Geneva nestles like a sparkling jewel on the shores of Lake Geneva. Here everything exudes quality, elegance and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. The place is buzzing with people from all corners of the world. It has excellent restaurants, exclusive shops, beautiful parks, a vibrant cultural life and interesting museums. A practical aspect is that Geneva is geographically quite small. You can wander around the town in an hour, and it's easy to make quick one-day excursions into the idyllic surroundings.

Bevolking:427 thousand

Toeristische informatie:
Geneva Tourism
Address: Rue du Mont-Blanc 18, in the centre
Tel: +41 (0) 22 - 9097000

The Leopard Lounge
Chic bar in the Hotel d´Angleterre with a fine range of malt whisky.

Arthur´s Rive Gauche
Hip bar-lounge by the river Rhône, for the younger set. See and be seen is the motto. Arthur´s is also popular with models relaxing after a lengthy photo session. You will find a wide range of cigars, spirits and fine wines.

La Bohème
Lively and trendy, in the centre of town.

Soleil Rouge
Funky and relaxed wine bar with tapas.

L´Usine
Underground place for rock music – dress code is black.

Openingstijden:
The normal opening hours for shops in Geneva are 08.30-18.45 on weekdays, but to 20.00 on Thursdays.

Shopping in Geneva means luxury. The main shopping area lies between Rue du Rhône and Rue de Rive, with masses of chic boutiques.

Rue du Rhône
This street is like a pearl necklace of exclusive shops, reminiscent of Marbella, Gstaad and Beverly Hills. Here you will find prestige watchers, jewels and designer clothes. Cartier, Patek Philippe and Rolex share the stage with Piaget, Audemars Piguet and Gucci. MaxMara, Versace and Louis Vuitton jostle with dazzling jewellery at Grisogono, Chopard and Bulgari.

Rue des Alpes
Around the railway station are shops with typical Swiss souvenirs – chocolate, cuckoo clocks, Swiss Army knives, musical boxes, handicrafts and Mont Blanc pens. The shops have names like Little Switzerland, Swiss Tradition and Swiss Corner.

Rue du Marché
Traffic-free shopping street with fashion stores, electronics, bookshops and several department stores with clothes, furnishings and shoes. Not to be missed are the Swatch shop and Davidoff cigars.

Plainpalais
Every Wednesday and Saturday (08.00-16.00) on this square there is a huge flea market (Marché aux puces). Here you can find just about anything, and also drink in the wonderful atmosphere. On the nearby streets there are many art galleries.

Old Town
Ideal for those who enjoy window-shopping at the elegant display windows full of beautiful antiques, old books and valuable works of art. Grand Rue is particularly good for antiques. Here you will also find a throng of small shops selling chocolates, cheeses, wines and furnishing odds and ends.

Carouge
A picturesque part of town with a bohemian atmosphere, with lots of small shops selling handmade jewellery, ornaments and handicrafts. Don't miss the market every Tuesday and Saturday around the Blavignac fountain, transformed into a large fruit and vegetable basket.

UN headquarters Palais des Nations.
The UN’s European headquarters, in a stately marble building surrounded by green parks, is a must in Geneva. And hard to avoid! Book a scheduled tour if you want to know more.

Botanical Garden/Jardin Botanique.
Fascinating park and ”living museum” with 16,000 plant varieties and the world's largest herbarium. Since the park was created at the start of the 19th century, its beauty and learning have evolved continuously. The herbarium archive contains more than 6 million plants.

Place du Bourg-de-Four
Charming square with an 18th century fountain in the heart of the Old Town, where people meet at the popular café La Clémence.

Musee International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge
Unique multimedia exhibition about war and suffering, plus the heroic efforts of the Red Cross all over the world.

Flower Clock/Horloge Fleurie
Super-size watch made of 6,500 flowers, symbolising Switzerland's world-famous watch industry.

Patek Philippe Museum
Important collection of timepieces from the 16th century onwards, and the finest creations of this Geneva-based watchmaker. Nowhere else is the Swiss passion for clocks, watches and time as evident as here.

CERN
The world's largest particle physics laboratory. Here you can explore the mysteries of the universe in an interactive Science Centre.

L´Opéra Bouffe
Trendy bistro with a relaxed atmosphere and international food. Wine bottles are piled from floor to ceiling, and background classical music provides a soothing atmosphere. Dishes between 25-30 CHF.

Restaurant le Lyrique
Luxurious Geneva atmosphere with fine dishes and a feel for culture, next to the Grand Théâtre, in the middle of the music district. On the gilded walls are hung portraits of music maestros such as Verdi and Strauss. Dishes between 20 and 50 CHF.

Brasserie Lipp
A lively place – reminds you of Paris, and serves wonderful bouillabaisse. Dishes between 30-40 CHF.

Relais de L´Entrecote
Here they specialise in tender entrecôte in a renowned sauce whose ingredients are a closely-guarded secret. 35 CHF.

La Clémence
Charming and trendy café with a magnificent summertime terrace, a natural meeting place in the middle of the Old Town.

Demi-Lune Café
Always full of people, cool décor and yuppie clientèle.

Mortimer
Popular with the younger set in the heart of the Old Town.

Hôtel Beau-Rivage
Cosy and tastefully decorated café at one of the best hotels in Switzerland, perfect for afternoon tea.

Geneva International Airport/Cointrin. Five km from the city centre. Trains go every 10 minutes between the airport and the Central Station in Geneva (Cornavin). The journey takes six minutes and costs 2.60 CHF. Trains run from around 05.30 until 00.20.

Gezondheid:
24 hour: Tel: 111 or 144. SOS pharmacists: 022-4206480

Valuta: Swicc franc

Hulpdiensten: 112

Elektriciteit: 220V AC, 50Hz

Taal: French

Telefoon: Country code: +41

Vervoer:
Geneva has excellent local public transport – buses, trolley buses, trams, boats and trains. Bus tickets cost 2.60 CHF and can be bought from ticket machines at the bus stops. The ticket is valid for one hour on local public transport. A one-day pass costs 6 CHF for the city and 12 CHF for the Canton of Geneva. A weekly pass that is valid for the whole Canton costs 30 CHF. Night buses run only at weekends and cost 3 CHF.

Taxi informatie:

Taxi – phone
Tel: +41 (0) 22 - 3202020