Switzerland
City guide · Switzerland
Geneva
About Geneva
Geneva, in French-speaking Switzerland, lies at the south-western tip of Lake Geneva where the Rhône leaves the lake. A centre of the Reformation in the 16th century, it is today an international city, home to the European headquarters of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Visitors see the Jet d'Eau fountain, the Flower Clock in the Jardin Anglais, the old town around St Pierre Cathedral and the Reformation Wall. The Palais des Nations, the Broken Chair sculpture and the Red Cross museum are close together, and CERN lies just outside the city.
Two nights suit most itineraries. Lausanne is about 40 minutes away by train and Montreux, with the Château de Chillon, about an hour. Across the border in France, Chamonix and Mont Blanc are about an hour and a quarter by road and Annecy under an hour.
Geneva is a natural start or finish for a Swiss tour, and the lakeside promenades and a boat ride on the lake appeal to families and groups.
Practical Information
Useful to know before your group arrives in Geneva.
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Geneva has a temperate climate, moderated by the lake, with a cold north wind called the bise in winter.
- Summer (June–August): warm and sunny, with highs around 25–27°C.
- Autumn (September–November): cooling from about 21°C to 9°C.
- Winter (December–February): highs around 4–6°C and nights near freezing; often grey.
- Spring (March–May): highs rising from about 11°C to 20°C.
May to September is the best time to visit. Pack layers and a light rain jacket, and a warm windproof coat in winter.
- Arriving: Geneva Airport is about 5 km from the centre. Trains reach Cornavin main station in about 7 minutes, and arriving passengers can take a free public transport ticket from a machine in the baggage hall.
- Getting around: trams and buses cover the city, and small yellow boats cross the lake. Hotel guests usually receive a Geneva Transport Card for free local travel.
- On foot: the lakefront, old town and shopping streets are close together and easy to walk.
- Groups: the old town sits on a hill with narrow streets, so coaches set down nearby and groups walk up.
Switzerland is not in the EU, so an EU data plan may not cover it. Indian travellers usually save by buying an eSIM or data plan before departure that clearly includes Switzerland, rather than using Indian international roaming packs. Local prepaid SIMs are sold in shops; a passport is needed to buy one.
Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés. The power supply is 230 V with Type C/J sockets; Indian Type D plugs do not fit, so bring a universal adapter.
As an international city, Geneva has a good choice of Indian restaurants, and vegetarian dishes are widely available. Halal food is easy to find in Middle Eastern and Turkish restaurants. Jain meals should be requested in advance through the DMC or the restaurant.
Local dishes that suit vegetarians include cheese fondue (traditionally made with white wine), raclette, rösti (ask whether it is cooked with bacon or lard) and malakoff, a fried cheese speciality of the Lake Geneva region. For snacks, fruit, milk and bread, look for Migros, Coop, Denner, Aldi and Lidl.
