Geneva

Eco-friendly travel guide to Geneva advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Geneva, Switzerland.

Geneva Sunrise

Air quality: 4 / 5

Exploring by foot: 4 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 4 / 5

Public transportation: 4.5 / 5

Parks: 4 / 5

Outdoor activities: 4 / 5

Locals' English level: 4 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$60 - $1000

Budget per day: US$150 - $2000

Responsible Travel

The home to the world's most crucial organization, World Health Organization, Geneva, is a significant city in Switzerland that sits at its border with France and Italy. The town is the cleanest and most developed one in the world and is a trendy tourist city. While traveling to such a significant town, you must follow specific measures to avoid your actions and activities' negative impact.

Geneva follows various waste management and recycling measures that have led the people in keeping their city clean. While visiting, follow all the laws and restrictions to avoid getting into any trouble. You should only use recyclable and reusable items while traveling to cause any adverse effects on the local environment.

As a visitor, you must contribute to such acts that follow certain norms like public transport usage rather than hiring personal drivers or cars as they emit many harmful gases.

Although plastic use is not allowed in Geneva, reportedly many shopkeepers use plastic bags. You should never take a plastic bag from any shops in Geneva as it will cost you a massive fine of 100 CHF.

While traveling, remember to avoid staying at hotels, hostels, and guest houses that don't follow any eco-friendly measures. Instead, prefer green hotels and eco-friendly hostels and guest houses as they are the better options.

Air Quality and Pollution

Geneva’s air quality and pollution levels are some of the lowest in the world. The air is so fresh and breathable that even a person with respiratory issues will find no trouble. Here are some data related to the air quality and pollution in Geneva;

PM10 – 21

PM2.5 – 15

PM10 Pollution Level – Low to Moderate

Pollution Index – 25.99

Pollution Exp Scale – 45.11

Respect the Culture

Respecting the culture of a city or a country should come by itself from inside you. It would help if you remembered that every community has its struggles and problems but is living peacefully. While exploring Geneva, make sure that your actions don't affect the local communities or the environment negatively.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Lake Geneva: It is the largest lake shared by France and Switzerland and is the largest in western Europe. Its maximum length is about 73 kilometers, and 14-kilometer width has an average depth of about 154.4 meters: yacht racing and high-performance catamarans like water sports events organized in this lake.

Quai du Mont-Blanc: It is situated nearby to the bank of river Droite and parallels to the Mont Blanc mountain chain; it experiences the beautiful scenery during the late afternoon on a clear day. Near the hotel Hôtel Beau Rivage, a historical event occurred in on1898. An Italian anarchist assassinated the Empress of Austria; she remembered by the monument of her over there. Near to this place, there is a mausoleum built by the Duke Karl II of Brunswick.

Broken Chair: It is a monumental sculpture made of wood and located across from the palace of the nation. It's designed by a Swiss artist; Daniel Berset, and constructed by a carpenter; Louis Genève. Made up of approximately 5.5 tons of wood and 10 meters in height, and one torn off the leg. It has its significance attached to it about the Ottawa treaty on landmines. The objective was to signed by as many states as .this treaty turned to become useful for an instrument of international law.

Mont Blanc: It is the second-highest mountain in Europe and the highest mountain in the Alps range and is about 4808 meters after Mount Elbrus. It is famous for adventure sports trail running, hiking, climbing, and winter sports like snowboarding and skiing. It is to become a world heritage site because of its cultural importance and uniqueness.

Pierre Cathedral: Pierre cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, built during the reformation; it changed to the Church of Geneva. One of the Protestant Reformation leaders, John Calvin, adopted it as the home church, and inside you will find the chair of John Calvin. The fact that this has been the site of a church since the fourth century.

Brunswick Monument Geneva: It was a famous monument built in 1879 and located in Jardin des Alpes in Geneva. It is a sightseeing destination, with a history of Charles II, Duke of Brunswick attached to it.

Wine & Beef Fuster: It is a famous restaurant in Geneva, located in the heart of Geneva city on the nearby left bank. It is a very luminous restaurant with a lovely sitting arrangement. Opens from Monday to Saturday. They offer their signature single dish "l'entrecote" of swiss beef magnified by a "copyrighted" sauce.

Reformation wall': It is an international monument to reformation. It got its name reformation wall. On the wall, there are honors given to the prominent individuals, documents, and events by depicting them into bas-reliefs and statues, located at the University of Geneva, founded by John Calvin and inaugurated in1909.

Maison De Rousseau Et De La Litterature: In French-speaking Switzerland, it is the first house of literature. It promotes contemporary writers in the field of books. It is the birthplace of writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and there you can find his entire journey of life and his famous works presented beautifully in audio and visual presentation.

Mosque Of Geneve: It is also known as Petit-Saconnex Mosque and is the largest mosque in Geneva. It has space for about 1500 worshippers. It was constructed in 1978 near to the Le Petit-Saconnex and financed by the Saudi-based Muslim World League.

Lake Geneva

Explore

Apart from the many historical and cultural monuments and sites, the city homes many city parks, beaches, museums, and landmarks that must-visit explore places for tourists.

City Parks

English Garden: It is in the Quai Gustave-Ador area in Geneva. This park is situated on the left bank near the Jet d'Eau and is home to the famous "flower clock," the largest of its kind in the world. It symbolizes Geneva’s dedication to the integration with nature. You can also see several statues, including the 'Monument National' and a sculpted bronze fountain by Alexis Andre.

La Perle-du-Lac and Parc Moynier: It is located in Route du Lausanne and also known as the 'Pearl of Lake.' It is the most beautiful place in Geneva where you can easily view Mont Blanc and the lake. This park is densely flush with flowers of different kinds, which gives a beautiful aura during the afternoon. In the center of this park, you can also visit the History of Science Museum and a former estate home.

Rousseau Island: Rousseau Island is a small park and island in the middle of the river, located precisely in its center. This place is the most popular park with an excellent overview of spending alone time or with loved ones. It also has some restaurants for grabbing something to eat and wander around.

Bastions park: Bastions Park is in place Neuve in Geneva. The park is primarily a botanical garden and site of the first university in Geneva. It a tree-lined park and is popular with students for performing activities or any event here. The attraction for visitors is the chessboard section at the north end of the park, where chess masters or locals, both young and adults, challenge one another for a quick game. After the renovation of this place, a Reformation Wall built along the Old Town's old rampart wall, which pays tribute to the Reformation founders forever immortalized in statue along the border.

Parc La Grange: This park is located in Quai Gustave Ador and is the largest park in Geneva, spread over 12,000 square meters along the lake. Visitors can also see the rose garden and a horticulture center, which is the largest city. During summers, the Verdure Theatre hosts free concerts every Wednesday and Friday.

Parc Bertrand: This park is situated just outside of Geneva City center and within the district known as Champel. It offers you an excellent place to escape from traffic and crowds. People of all ages visit this place every day, at any time for having a peaceful time. This park is also most famous because of its cleanliness and various other attraction points such as padding pool, springtime bulbs, summer flowerbeds, and shaded seats.

Rousseau Island

National Parks

Currently, Geneva doesn't home any national parks but has some breath-taking and lovely city parks, botanical gardens, and animal parks in the city where you can spend some quality time in the lap of nature.

Beaches

Geneva Plage: It sits in 2 hectares of wooded parkland next to Lake Geneva, which is only a 10 minutes ride from the city center. It is the biggest beach in the city. This beach is well suited for water-sports lovers as this place offers space for adventurous sports, leisure, and relaxation. The Olympic-sized swimming pool, paddling pools, high dives, and slides are the main attraction here. This place also provides an on-site store for all of your basic summer needs, a restaurant, and poolside service is also available. You only need to pay a charge of 7 CHF for adults and 3.50 CHF for children to visit the beach.

Jonction: It is one of the beautiful beaches in Geneva, as you can see the incredible view of two rivers, Arve and Rhone, joining each other. This place is dense with trees and is far away from the center of the city. You can do any activity here to pass your time as there is no entrance fee required. The main attraction is a long trail that stretches along the river on the Rhone side, passing through several areas with park-sided barbeque pits.

Bains des Paquis: This beach sits on the west side of Lake Geneva. The main attraction for tourists and visitors is the long gravel beach, lined with a wooden platform on which sun-bathers spend time to absorb the warm rays of the beautiful summer months. You can also view Geneva Lake and Jet d’Eau fountain from here. There are many activities and services available such as saunas, thermal baths, and massage. For visiting, you have to pay an entrance fee amounting from CHF 2 to CHF 50.

Baby Plage: This beach is in the Quai Gustave-Ador 63, just next to La Grange Park. It is a stunning cozy beach on the eastern side of Lake Geneva. You can find many families coming here with their children for bathing and swimming, while people of all ages come here to chill and enjoy their afternoon. The main attraction of this place is the green grass lawns where people come for picnics and barbeque. It is the only beach in Geneva with bona fide sand. You can visit Baby Plage at any time of the day with no entrance fee.

L'AMARR@GE Beach: This beach has an attached wooden pier attracting locals for spending their afternoon or evening hours for fresh air and quick bites. It is recently opened and has a temporary beach floating on the water in the city's very center. L'amarr beach is in the Pon de La Machine, opposite to Cite du Temps. Here, a public beach and a swimming pool sit by the Pont de la Machine bridge, open only in summers. You can visit the beach by paying an entrance fee of CHF 2 and CHF 1 for adults and children, respectively.

Bains des Paquis

Landmarks

Jet d'Eau: It is a mighty water jet that soars straight up from the lake surface to a 145-meter height plume enclosing Geneva's harbor. It is the most famous landmark of Geneva as this water jet is the symbol of Geneva. It consists of a powerful pump that propels the water at about 500 liters a second. You can get an excellent viewpoint from the Bains des Paquis, a favorite spot for locals and tourists to swim, enjoy a sauna, or have a quick bite in a café.

Jardin Botanique: It is a botanical garden located in the southeast of the Ariana, between the Avenue de la Paix and the Chemin de I'Imperatrice. It was established in 1902 and covering over 28 hectares of land; it consists of greenhouses, gardens and features more than 12,000 species of plants and trees. This place has an Alpine Garden that shows plants from Switzerland's high elevations, and the herbarium with six million examples is considered one of the largest in the world. There is also a small area for animals, including deer and other wildlife.

Temple de Saint-Pierre: It is a protestant church featuring some ancient Gothic elements. This point's main attraction is the two-principal tower, dating from the 13th century, which was never complete. You can also climb to the top of the buildings for a panoramic view of the lake and town. If you're visiting this place, be sure to notice the late Romanesque and early Gothic capitals in the nave, choir, aisles, and transepts for their artistry on various themes.

Place du Bourg-de-Four: This place sits in the heart of Geneva's Old Town, near the Temple de Saint-Pierre. It has the most charming and peaceful atmospheric environment and is on the Roman forum site, where many markets from the ninth century onward are held. If you visit now, you may find refuge in its cafés and restaurants, many of which spill out onto the pavement whenever the weather is good. The main attractions of this place include an 18th-century fountain, a statue, and Clementine by Heinz Schwarz, which stands in the square.

Palais Des Nations: This place is the European Headquarters of the United Nations, a position it held after the League of Nations' demise. The massive complex of marble buildings is a must-watch if you are visiting Geneva. The museum has become a center for the world's diplomacy and the largest UN center in the world after New York, with upwards of 25,000 delegates passing through annually. You can also see the artworks and interiors denoted by countries all over the world.

Monument de la Reformation and Parc des Bastions: The Reformation Monument, built-in 1917 in recognition of Geneva's leadership in the Protestant Reformation, is a pillared gateway southwest of Geneva's Hotel de Ville and is lined with chestnut trees. You can also view Mont Saleve and the Jura from this location. It is a monument of four prominent leaders; John Calvin, Guillaume Farel, Theodore de Beze, and John Knox. The memorials of Luther and Zwingli stand at the ends of this place, and it is in Parc des Bastions of Geneva.

Jet d'Eau

Museums

Musee d'Art et d'Histoire: It is an art and history museum located in Rue Charles-Galland 2, Geneva. It is one of Switzerland's three largest museums, owing to its exceptional collections to several regional museums' merger, with added donations from private collectors. The museum showcases applied and fine art and archaeology, with various weapons, Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean antiquities, Greek and Roman art, Roman and Etruscan pottery, and Eygptian Funerary art. The fine art galleries include Flemish, Swabian, and Italian old masters and works by Dutch, Flemish, and French artists of the 16th and 18th centuries and have paintings by Geneva Artists of 18th 19th centuries complete collections. It also displays various arts from the Gothic and Renaissance periods.

Patek Philippe Museum: The museum displays Swiss watches, automated musical devices, and portrait miniatures from the 16th to the 19th century. It was founded in 1839 by the Geneva firm. The museum showcases watches and watchmaking by this prestigious firm. The ancient clocks here date from the 1500s, and those displayed include enameled and technical ones and those from Turkey and China dating from 1600. Patek Philippe Museum is located in Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 7, Geneva, and is also known for its outstanding collection of portrait miniatures from the 17th to the 19th century.

Ariana Museum: This museum is devoted entirely to ceramics and glass production with 25,000 pieces from Switzerland, and the Middle and the Far East. It sits near the Palais des Nations. The artwork displayed illustrates the history of ceramic arts from the early Middle Ages through the 20th century, tracing both the glazing processes and the ceramic formation. This building was built-in 1884 to house some private collections of Gustave Revilliod, who is the founder of the museum. The museum is also the seat of the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva. Its highlight is the combining of the Neoclassical and New Baroque architectural styles, and as a result, an impressive gallery with a vaulted ceiling and colonnades came into existence.

National History Museum: It sits in Route de Malagnou, Geneva. It is open for public access from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with no entrance fee required. This museum showcases an educational and analytical look at the world’s nature that emphasizes the ecological history of Switzerland in the world. A life-size model menagerie of bears, alligators, foxes, aardvarks, and other animals worldwide, also an entire collection of each plant and mineral indigenous to Switzerland, can be seen here. This museum also provides a special children’s area for young ones and a working lab for visiting scientists.

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art: MAMCO is a dynamic museum on the cutting edge of modern art in Europe and is in an old factory building just a street away from the Patek Philippe Museum. To visit this museum, you have to pay an entrance fee of CHF 8. It is open from 12 pm to 6 pm only. The museum's inspiration is said to be the works of Marcel Duchamp, which are displayed every year on a particular day, which is decided by the authority. This museum exhibits some brilliant artists from the nearby Center of Contemporary Art. It continually reinvents itself, but its interior construction takes place three times every year.

Art and History Museum: The Art and History Museum is a veritable catalog of western culture with over one million pieces in its collection organized in three different wings. It is the largest museum in Geneva, and it sits in the Rue Ch.-Galland 2 area. The main attraction here is the Archeology wing that contains relics from ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece, also the Fine Arts wing houses paintings from the Renaissance onward, including works by Van Gogh and Renoir. It also displays furniture, weapons, and other articles of daily life from the Middle Ages in the Applied Arts wing. You can visit the Art and History museum every day except on Mondays, from 10 am to 6 pm.

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Eat

Swiss cuisine is famous all over the world for its uniqueness and mind-blowing flavors. While exploring Geneva, you must study the food and drink culture as well, or your Geneva experience will remain incomplete and unsatisfied.

Traditional Local Restaurants

Restaurant Le Lyrique: Restaurant Le Lyrique is situated right in the middle of the music district, next to the Grand Theatre. This restaurant has a luxurious Parisian atmosphere that serves fine French cuisine. Portraits of music maestros such as Strauss and Verdi are hanged on the restaurant's gilded walls, giving it a vibrant and enchanting vibe for the people coming here for experiencing its delicacies.

Brasserie Lipp: Brasserie Lipp is a lively place to visit, and it serves a beautiful bouillabaisse and seafood, such as fresh oysters. The best time to visit the site is during summer time as it gives you quality time at a lovely terrace, a quiet and peaceful area away from traffic. It is open for public access from 7 am to 2 am every day except on Sundays; the restaurant is accessible only from 9 am to 2 am.

Relais de L’Entrcote: The Relais de L’Entrcote is a French Restaurant and is at four different places around Paris, which had built its reputation even before it came to Geneva. It specializes in tender rib steak served with its well-known sauce whose ingredients are a closely kept secret. You can visit the restaurant anytime between 12 pm to 2:30 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm every day.

Miyako: Miyako is located in the center of the city and offers fresh and exquisite Japanese food. The restaurant’s talented chef likes to amuse the clients by juggling with knives, which is quite entertaining and very impressive but a bit scary. The famous dish of Miyako Restaurant is Assortiment de fruits de mer teppanyaki. It is open on different slots of time and is closed on Sundays.

Le Reservoir: Le reservoir is an Italian Restaurant located on the street corner in the Quartier des Bains, just down the road from Plainpalais. It brings its sophisticated contribution to the public. This restaurant is quite a popular one in the city; some of its main dishes include melon and parma ham, asparagus risotto, and tagliolini Nero vongole, or fish and meat dishes with local flavors, such as fish from Lake Geneva and beef tartar. This smart brasserie and wine bar offer a menu of Mediterranean cuisine and an Italian bias, making this restaurant widely chosen by all.

Vegetarian and Vegan

Mu-Food: This place ideally sits just a few minutes away from the train station; it offers a diverse range of vegan and vegetarian dishes inspired by countries right across the world. From Indian main dish- Korma to Vietnamese-style vegan wraps, they boast you up with a good variety of inventive and unusual vegetarian recipes. It is open for locals and tourists every day from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm.

Le Sunset: Le Sunset is located near the Grand Theatre and the Museum of Art History, offering you a good range of vegan and vegetarian dishes. The delicious menu of this restaurant ranges from vegetarian lasagne to tofu kebabs and boasts many large salads. It is a must-go restaurant because of its relaxed setting, welcoming, and chilled-out environment. You can visit the restaurant from 7 am to 5 pm every day, except Saturday and Sundays.

Gandhi Café: Gandhi Café is an Indian Restaurant, offering you a range of vegetable curry and rice dishes. It has a beautiful interior where you can see the swinging lanterns, candles, and dark fabrics added to the cozy and homey ambiance. It is open for the locals and tourists from 11 am to 2 pm and 6 pm to 12 am daily. The restaurant provides you with several reasonably priced vegetarian plats du jour every day during lunchtime. It is said to be the best restaurant for those wishing to experience India's taste in everyone's heart in this European city.

Aux Deux Portes: Aux Deux Portes is the best vegan restaurant in entire Geneva. It proposes a range of reasonably-priced, organic, and genuinely inventive dishes. The restaurant has a fantastic home décor and a friendly, welcoming ambiance, and every aspect of this restaurant exudes a happy and healthy ethos. People often choose this restaurant because they offer their vegan, macrobiotic cooking classes, and catering services, using various products for sale in the on-site organic shop. You can enjoy its delicious cuisine from 9:30 am to 7 pm on all days (Sat-Sun closed).

Twins: Twins Restaurant is 0.4 km away from Patek Phillippe Museum, a European Vegetarian-friendly restaurant that is open every day, except Sundays, from 10 am to 12 am. This place is excellent for lunch. Some of the best dishes of Twins Restaurant are Salade Melee, Pain Pita, Cumin d’Orient, Olives Noires, etc. They have pages of panini selections, including vegetarian and a healthy selection of salads. The prices are good enough.

Ukiyo Genus: Ukiyo Grenus is a Japanese, International, Asian restaurant. It is located in Place De-Grenus and is highly preferable by most people. Ukiyo has a cozy and beautiful environment with many delicious and authentic quality food. The most liked dish here is Curry Udon. The prices of the food items provided here are low and reasonable, hence appreciated by most locals. The restaurant is open on different slots of time every particular day.

Street Food

While exploring Geneva, the best way to learn about the local culture and traditions is by studying and indulging in the local food culture. You can find many unique and exotic food items in the streets of Geneva. The street vendors serve authentic and staple food items that most Swiss people in Geneva eat daily.

Fondue

Rosti

Roasted Flour Soup

Polenta and Braised Beef

Tartiflette

Raclette

Älplermagronen

Vacherin Mont D’Or

Nusstorte

Basler Leckerli

Drink

While exploring the food culture, you need to explore the drinking culture, and both go hand in hand. You will find many authentic and exotic wines, beers, and liquors in Geneva to enlighten you with the country's culture and traditions.

Wines: Valais, Geneva, Ticino, and Seeland

Rice Beer

Kirsch

Schnapps

Nocino

Röteli

Williamine

Tap-water

With low pollution rates and good quality of life, one can rightly expect the tap water in Geneva to drink safely. You will find that the locals and tourists prefer tap water more than the mineral water bottles. The public drinking water fountains and other water sources are completely safe and hygienic.

Organic Cafés

Alive

Boréal Coffee Mt-Blanc 17 – Chill

Café mutin

Birdie Food & Coffee

Cottage Café

Breweries

Brasserie Chien Bleu

Les Brasseurs

Brasserie du Mât Sàrl

Les Philosophes Genève

Biere Yourself

Brasserie du Mont Saleve

Activities

The city of Geneva may seem a bit small but is full of adventures and festive activities that will make your trip quite memorable. You can opt for individual or group activities and get a first-hand experience of the local culture and traditions.

Visit the Old Town of Geneva

Shop at the Plainpalais Fleamarket

Visit mountain resorts; Samoëns, La Clusaz, and Chamonix

Go on a Geneva museum walk

Hike on the Salève Mountain

Attend local festivals and social events

Paddleboard on the Geneva Lake

Discover Perle du Lac; Geneva’s secret beach

Yoga and Retreats

The Swiss people in Geneva are very conscious about their health. To maintain the fitness of their body and mind, yoga and other recreational activities are part of every individual's life. You can find many yoga studios and Pilates classes in Geneva that have professional and experienced teaches.

Bikram Yoga Geneva

Yoga Flame Geneva

Yoga Lab

Réflexsanté

Ashtanga Bliss

Swiss Yoga Pilates Geneve

Accommodation

Whether you are traveling to Geneva with a big budget or a low budget, there are endless options to meet every traveler's pocket. From Geneva city center to the outskirts, different accommodation options are available. You can choose from hotels, hostels, guest houses, apartments, and even couch-surfing. While searching for the best accommodation in Geneva, you will look for the ones that are worth every single penny you pay. Instead of such luxurious places, you should prefer staying at an option that is friendly to your budget and the local environment.

Green Hotels

There are many hotels in Geneva and offer exceptional services and amenities. Before you book a hotel room, ask yourself, is the luxury more important than the environment? Hotels provide world-class services, but they often exploit the local environment and cause a lot of pollution. Green hotels or eco-hotels are for travelers that want to travel responsibly.

Hôtel Beau-Rivage

Mövenpick Hôtel & Casino Genève

Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Centre

Hostels and Guest Houses

Hostels and guest houses are the best accommodation options as they offer affordable rooms and dorms and are a great way to socialize and meet fellow travelers and locals. Many of the hostels and guest houses in Geneva often host some social events and activities where you can get full exposure to the people's local culture, traditions, and livelihood.

City Hostel Geneva

Geneva Hostel

Petershöfli – Home St. Pierre

Nyon Hostel

Wonderlandscape Guest House

La Grange d'Emnitan

Apartments

Usually, tourists prefer hotels, guest houses, and hostels as cheap and easy to find. In reality, these places are not all that great. They offer limited privacy and amenities, which can make your stay a bit uncomfortable. It would be best if you prefer renting out an apartment in an apartment building in Geneva. You will find that these may look a bit pricey initially but enable you to more amenities. You should always prefer renting out an apartment with your friends or family and inspect the place properly before paying any amount.

Couchsurfing

A concept where you can opt for staying in a local person's house with a little or no charge for the time you are staying in the city. It is a popular mode of accommodation in Europe, and you can find many couch surfing hosts in Geneva. Most of them let you stay in their homes free of charge, but some of them may charge you a small amount to earn a little pocket money.

Camping

Hotels, hostels, guest houses, and apartments are excellent accommodation choices, but they lack in one thing; access to nature. Most of these places are inside the city, and for travelers that want an outdoor experience, they are not the right options. There are many campsites in Geneva that sit inside and outside the city. You can choose the camp according to your budget and preferences.

Parc des Bastions

TCS Camping Genève-Vésenaz

Point de vidange camping-cars

Camping, terrain de du Bois- de-Bay

How to Get There

Traveling to Geneva is relatively easy. You can opt for various ways like an airplane, long-distance buses, hitchhiking, rental cars, and even boating. If you are already in the country, then buses, hitchhiking, rental vehicles, and boats are the best ways to reach Geneva. Whereas, if you are in another country, then airplanes are the ones you should opt for international travel.

Air

The city of Geneva homes the Geneva Airport and offers both international and domestic flights. It is about four kilometers north-west of the town and offers airport shuttle bus services free of cost to help the tourists reach the city with comfort. The airport is a hub of Swiss International Air Lines and EasyJet Switzerland, the primary Swiss airlines. Apart from these two airlines, four international airlines offer seven different routes to Geneva Airport.

Geneva Airport

Bus

If you are already in Switzerland, then long-distance buses are better ways to reach Geneva than domestic flights. These buses provide quality and comfort to travelers at an affordable price.

A bus in Geneva

Train

Certain international trains run in Europe and provide comfortable travel to different countries and their cities. Some of the famous international trains operating in Europe include; Eurostar, EuroCity/ EuroNight, InterCity Express, Railjet, and TGV. You can use these trains to reach Geneva.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is a fantastic option for low budget travelers. You can ask for a lift from the highways drivers, and most of them will help you out. Hitchhiking is quite popular in European countries and is a cheap and adventurous way of traveling.

Others

Besides these primary options, boats and rental cars are also available to travelers, but they are not the best choices as they can be very high maintenance and cause a lot of harm to the environment. You should prefer public services like long-distance buses or electronic vehicles to keep your carbon footprint minimal.

Moving Around

Geneva has well-connected and efficient transportation of buses, trams, trains, and roads. The only trouble you may face is the language barrier, but if you carry a translation tool or mobile application with you, you can travel efficiently and without any problems.

Walk

Getting first-hand experience of the local culture and traditions is essential for tourists. You can do this only by exploring the city by walking. It will help you discover many beautiful things and keep you in shape.

Bicycle

The use of mechanical and electric bicycles is quite prevalent in Europe. The number of bikes in Switzerland is more than any other motor vehicle. It is a healthy way, and one of the cheapest forms of moving around and exploring Geneva.

Electronic Vehicles

Are you wondering why the pollution in Geneva is so low? The simple answer is that people are aware of the need for using environmentally friendly practices. You will find that the number of electric vehicles in Geneva is more than other motor vehicles. People of Geneva prefer using electronic cars and bikes to maintain their carbon footprint.

Public Bus

After electronic vehicles, public buses are the preferable options amongst the locals. You will find that almost everyone uses buses to get to areas inside and outside the city. These buses are a very efficient and comfortable mode of moving around the town.

Tram, Train and Subway

Geneva has an efficient train and tram system that can help you reach different parts of the city. These are not only efficient but also relatively cheap. You will find that locals and tourists prefer traveling via trams and trains to areas inside and outside the city. You can also learn a lot about local culture and traditions by interacting with fellow passengers.

Sustainable Shopping

Unlike other European countries where sustainable shopping or eco-shopping has just started to get famous, every person in Geneva is already in use. The locals are very conscious of their health and environment and prefer options that are eco-friendly and organic. You can shop sustainably in the local food markets, flea markets, second-hand stores, and eco-fashion stores.

Food Markets

Sunday Market

Halle de Rive

Budé Farm

Carouge Market

D'ici-Même

Flea Markets

Saturday Market

Marché de la Fusterie

Marché des Grottes

Second Hand Stores

Garçon Manquée, Second Hand Shop DeluxeBoutique numéro 6

ne m'oublie pas 2nd Hand

Brocante de Saint-Antoine

Cari-Griffe, Caritas

Eco-Fashion

Avani Apparel - Sustainable Fashion

La Muse Boutique

Maje Globus – Genève

Boutique Ayni

Recycling

Every house and building in Geneva is under the garbage contract where they use garbage carts. The garbage that can be reused or recycled goes to the Lakeshore Recycling Organization. Because of such proper measures for recycling, the city leads as the safest city in Europe.

Waste

The waste management is quite efficient in Switzerland as the government, with the help of municipalities have set various laws regarding waste disposal that are polluter pays principle-based. Under this principle, the bin bags are for the different kinds of waste and chargeable with pay per bag charges. Because of such strict rules, people produce less waste and use recycled and reusable items more.

Work and Study Abroad

Home to the World Health Organization, Geneva is the best place for people seeking education and career options as they are some of the best in the whole world. You will find that universities and colleges offer various scholarship programs to international students. International organizations also hire different foreign personnel and provide ample amenities to their employees.

Exchange Student

Geneva homes some of the best international universities that offer admission to the student exchange program students interested in studying in Geneva. These educational institutes offer a wide variety of courses and quality education.

Geneva School of Business and Economics

University of Geneva

Webster University Geneva

UBIS University

International University in Geneva

Au Pair

Although Au Pairing is quite common in European countries, you will not find many Au Pairs or families in Geneva as the people live a good quality of life and most of them can afford to live without anyone else's help.

Volunteering

One of the reasons why Switzerland is a preferred country in the world is the quality of living. The life of the Swiss people circles around eco-friendly practices and measures. You will find many volunteering organization in Geneva that provide awareness and help for various societal problems like unemployment, drugs, social security, environment protection, etc.

ICVolunteers

Féderation Romande des consommateurs (FRC)

C-FAL

Association Cerf-Volant

Cerebral Geneva Association

You must provide your precious help to these volunteering organizations so that you can learn about the local culture in deep and travel responsibly.