What we love in Geneva is this urban nature. A walk along the lake, a ride on a boat and then a café on a terrace in the Old Town. The Rhône crossing the city, saying hi to the building with its crystal-clear water. Welcome to Geneva!

The symbol of the «world’s smallest metropolis» is the “Jet d’eau” – a fountain with a 140-metre-high water jet at the periphery of Lake Geneva. Most of the large hotels and many restaurants are situated on the right-hand shore of the lake. The old town, the heart of Geneva with the shopping and business quarter, holds sway over the left-hand shore. It is dominated by St. Peter’s Cathedral, however the actual centre of the old town is the Place du Bourg-de-Four, which is the oldest square in the city. Quays, lakeside promenades, countless parks, lively side streets in the old town and elegant shops invite guests to stroll. One of the best-maintained streets is the Grand-Rue, where Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born. The «mouettes», a type of water taxi, enable crossings to be made from one lakeshore to the other, while larger vessels invite visitors to enjoy cruises on Lake Geneva.  
  
Geneva is Switzerland’s most international city, as it is where the European seat of the UNO is based. Even the International Red Cross directs its humanitarian campaigns from here. Besides being a congress city, Geneva is also a centre for culture and history, for trade fairs and exhibitions. The «Horloge Fleuri», the large flower clock in the “Jardin Anglais” (English Garden), is a world-renowned symbol of the Geneva watch industry.  
  
Culturally, this city on the westernmost fringe of Switzerland has much to offer. International artists perform in the Grand Théâtre and Geneva Opera House, and an extremely diverse range of museums such as the “Musée international de l'horlogerie”, a watch museum with a collection of jewellery watches and musical clocks, and the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which provides an insight into the work of these humanitarian organisations, invite city guests to visit them.  
  
A rewarding excursion destination is Mont Salève, which is situated in neighboring France. The cableway lifts visitors to an altitude of 1100 metres in less than five minutes, giving rise to outstanding vistas across the city of Geneva, Lake Geneva, the chain of Alps, the Jura and Montblanc. Geneva lies idyllically between Alpine peaks and vineyards by the largest lake in Western Europe.

Geneva

A wood in the middle of the city. The Bois de la Bâtie offers fabulous walks through 12 hectares of natural forest. Situated near the river Arve, the Bois de la Bâtie is a forest right in the heart of the city centre. It has an animal park and a large play area for children.

Since it was established in 1874, this wood and its natural forest of oaks have been a source of pleasure to many a nature lover. Close to the Jonction area of the city where the Rhône and the Arve converge, this large wooded area has numerous facilities for sport and relaxation. In particular it has the largest play area in the city. Initially intended to familiarise the urban population with the local wildlife, the Bois de la Bâtie also has a large animal park and plays an active role in helping to conserve species faced with extinction.

Bois de la Bâtie - Geneva