Geneva is a beautiful city located on Lake Geneva, in the southwest Switzerland. The city has less than 200.000 inhabitants, from all corners of the world, and is really easy to get around as it is quite small. Geneva has quality, sophistication and an international lifestyle with top restaurants, luxurious banks, exclusive shops, assorted cultural events and fascinating museums.

REASONS TO GO

Jet d´eau and the Flower clock

St. Pierre Cathedral - a unique view over the city and the lake

The top quality shopping stores

BEST TIME TO GO

Besides being a tourist attraction for itself, Geneva is also an important gateway to the Swiss Alps. Therefore, Geneva is specially crowded during winter (ski, snowboard, Aprés Ski) and in summer, (mountaineering season, relax on the nearby Swiss Riviera around Lucerne and Montreaux).

Spring and autumn are good choices as everything will be less expensive and less crowded, and still with a wonderful surrounding scenery.

ORIENTATION

 The symbol of the city is the "Jet d´eau" a fountain with a 140-metre-high water jet in the Lake Geneva. Most of the hotels and restaurants are situated on the right side of the lake.

The old town, with the great St. Peter´s Cathedral, is the heart the city, with shopping and business quarters, being mostly located in the left side. The centre of the old town is the Place du Bourg-de-Four, the oldest square in the city.

Quays, lakeside boulevards, beautiful parks, animated streets in the old town and stylish shops invite guests to wander around.

HOW TO GET THERE 

By Plane

Geneva International Airport has connections to many destinations across the world, including low cost companies� services. The airport is only 5 km (3 miles) from the city centre. It is easily accessible by train or by bus using the united network of public transport Unireso.

It takes only 6 minutes from/to Geneva city centre by train (every 12 minutes). All trains stop at Geneva-Cornavin station (city centre).

The urban buses number 10, 5, 23 and 28 stop every 8-15 minutes and connect the airport with the city principal points.

You can get a free ticket for public transport from the machine in the baggage collection area at the Arrival level. This Unireso ticket, offered by Geneva International Airport, allows you to use public transport in Geneva free for a period of 80 minutes.

If you are staying at a hotel, a youth hostel or a campsite, the establishment will offer you the "Geneva Transport Card" that allows you to use public transport in Geneva free of charge during your stay.

You can also use a taxi service (Taxibus) to get to the airport in the early morning, before public transport services begin.

By train

The Swiss Federal Railway serves Geneva's Gare de Cornavin with departs to Zurich, St. Gallen, Basel and Bern every hour. Regional trains heading to Coppet, Nyon and Lausanne leave every half-hour.

There is also a direct service from Geneva to Paris, Nice, Barcelona, Milan, Venice, Florence and Rome.

TRAVELLING AROUND

The old-town can be easily visited by foot or bicycle.

Geneva has a very efficient service concerning the public transportations. Transports Publics Genevois provides frequent bus, tram, 'mouette' (boat), and suburban train service. Most trams leave from the stops right outside of Gare Cornavin, the main train station, and you can also catch them at Place de Bel-Air in the old town. 

INFO

http://www.geneva-tourism.ch/