Geneva
・Lake Geneva with its giant fountain
・Medieval old town on the hill
【City description】
Geneva is an international city in western Switzerland. It can be reached in about two hours by direct train from Lyon, France. It is a globally important place as it is home to the United Nations office, and not only French but also English is spoken in the city. The city faces Lake Geneva and is famous for its huge fountain. The old town has many slopes, but you can see the old streetscape.
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
12 h
【Budget】
33 CHF
【Fatigue】
★★★★☆
- Itinerary Map
- ①Geneva Station
- ②Basilica Notre-Dame
- ③Holy Trinity Church
- ④Lake Geneva
- ⑤Flower Clock
- Enjoy Geneva’s specialties!
- ⑥International Museum of the Reformation
- ⑦St Pierre Cathedral
- ⑧Tavel House
- ⑨Treille Promenade
- ⑩Museum of Art and History
- ⑪Broken Chair
- ⑫Ariana Museum
- ⑬United Nations Office at Geneva
- Other cities recommended in Switzerland
Itinerary Map
Click the square mark on the top left of the map to see a list of tourist spots. If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information. You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).
Downtown（① – ⑩）
Navigation
【Start】①Geneva Station
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Turn right after leaving the station ⇒ You will see the church on your right
Please note that there are set tour times for the United Nations, so you can also take the tram from the station to ⑪-⑬.
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Leave the cathedral and turn right ⇒ turn left at the intersection ⇒ go down the hill for a while ⇒ you will see the church on your left just before the lake
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Continue along the road until you reach the lake.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
After crossing the bridge, go to the park on your left ⇒ You will see a flower clock along the road
★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Cross the crosswalk in front of the flower clock ⇒ Go straight through the square and exit ⇒ Turn right at the second intersection ⇒ When you see the stairs on your left, go up ⇒ Continue going up the hill ⇒ Turn left when you reach the top of the hill ⇒ You will see the museum in the square.
★Route Time required: 3 minutes
Go to the church next to the museum.
★Route Time required: 3 minutes
Leave the cathedral and go straight until you reach the square ⇒ turn left at the end ⇒ you will see the palace on your right
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Continue along the street until you reach the promenade.
★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Turn left on the promenade ⇒ When you reach the road, go straight ⇒ Turn right at the end ⇒ When you reach the street, turn left and continue along the tree-lined path ⇒ Cross the bridge you see on your right ⇒ You will see the museum on your right
★Route Time required: 1h10
From here, we will introduce routes to explore the town.
If you are heading to the United Nations, return to the station and take the tram.
Leave the museum and cross the same bridge ⇒ go straight through the roundabout ⇒ turn right when you reach the square ⇒ turn left when you reach the tram tracks (if you go straight here you can return to the station on the same road) ⇒ when you reach the lake, cross the bridge and explore the small island ⇒ when you return, go along the river and take the street one block inward ⇒ go straight while looking at the clock tower and other attractions ⇒ return to the Flower Clock ⇒ return to the station via the same road
Geneva Station
United Nations（⑪ – ⑬）
Navigation
Route for United Nations
★Route Time required: 10 minutes 2CHF one way
From the station, take tram line 15 (brown line) to Nations ⇒ Get off at the last stop ⇒ Head to the giant chair in the square
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
When you reach the UN gate, turn left ⇒ go up the hill ⇒ enter the garden on your right ⇒ you will see the museum
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Continue along the street ⇒ You will see the parking lot entrance on your right ⇒ There you will find the UN Tours counter
★Route Time required: 30 minutes
Return to the tram station ⇒ take tram line 15 ⇒ get off at Gare Cornavin
Geneva Station
【Start】
①Geneva Station
Gare de Genève
If you are coming from another country, please bring your passport with you.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Turn right after leaving the station ⇒ You will see the church on your right
Please note that there are set tour times for the United Nations, so you can also take the tram from the station to ⑪-⑬.
②Basilica Notre-Dame
Basilica Notre-Dame
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
Opening hour: 6h30 am – 7h30 pm
(Monday: from 8:30 am / Sunday: 7 am – 9h30 pm)
Close: No
It is a neo-Gothic church built in the 19th century. The interior is just as simple as the exterior, but the chapel in one corner is intricately decorated with walls and stained glass.
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Leave the cathedral and turn right ⇒ turn left at the intersection ⇒ go down the hill for a while ⇒ you will see the church on your left just before the lake
③Holy Trinity Church
Église de la Sainte Trinité
Time required: 10 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
Opening hour: 8h30 am – 5h30 pm
Close: No
This is a small church that was completed in the 19th century. When you go inside, you can see the wooden ceiling, and you can feel the warmth of wood that is different from other churches.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Continue along the road until you reach the lake.
④Lake Geneva
Lac Léman
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
It is the second largest lake in Central Europe. Geneva is located in the west of Lake Geneva, and downstream it connects to the Rhône River, one of the four major rivers in France, which reaches Lyon, Provence, and the Mediterranean Sea. When you cross the bridge, you can see the 140m-high huge fountain on your left. After crossing the bridge, turn left and walk for about 15 minutes to get very close to the huge fountain.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
After crossing the bridge, go to the park on your left ⇒ You will see a flower clock along the road
⑤Flower Clock
Horloge fleurie
Time required: 10 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
This is a giant clock made of plants along the road in Anglet Park. The appearance changes depending on the season because different plants are used. If you have time, we recommend taking a walk in the park.
Enjoy Geneva’s specialties!
In Geneva, the specialty is a fried white fish or meunière. Enjoy it with French fries.
Check out other Swiss specialties here!!
★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Cross the crosswalk in front of the flower clock ⇒ Go straight through the square and exit ⇒ Turn right at the second intersection ⇒ When you see the stairs on your left, go up ⇒ Continue going up the hill ⇒ Turn left when you reach the top of the hill ⇒ You will see the museum in the square.
⑥International Museum of the Reformation
Musée international de la Réforme
Time required: 1h
Admission fee: 13 CHF
Opening hour: 10 am – 5 pm
Close: Monday, 12/24, 25, 31
The museum is located on the site where the Reformation was announced in 1536. You can learn about the Protestant and Catholic viewpoints through various exhibits such as Bibles, documents, caricatures, and sculptures. As the museum is a mansion, some rooms display the interior. In the basement there is an archaeological museum where you can see the mining site. If you would like to visit this too, the combined ticket costs 18 CHF.
★Route Time required: 3 minutes
Go to the church next to the museum.
⑦St Pierre Cathedral
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
Opening hour: 10h30 am – 5h30 pm
(Sunday : from noon)
Close: Non
This cathedral dates back to the 4th century, but was rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 12th century. It was an important place in the Protestant Reformation, and inside is the chair used by John Calvin, a central figure in the Reformation. Compared to other churches, the exterior has a temple-like entrance. The interior is simple, but the chapel is delicately decorated with various colors. For an additional 7 CHF, you can go to the top of the tower and look out over the city of Geneva.
★Route Time required: 3 minutes
Leave the cathedral and go straight until you reach the square ⇒ turn left at the end ⇒ you will see the palace on your right
⑧Tavel House
Maison Tavel
Time required: 1h30
Admission fee: 0 CHF
Opening hour: 11 am – 6 pm
Close: Monday
One of the few buildings remaining from the Middle Ages in Geneva is used as an ethnographic history museum. It was the mansion of the noble Tavel family, and has a history of being rebuilt after a fire. Through paintings and exhibits, the museum teaches the history of Geneva from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Life in the mansion is also recreated.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Continue along the street until you reach the promenade.
⑨Treille Promenade
Promenade de la Treille
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
It is a promenade with a panoramic view of the city. There are benches so it is also a good place to take a break.
★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Turn left on the promenade ⇒ When you reach the road, go straight ⇒ Turn right at the end ⇒ When you reach the street, turn left and continue along the tree-lined path ⇒ Cross the bridge you see on your right ⇒ You will see the museum on your right
⑩Museum of Art and History
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire
Time required: 2h
Admission fee: 0 CHF
(Special exhibitions are charged and the amount varies each time)
Opening hour: 11 am – 6 pm
Close: Monday
This large museum was built in the 20th century and displays approximately 7,000 pieces of art. There are a variety of genres on display, including artworks such as portraits and landscapes, archaeological artifacts such as excavated items, and crafts such as pottery, so if you take your time looking around, you can easily spend the whole day there. The sculpture of Adam and Eve is particularly popular. There is also a cafe in the courtyard, which is recommended for a relaxing break.
★Route Time required: 1h10
From here, we will introduce routes to explore the town.
If you are heading to the United Nations, return to the station and take the tram.
Leave the museum and cross the same bridge ⇒ go straight through the roundabout ⇒ turn right when you reach the square ⇒ turn left when you reach the tram tracks (if you go straight here you can return to the station on the same road) ⇒ when you reach the lake, cross the bridge and explore the small island ⇒ when you return, go along the river and take the street one block inward ⇒ go straight while looking at the clock tower and other attractions ⇒ return to the Flower Clock ⇒ return to the station via the same road
★Route Time required: 10 minutes 2CHF one way
From the station, take tram line 15 (brown line) to Nations ⇒ Get off at the last stop ⇒ Head to the giant chair in the square
【Time table】
https://www.tpg.ch/fr/lignes/15
⑪Broken Chair
Chaise cassée
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 CHF
It is a 12m-tall red chair in the square in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva. One of the chairs is missing a leg, which symbolizes opposition to landmines and cluster bombs.
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
When you reach the UN gate, turn left ⇒ go up the hill ⇒ enter the garden on your right ⇒ you will see the museum
⑫Ariana Museum
Musée Ariana
Time required: 1h30
Admission fee: 0 CHF
(Special exhibitions are charged)
Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm
Close: Monday, 12/25, 1/1
This is one of the museums with the largest number of exhibits in Europe. It has a particularly large number of ceramics and glass exhibits, and exhibits not only Swiss but also European and Asian items. The building itself is a 19th century art collector’s building.
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Continue along the street ⇒ You will see the parking lot entrance on your right ⇒ There you will find the UN Tours counter
⑬United Nations Office at Geneva
Office des Nations Unies à Genève
Time required: 1h
Admission fee: 16 CHF
Opening hour: 9h45 am – 11h45 am / 1h45 pm – 3h45
Close: Saturday, Sunday
It is the second largest office of the United Nations in the world and was the headquarters here before the United Nations Headquarters in New York was established. In addition to the United Nations, international organizations such as the WHO are also located in this facility. You can visit the facility as part of a guided tour. No reservations are required for tours of 15 individuals or less, and the language is English or French depending on the time. After paying the participation fee at the counter, you will move to the annex and wait by the souvenir shop, after which the guided tour will begin. You can listen to an explanation of the role of the United Nations while looking at various conference rooms.
Click here for the tour contents.
【Tour Schedule】
Morning：10 am – 11 am / noon – 1 pm
Afternoon：2h30 pm – 3h30 pm / 4 pm – 5 pm
For more information, please check the following website
https://www.ungeneva.org/en/practical-information/visitors
★Route Time required: 30 minutes
Return to the tram station ⇒ take tram line 15 ⇒ get off at Gare Cornavin
【Goal】
Geneva Station
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