Menu Close

Geneva, Switzerland - City of Peace and Freedom

Advertisement
In co-operation with Switzerland Tourism

We have now visited Geneva in Switzerland, the city that can be called the City of Peace and Freedom. Here we have checked out the Red Cross Museum and strolled around the Old Town. We also hung out at a really cosy campsite right next to Lake Geneva. Here are our top tips for those planning to visit Geneva.

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Share
Share

From France to Geneva, Switzerland

Then it was time for us to leave France and beautiful Ardeche, to continue the motorhome journey into Switzerland. The journey took around four hours and we arrived late in the evening at the campsite in Geneva. The next day we took the bus into town to look around!

Frankrike mot Schweiz

Geneva - City of Peace and Freedom

Geneva is located in south-west Switzerland, spreading around the southern part of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). The city is the second largest in the country, after the capital Zurich, and French is spoken here. The lake is home to the Jet d'eau fountain, which is 140 metres high and one of the city's most important landmarks.

When we went to the tourist information centre in the city, the enthusiastic girl behind the counter told us that the city is sometimes called "City of peace and freedom", and of course we wanted to know more about that. We like freedom!

Genève i Schweiz
It was raining when we first arrived in Geneva, Switzerland.

Place des Nations in Geneva

That the city is called the City of Peace and Freedom is clear when you reach the Place des Nations square. Here you will find the Palace of Nations (Palais des Nations), which is used by the United Nations Office.

In front of the building is a huge broken chair, missing a leg, to remind people who have fallen victim to mines. The area is also home to many other international humanitarian organisations such as UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO and the Red Cross.

Place des Nations
Many international organisations are based in Geneva in Switzerland

Red Cross Museum

We visited the Red Cross Museum, which turned out to be a very nice and modern museum that brings the work of the Red Cross to life through different types of moving animations and testimonies.

Röda korset museum
Red Cross founder Henry Dunant
Röda korset museet
The museum invites to take a selfie at the statues "The Petrified" by Carl Bucher

We were most excited by "The Hurricane Game". Along with a bunch of other museum visitors, we stood around a big table and tried to save as many lives as possible by pressing the right rescue buttons, while listening to the hurricane getting closer and closer ...

Museum röda korset
Peter is concentrated while playing "The Hurricane game"

The old town of Geneva

The old town in Geneva felt a bit different from many other old neighbourhoods we have seen in other cities. There are lots of nice old houses and churches, but not so many narrow alleys. It is rather a bit grand! One of the churches you can see here is St Pierre Cathedral, which was built as a Roman Catholic cathedral, and then became a Protestant church during the Reformation, led by Jean Calvin.

Geneve Gamla stan
Kyrkor Geneve

The Old Town is also home to many restaurants, and in summer there are plenty of nice outdoor cafes to choose from.

Gamla stan Geneve
Old town gamla stan Geneve

More to see and do in Geneva

We didn't get to see everything during our visit to Geneva in Switzerland, but if you have more time, you can also take the opportunity to visit the Plaine de Plainpalais park. Here, various events are organised, such as markets and circuses, and there are also restaurants and bars.

On beautiful summer days, it's great to hang out at Lake Geneva. You can sunbathe, swim, dive, go on a boat trip or even try your hand at fishing. By the lake you will also find the Bains des Pâquis, where even on chilly days you can enjoy, for example, a hot sauna.

Geneva sjö
When we left the city, the sun was shining

Geneva Pass

If you want to see and experience a lot during your visit, it might be worth buying a Geneva Pass (you choose between 24, 48 or 72 hours). Using the card gives you free entry to a wide range of attractions and activities, and discounts on some others.

Schweiz Geneva

Camping in Geneva

Last but not least, we'll tell you about the campsite! We stayed at a campsite called TCS Camping Geneva Vésenaz. This is a really nice and green campsite located with its own beach right on the lake, in an area called Vésenaz on the outskirts of Geneva.

camping Geneve

It has everything you need, including WiFi, washing machines, fresh breakfast bread and a restaurant. Just outside the campsite, buses run regularly into town. Convenient!

Geneve camping
camping Geneve stugor

See more in Switzerland

Switzerland has a lot to offer in terms of nature, charming cities and good food. If you're travelling around by car or motorhome, or if you have time for some longer excursions, we can recommend the following destinations. Geneva can also be a starting point for getting to Mont Blanc in France. You can also read more about Switzerland here:

  • Lavaux wine region is located on Lake Geneva, about an hour by car from Geneva. Here you can sample Swiss wine at the vineyards or perhaps visit Chaplin's World.
  • Gruyère cheese is about 1 hour and 40 minutes away by car and is ideal for cheese lovers. Unexpectedly, this quaint little village is also home to an Alien Museum.
  • Interlaken is a beautiful location on two lakes, about 2.5 hours away. Here you can experience nature by hiking, or perhaps engage in more daring activities such as hang gliding.
  • The capital city of Bern is about two hours away and is an exceptionally charming capital city. The city is filled with fountains and crossed by a wide river where Bernese people like to swim.
  • Lucerne is almost three hours away by car, and is an extremely beautiful city with its old wooden bridges. The city is surrounded by both lakes and mountains, and you can take a train up the dramatic Mount Pilatus.
All our top tips about Switzerland. Click on the image!

Facts about Geneva in Switzerland

  • What country? Switzerland
  • Language? French (many also speak German and/or English)
  • Residents? 200 000 in Geneva (2017)
  • Currency? Swiss franc (CHF)
  • Price point? Expensive (more expensive than Sweden)
  • Time difference? None
  • Emergency number? 112
  • El? Like Sweden
  • Water? Drinkable
  • Religion? Christianity (mainly Catholicism)

Journey to Geneva, Switzerland

  • Flight: Several airlines and travel agencies are organising trips to
    Geneva, Switzerland. Direct flights from Stockholm Arlanda take about 2 hours 45 minutes. Companies that fly directly include SAS and EasyJet. You can also fly with, for example, Swiss Air and stop over in Zurich.
  • Car: Driving from Stockholm to Geneva takes about 23 hours if you count pure driving time. The distance is 203 kilometres.
  • Ferry: Travelling Gothenburg-Kiel with Stena Line takes 14 h 30 min.

Getting around Geneva

  • Public transport are available to get around everywhere in the city. You can choose between bus, tram and train, and there are also boat services on the lake.
  • Geneva Transport Card allows you to use public transport free of charge. You get the card if you stay in a hotel, hostel or campsite.

Accommodation in Geneva

  • Hotel: There are plenty of hotels, in different price ranges. Check out Hotel N'vY, for example, or search for hotels on Booking.com.
  • Camping: TCS Camping Geneva Vésenaz is located on Chemin de la Bise in Vésenaz just outside of town. This is a nice campsite by a lake, and buses to the city run just outside.

Subscribe to our newsletter