Old Town
First-timersThe hilltop centre: the cathedral, the squares and the lanes.
Geneva city guide
Things To Do In Geneva
French-speaking, international and on the edge of France: a 140-metre fountain in the lake, the European home of the UN, the particle collider at CERN, and Chamonix an hour away.
7
Hostels in the city
8.5
Average, from 8,583 reviews
140 m
The height of the Jet d'Eau
1954
CERN founded, just outside the city
~1 hour
To Chamonix and Mont Blanc
An international city on a French-speaking lake
Geneva sits at the south-western tip of Lake Geneva, almost surrounded by France, and it has the feel of a small international capital. The European headquarters of the United Nations, the Red Cross and dozens of international organisations are here, and around a third of the population is foreign.
The Jet d'Eau, a fountain shooting water about 140 metres into the air from the lake, is the city's symbol and visible from almost everywhere.
The old town on the hill holds St Pierre Cathedral, where John Calvin preached and made Geneva the "Protestant Rome".
CERN, the European particle physics laboratory where the world wide web was invented and the Large Hadron Collider runs underground, is just outside the city and free to visit.
It is expensive, and one practical detail helps a lot: if you stay overnight in a hotel or hostel, you should receive a free Geneva Transport Card for the city's public transport.
Two days, and Chamonix is an hour away.
Where to stay
An old town on the hill, the lakeside, and the station district.
Pâquis
Value and foodBy the station and the lake: the cheapest beds, international food and the Bains des Pâquis.
Carouge
Relaxed and localSouth: an eighteenth-century Sardinian-built town with a Mediterranean feel, cafés and artisans.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 7 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Geneva
Visit CERN. The visitor centre, Science Gateway, opened in 2023 and is free, and guided tours — which must be booked — can take you to parts of the laboratory. This is where the world wide web was invented, and the Large Hadron Collider runs in a 27-kilometre ring underground.
The Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the UN, runs guided tours for around CHF 15 (about €16). Bring your passport.
Walk up to the old town and climb the towers of St Pierre Cathedral for the view over the lake. Beneath it is an archaeological site going back to the Romans.
The Reformation Wall in the Parc des Bastions shows the leaders of the Protestant Reformation in stone.
Go to the Bains des Pâquis, a public bathing place on a jetty by the Jet d'Eau, for swimming in summer, and sauna and fondue in winter.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum is strong and moving.
Free things
Free things to do in Geneva
CERN's visitor centre is free.
The Jet d'Eau, the lakeside promenades and the Jardin Anglais with its flower clock are free.
The old town and the Reformation Wall cost nothing.
The Bains des Pâquis charge only a small fee, and are free in some off-peak periods.
Public transport is free for overnight guests with the Geneva Transport Card, and arriving passengers can take a free train ticket from the airport baggage hall.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Geneva
Expensive, with a French accent. A main is CHF 30 to 45 (about €32–48).
Fondue and raclette are the Swiss classics; perch from the lake is the local fish.
Pâquis has the cheapest food, with a lot of international options.
Coop and Migros restaurants and counters are the budget answer, and many locals cross into France to shop.
A beer is CHF 8 to 10 (about €8.50–10.50).
Nightlife
Going out in Geneva
Smaller and quieter than Zurich. Pâquis and Carouge have the most relaxed bars, and the old town has a few wine bars.
In summer, the lakeside and the Bains des Pâquis are where people drink.
A beer is CHF 8 to 10. Geneva is not a big nightlife city; Lausanne is livelier.
Getting around
Getting around Geneva
Overnight guests in hotels and hostels should receive a free Geneva Transport Card covering trams, buses, trains within the city and the yellow lake taxis. Ask at check-in.
Arriving by air, you can take a free public transport ticket from the machine in the airport baggage hall; the train to the centre takes about seven minutes.
The centre is walkable.
Trains reach Lausanne in about forty minutes and Bern in about an hour and three quarters. Chamonix, across the border in France, is about an hour by road.
Costs
What Geneva costs
Very expensive. Dorms are CHF 45 to 70 (about €48–74), a main CHF 30 to 45, and a beer CHF 8 to 10.
A day is €100 to €170.
The free Geneva Transport Card for overnight guests is a real saving.
Pay in francs; euros are accepted in some places at poor rates.
Safety
Staying safe in Geneva
Geneva is safe, with some petty theft around the station and Pâquis, particularly at night.
Pickpocketing happens on trams and around the station.
The lake is cold and the Rhône, which flows out of it, is fast. Swim only at the organised bathing places.
Carry your passport for the UN tour and if crossing into France.
Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Geneva
Mont Blanc, a castle on the water and Lake Geneva's vineyards.
Chamonix, France
Under Mont Blanc, with the Aiguille du Midi cable car.
Lausanne
The Olympic city on the lake.
Château de Chillon
A castle on a rock in the lake near Montreux, which inspired Byron.
Annecy, France
A canal town on a clear alpine lake.
Lavaux vineyards
UNESCO-listed terraced vineyards above the lake.
What's on
What is on while you are there
A festival of chocolate cauldrons in December, marking a 1602 victory.
Staff pick
20 Nov – 24 Dec
Geneva Christmas Market
Each winter, Geneva, Switzerland, comes alive with the festive spirit of the Geneva Christmas Market, known as Noël au Quai, set along the picturesque…
Staff pick
30 Oct – 8 Nov
Geneva International Film Festival
Founded in 1995, the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF) in Geneva, Switzerland, is a pioneering event that brings together film, television, and immersive digital…
Staff pick
1–10 October
Geneva Animation Film Festival
The Geneva Animation Film Festival, held annually in Geneva, Switzerland, celebrates the art of animated filmmaking from around the world. Showcasing a diverse selection…
20 October
Mary Candies: A New World Illuminates
Mary Candies invites you to experience a completely reinvented show that has captivated over 200,000 spectators in the past four years. The performance features…
21 October
The Theatrical Experience
Two actors from different generations, François Berléand and Max Boublil, share a playful tribute to theater, its actors, and its audience. The performance explores…
28 October
Sir András Schiff & Evgeny Kissin
Two renowned pianists, Sir András Schiff and Evgeny Kissin, come together for a special concert at Victoria Hall. The program includes works by Mozart,…
31 October
Symphonic Disco 70s, 80s, 90s & 00s
Symphonic Disco 70s-80s-90s-00s invites you to a night filled with iconic disco hits performed in a unique symphonic style by the United Soloists Orchestra.…
8 November
Emmanuel Pahud & Eric Le Sage
Experience a refined evening of classical music with Emmanuel Pahud on flute and Eric Le Sage on piano at Victoria Hall. The program includes…
Hostels
Where to stay in Geneva
A small scene near the station and the lake. Ask for your free transport card at check-in. Live from Hostelworld.
Sustainable
Nyon Hostel
Dorms from €38 a night
See dates and book
MEININGER Geneve Centre Charmilles
Dorms from €37 a night
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John Knox International Center
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Sustainable
Geneva Hostel
Dorms from €44 a night
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Geneva Youth Hostel
Dorms from €52 a night
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Green Marmot Capsule Hotel Genève - Self check-in
Dorms from €48 a night
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Hotel St-Gervais
See dates and bookWhen to go
June to September for the lake. The Escalade in December is the local festival.
Jan
Cold
Feb
Cold
Mar
Improving
Apr
Good
May
Pleasant
Jun
Lake season
Jul
The best month
Aug
Fêtes de Genève in some years
Sep
Pleasant
Oct
Autumn
Nov
Grey
Dec
The Escalade festival
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. The bise, a cold north wind, can make winter feel colder than the numbers.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros — you will pay in Swiss francs, at roughly 1.06 euros to the franc.
Shown in euros for comparison; you pay in Swiss francs. Transport is near zero because overnight guests get a free Geneva Transport Card.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Geneva travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is public transport really free?
For overnight guests, yes. Hotels and hostels should give you a free Geneva Transport Card covering trams, buses, trains within the city and the lake taxis. Arriving passengers can also take a free ticket from the machine in the airport baggage hall.
Can I visit CERN?
Yes. The Science Gateway visitor centre is free, and guided tours of parts of the laboratory must be booked ahead. This is where the world wide web was invented.
Can I visit the UN?
Yes, on guided tours of the Palais des Nations, about CHF 15 (€16). Bring your passport.
How expensive is it?
Very. Dorms CHF 45 to 70 (about €48–74), and a day around €100 to €170, though the free transport card helps.
Can I go to Chamonix from here?
Easily — about an hour by bus. Bring your passport, as it is in France.
What is the Escalade?
Geneva's December festival, marking the defeat of a surprise night attack in 1602. Chocolate cauldrons are smashed and there is a costumed procession through the old town.
Is it French-speaking?
Yes. Geneva is in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
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