300s. You can even see the chair that he preached from!

The inside of the church itself is quite plain, owing to the Protestant Revolution in Geneva when the lavish Catholic decoration of the church was removed. However, you can see a recreation of the original Catholic interior in the small chapel attached to the cathedral. 

Don't miss climbing up the towers for an amazing panoramic view of Geneva! You can climb for 5 CHF, just buy your ticket at the back of the cathedral and head up the stairs. Be wary that these are very narrow, but I was able to manage with my backpack on too. If you climb the North tower you can see the church bells, but the top level is surrounded by glass windows. The South Tower, however, is window-free and has a lake view - the perfect place to take photographs. If you're hesitant to climb both, the South tower was much better.

The beautiful chapel has been restored to its original Catholic decoration:

Manor

Moving away from the Vieille Ville a little, and into the more modern part of Geneva, we have the department store Manor. While it may not compare to the beauty and grandeur of Galeries Lafayette, it is jam-packed inside. Think more Debenhams and House of Fraser than Harrods - but don't let that put you off. You'll find presents galore in this busy shoppers' paradise. 

Perhaps it was for Christmas only, but there was a chocolate shop by the entrance on the ground floor which was perfect for presents. 'How exciting to be able to give people Swiss chocolate, from Switzerland!' I thought to myself as I bought a dozen bars...

Dining tip: if you're looking for a nice, and reasonably priced lunch place, head to the top floor of Manor for a filling and delicious meal. There is so much on offer, all arranged on different stands - a salad bar, made-to-order pizza bar, veggie bar, patisseries, fresh smoothies, a coffee bar - so basically anything you could ever want. Be warned there aren't a lot of vegetarian options, so stick to the salad bar and pizza station! Head to the back left of the restaurant for a semi-indoor/outdoor terrace with amazing views of the city and snow-capped mountains.

The view from the restaurant

United Nations and the Broken Chair

If you think of Geneva, one of the first things that come to mind is the city's association with international organisations. A short walk or bus from the busy shopping streets in the very centre will take you to the home of the United Nations, la Palais des Nations. It's very surreal to stand in front of it and just think about all the incredibly important things that have happened inside. Unfortunately, they were closed for the holidays when I was visiting, but on a normal day you can walk inside and take a tour. The flags at the front are a great place for a photo too! 

Facing the United Nations, bizarrely somehow on a roundabout of sorts, is the huge statue of a broken red chair. It's so striking, firstly because of it's size, but secondly as one of the legs looks like it has been snapped off. It stands as an opposition to landmines and cluster bombs, as a reminder for politicians visiting Geneva to think carefully about their actions. It's certainly a sight to behold. 

If you have a little extra time in Geneva: Télépherique du Mont Salève

Geneva is a relatively small city, and there are plenty of unique museums and experiences such as taking a cruise up the Lake, or catching a short train to another lakeside city such as Lausanne, to entertain you on a longer stay. Though I was only in Geneva for 24 hours, I wanted to go to the mountains. 

I found out that you can take a cable car to the top of Mont Salève, and I was on board! I even saw snow, which was extra special as I'd missed our first snow in four years back home in England. 

Getting to the Télépherique departure station was pretty easy, but besides a car, there is only one way to get there so you can't mess it up. I took the No. 8 bus (on the transport map it's a brown bus route) to Veyrier Douane. It's very important to take it to Douane as the bus route forks off, and the Téphérique is at Douane, not Veyrier Tournettes. When you get on the bus, the front of it will say the terminus on a screen so you can double check you've got the correct one. Then it's a short walk to the departure station from the bus stop, but it's signposted so don't worry. 

The Télépherique isn't spectacular - the station is shabby, and there's nothing much at the top besides a little café - but the views make up for it. From the top of Mont Salève you can see nearly all of Lake Geneva, and glorious mountains all around. It's breathtaking. 

Two tips to bear in mind; this cable car ride is best enjoyed on a sunny day. My photos weren't as perfect as I'd hoped for, largely due to the weather. In person the view looked incredible, it just didn't translate as well. Second, bring a passport with you just in case as Veyrier is technically in France. I wasn't stopped by anyone, but it's better to be safe than sorry. 

Museum suggestions: 

I, unfortunately, didn't have too much time to look into visiting museums, however, I was given recommendations from friends that I am keen to pass on - if I didn't go, at least someone else might! 

The Red Cross museum, while incredibly emotive and sad, is apparently striking and fascinating. The Red Cross traces its roots back to Geneva, it's history is intertwined with the city. What better place to learn up about this international organisation?

During the Protestant Reformation, jewellery was banned and so watchmakers collaborated with jewellers to create intricate and elaborately designed watches. Geneva is famous for its watchmaking, and the Patek Phillipe museum on the waterfront allows you to see the process from up close. What a unique experience!

CERN, the European centre for nuclear research makes for a very interesting trip from the city. Just on the outskirts of Geneva, the large site welcomes visitors to see examples of its research. Does the Large Hadron Collider sound familiar? You can learn plenty about it if you visit. 

Geneva is a beautiful and tranquil city that suits a weekend break perfectly. My visit has made me even more keen to visit other parts of Switzerland in the future.