I believe that I fell in love with this picturesque city within moments of our arrival. 

Geneva is the second-largest city in Switzerland and would have to be considered one of the loveliest with its beautiful location on the shores of Lake Geneva and view of both the Jura Mountains and the French Alps. Ideally we would have liked to have more time to spend but one day in Geneva was certainly better than none! This is what we were able to see and do in our one day itinerary for Geneva.

Did you know that Geneva hosts the head quarters of many UN (United Nations) organizations and is home to many diplomats from around the globe?

1. Lake Léman (in Geneva)

The lake is unquestionably the star of Geneva's show. It is the background for many of the loveliest city views and itself has the unmatched backdrop of snow-covered Alps. You can get from one part of the city to another on its Mouettes Genevoises, motor-launches that have shuttled between lakeside quays since 1897. Or you can explore the lake on one of the regular boats that connect Geneva with Lausanne, Montreux, and other lakeside towns, some of the most popular places to visit near Geneva. For a taste of lake travel of long ago, opt for a cruise on one of the historic paddle steamers.

2. Jet d'Eau

3.Temple de Saint-Pierre

Dating back to 1150 as the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, the Romanesque church at the highest point of Geneva's old town features some Gothic elements. During the Protestant Reformation, in which Geneva played an important role, the name was changed to Temple de Saint-Pierre and it became a protestant church. John Calvin preached sermons here from 1536 to 1564, and his followers stripped out the altars, paintings, and statuary, leaving only the carved capitals and the stained glass from its original decoration.

The two principal towers, dating from the 13th century, were never completed (you can climb to the top of one for beautiful views of the lake and town), and the metal spire over the crossing was built in 1895, replacing a tower destroyed by fire in the 15th century. The original west front and doorway were replaced in 1749-56 by a portico of six Corinthian columns, which is not at all harmonious with the building's architecture but doesn't detract from the unity of the somewhat austere interior. The galleried nave, with the aisles separated by massive clustered piers, ends in the 12th-century choir and semi-circular apse; the transepts are short and narrow. Be sure to notice the late Romanesque and early Gothic capitals in the nave, aisles, choir, and transepts for their workmanship and the variety of their themes.

The stained glass windows are copies of the 15th-century originals, now in the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire. Against the aisle walls, the fifth bay holds late Gothic choir-stalls with delicate carving from the destroyed Chapelle des Florentins. In front of the last pillar of the north aisle is a triangular chair said to have been used by John Calvin. Adjoining the southwest corner is the Chapelle des Macchabées, from 1406, a superb example of High Gothic religious architecture, with beautiful window traceries. Archaeological excavations below the church reveal an extensive underground labyrinth from the early Christian settlement on the hill, including Roman mosaics and two 4th-century Christian sanctuaries.

Address: Cours St-Pierre 6, Geneva

4. Jardin Anglais (English Garden) and Parc de la Grange

On the south side of the lake, known as the Rive Gauche, the Promenade du Lac runs east from the Pont du Mont-Blanc, flanked by the Jardin Anglais, where you'll see the large flower clock, almost as emblematic of the city as the Jet d'Eau. The clock, set on a slight slope for easier viewing, changes with the seasonal blooming plants that form its colorful face. Also in the park is the Monument National, with allegorical figures of Helvetia and Geneva, commemorating Geneva's entry into the Swiss Confederation in 1814. Along the south lakeshore are the landscaped Parc de la Grange, with a beautiful rose-garden, and the Parc des Eaux-Vives, with stately trees and flower-beds.

5. Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens)

Southeast of the Ariana, between the Avenue de la Paix and the Chemin de l'Impératrice, you'll find Geneva's botanic garden, established in 1902 to replace a smaller one in the Parc des Bastions. Its greenhouses, gardens, and conservatory cover about 28 hectares and feature more than 12,000 species of plants and trees. An Alpine Garden shows plants from Switzerland's high elevations, and the herbarium is one of the largest in the world, with six million examples. A small animal area includes fallow deer and other wildlife.

Address: 1 Chemin de l'Impératrice, Geneva

6. Place du Bourg-de-Four

In the heart of Geneva's Old Town, near the Temple de Saint-Pierre, you'll find the popular Place du Bourg-de-Four. Possibly the oldest square in the city, and certainly its most charming and atmospheric, it is on the site of the Roman forum and held an important market from the ninth century onward. In the 16th century, exiled Protestants found shelter and refuge here. Today, tourists and locals find refuge in its cafés and restaurants, many of which spill out onto the pavement in good weather. Along with an 18th-century fountain, a statue, Clementine by Heinz Schwarz, stands in the square. The Palais de Justice, which has housed the law courts since 1860 was built as a convent in the early 1700s.

7.Palais des Nations

The large complex of marble buildings that make up the Palais des Nations is the European headquarters of the United Nations, a position it assumed after the demise of the League of Nations, whose world headquarters was here. As such it has become a center of world diplomacy, the largest UN center after New York, with upwards of 25,000 delegates passing through annually. On a guided tour, you can learn about the work carried on here and see the artworks and interiors donated by countries all over the world.

The Assembly Hall, seating more than 2,000, is used for meetings of the United Nations and its associated organizations. From its lobby is a beautiful view of the Alps. The two heavily gilded bronze doors at the ends were brought back from Italy by Napoleon, and presented to the League of Nations by Clemenceau. The wall and ceiling painting in sepia on gold by J. M. Sert in the smaller Council Chamber was a gift from Spain, completed in 1936, showing themes of technical, social, and medical progress and world peace. In the ante-chamber are three bas-reliefs by Eric Gill inspired by Michelangelo. The library contains more than a million print items as well as electronic journals and books. Between the main wings is the Cour d'Honneur, a spacious terrace merging into the park, with a magnificent view of the lake and the Alps. In the middle is a bronze armillary sphere with gilded signs of the Zodiac by American sculptor Paul Manship.

Address: Avenue de la Paix 14, Geneva

8.Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Art and History Museum)

Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Art and History Museum) DAVID HOLT / photo modified Share:

One of Switzerland's three largest museums, Geneva's Musée d'Art et d'Histoire owes its exceptional collections to the merger of several regional museums, with added donations from private collectors. The result covers the fields of applied and fine art and archaeology, with a collection of weapons, Greek and Roman art treasures, Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean antiquities, Roman and Etruscan pottery, and Egyptian funerary art.

Archaeological finds and antiquities from Geneva and the surrounding area date back to the Paleolithic and the Iron Ages, extending through Roman and Gallo-Roman times to the Middle Ages. Various arts from Gothic and Renaissance periods are also displayed. The fine art galleries include Italian, Flemish, and Swabian old masters and works by Flemish, Dutch, and French artists of the 16th to 18th centuries. Paintings by Geneva artists of the 18th and 19th centuries complete the collections.

Address: Rue Charles-Galland 2, Geneva

9.Monument de la Réformation and Parc des Bastions

Through a pillared gateway southwest of Geneva's Hôtel de Ville, the Promenade de la Treille is lined with chestnut trees and offers views of Mont Salève and the Jura. Against the wall under the promenade, in the beautiful Parc des Bastions, stands the Reformation Monument, erected in 1917 in recognition of Geneva's leadership in the Protestant Reformation. In the middle are figures of John Calvin, Guillaume Farel, Théodore de Bèze, and John Knox, prominent leaders of that movement. These are flanked by those of the statesmen who promoted the cause of reforming the church, along with bas-relief scenes from the history of the Calvinist movement. At the ends are memorials to Luther and Zwingli.

Address: Parc des Bastions, Geneva

What You Need To Know

• Switzerland has three official languages - French, German and Italian. French is the predominant language in Geneva although many people speak more than one language.
• The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc. Euros may be accepted but expect to pay a premium.
• Geneva is easily accessible by all means of transport - air, train, or by car via motorway. (Geneva is about 3 hours from Paris by train.)

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