A first trip to Geneva - and to Switzerland!
Description:
Lively Cosmopolitan Geneva offering the diversity of a very special multi-cultural and intellectual atmosphere. Home to many Non-Governmental organizations and the United Nations as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross.
YOUR TO DO LIST:
See the city by foot.
Practice your high school French.
Promenade along the entire shoreline!
Explore the Vielle Ville (Old Town)
Sail on an old paddle steamer to Yvoire, France (medieval floral village) just in time for lunch on a terrace.
Discover Swiss French cuisine mixed with all other nationalities.
Check out the nightlife in some chic spots.
Do the museums! Look for Swiss culture and history and European art!
Take the train along the shore to Lausanne, home to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Museum.
(Photo courtesy of Switzerland Tourism © )
YOUR TO DO LIST:
See the city by foot.
Practice your high school French.
Promenade along the entire shoreline!
Explore the Vielle Ville (Old Town)
Sail on an old paddle steamer to Yvoire, France (medieval floral village) just in time for lunch on a terrace.
Discover Swiss French cuisine mixed with all other nationalities.
Check out the nightlife in some chic spots.
Do the museums! Look for Swiss culture and history and European art!
Take the train along the shore to Lausanne, home to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Museum.
(Photo courtesy of Switzerland Tourism © )
Author: Sonja Holverson
Day 1 - Geneva
Switzerland at last! Your Alpine dream is going to come true.
1
Gare De Geneve
Location:
view in google mapsPlace Cornavin 7
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70702
Swissôtel Genève Métropole
Location:
view in google mapsquai du Général-Guisan 34
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 318 32002
Genève Tourisme
Location:
view in google mapsrue du Mont Blanc 18
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70003
L'Horloge Fleurie
Location:
view in google mapsJardin anglais
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70004
Jardin Anglais (Le)
Location:
view in google mapsquai du Général-Guisan
1200 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70005
Chez ma Cousine
Location:
view in google mapsPlace du Bourg de Four 6
Bus: 1
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 310 9696Day 2 - Geneva
Saturday in Geneva. Promenade along the lake with the locals. If it's raining go directly to the Musee d'Art et d'Histoire. A big Saturday night in Geneva is planned!.
1
Geneva's Lakefront
Location:
view in google mapsquai Gustave Ador
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70002
Le Jet d'Eau
Location:
view in google mapsjetée des Eaux Vives
1207 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70003
Musee d'Art et d'Histoire
Location:
view in google maps2, rue Charles-Galland
Between bd. Jacques-Dalcroze and bd. Helvétique
1206 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 418 26004
Relais de L'Entrecôte
Location:
view in google mapsrue du Rhône 49
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 310 60045
Alhambar
Location:
view in google mapsRue de la Rôtisserie 10
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 312 1313Day 3 - Geneva
Sunday is family day in Switzerland and many stores are closed. Can't miss a visit to the International Red Cross Museum to watch Swiss children learn an important part of their history. The evening is reserved to experience some Swiss cuisine.
2
Musée International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge
Location:
view in google maps17, av. de la Paix
1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 748 95113
Cave Valaisanne et Chalet Suisse
Location:
view in google mapsboulevard Georges Favon 23
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 328 1236Day 4 - Geneva, Carouge
While the locals are off to work on this Monday morning, take a walking tour of the Vielle Ville (Old Town) and the Plainpalais Park area.
Lunch:
Soupcon Restaurant Bar
Place du Bourg-de-Four 8
1204 Genève
TEL: 022 318 37 37
http://www.soupcon.ch/
And then it will be off for the shops! Since you will be going further into Switzerland where it is somewhat less expensive, make your chocolate purchases outside Geneva.
Dinner in Carouge, a very chic quarter of Geneva:
Cafe des Negociants
rue de la Filature 29
1227 Carouge GE
TEL : 022 300 31 30
info@negociants.ch
1
Vielle Ville (Old Town)
Location:
view in google mapsplace du Bourg de Four
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70002
Cathédrale St Pierre (La)
Location:
view in google mapsplace du Bourg de Four 24
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 311 75753
Place du Bourg de Four
Location:
view in google mapsplace du Bourg de Four
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70004
Promenade de la Treille
Location:
view in google mapspromenade de la Treille
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70005
Promenade des Bastions
Location:
view in google mapspromenade des Bastions
1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70006
Maison Tavel
Location:
view in google maps6, rue du Puits Saint-Pierre
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 418 37007
Rue du Rhône
Location:
view in google mapsrue du Rhône
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 70008
Carouge
Location:
view in google mapsBoulevard des Promenades
1227 Carouge, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 307 8987Day 5 - Geneva
You may be "walked out" by now and ready for a cruise. You can relax aboard an old Belle Epoque paddle steamer on the lake. The embarkation is just steps from your hotel at the Jardin Anglais. Sail to Yvoire, France (medieval floral village) just in time for lunch on a terrace at Les jardins du Leman restaurant (reserve to be sure). Then admire the gardens full of spring blossoms with the castle and lake in the background. Stop in the village shops until the boat returns to take me back to Geneva.
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DE NAVIGATION SUR LE LAC LEMAN
INFOLINE +41 (0) 848 811 848 (schedules vary by season)
7 :30 AM - 6 :00 PM
info@cgn.ch
Embarkation Geneva : Jardin Anglais near the bridge of Mont Blanc
Les jardins du Leman
Valérie et Enrique Aguzzoli
Grande Rue (D6) - 74140 Yvoire
Tel: +33 (0) 4 50 72 80 32 - Fax: +33 (0) 4 50 72 92 89
E-mail: jardins-du-leman@wanadoo.fr
Internet : www.lesjardinsduleman.com
It will be now 5 days in Geneva (and France!) struggling with your high school French (although most people speak English but you may want to try to speak French!) But by now you will probably need to speak English so on your last night you will have supper in an Irish pub with expats and locals and talk a lot!
1
Mulligan's Irish Pub
Location:
view in google mapsrue de Grenus 14
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 732 8576Day 6 - Geneva
Last day in Geneva but your train does not leave until evening and you can't leave without visiting the United Nations.
On the way to the train station. do some last minute souvenir shopping on the Rue du Mont-Blanc.
TRAIN departs Geneva: 17:56 arrives Lausanne 18:40 ready to discover another Swiss city!
1
Le Palais des Nations
Location:
view in google maps14, av. de la Paix
Parc de l'Ariana
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 917 12342
Rue du Mont-Blanc
Location:
view in google mapsrue du Mont Blanc
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone:
+41 22 909 7000