Discover Geneva
Set around glittering Lake Geneva, this gateway to the Alps is also the European headquarters for the United Nations.
Book your flight to Geneva
Fly to Geneva to experience a city with a rich history of religious turmoil and a clutch of fascinating monuments and museums for a true cultural experience. Sidestep the flashy billboards and you’ll discover a slick, quietly cool city with a burgeoning food scene.
Essential sights
Jet d’Eau
Yes, it’s a fountain. But Geneva’s Jet d’Eau isn’t your average trickling water feature. Shooting 459ft (140m) into the air, the gargantuan plume is visible from the air as you fly into Geneva Airport and contains an average of seven tons of water at any one time (prepare to get a little wet: some of it splashes spectators below).
Old Town
With cobbled streets, steep lanes and picturesque medieval squares, Geneva’s characterful Vieille Ville is one of the largest in Europe. There’s plenty to do, including a cluster of galleries and museums, a towering 12th-century cathedral to explore, and plenty of homely cafés.
CERN: the European Organisation for Nuclear Research
Under its glitzy surface, Geneva is home to a remarkable 27-mile (43km) ring of superconducting magnets, sitting somewhere beneath its soil (aka the Large Hadron Collider). A tram ride out of town to the district of Meyrin brings you to CERN, the world-renowned physics laboratory that has taken it upon itself to solve the secrets of the universe, with exhibitions and guided tours.
Palais des Nations
Along with the headquarters of the Red Cross, Geneva is also home to the United Nations, which began life in the city as the League of Nations 1919. The vast palace built to house it is as large as Versailles near Paris. A guided tour provides a fascinating insight into how the world’s biggest issues are currently being tackled.
Musée d'Ethnographie de Genève
This fascinating interactive museum is free to explore. Its permanent exhibition deftly examines the similarities and differences of our planet's myriad cultures. Highlights of around 1,000 artefacts include a mask and a rattle from the Native American Iroquois False Face Society.