Things to do in Geneva
Wander the Left Bank to Geneva's Flower Clock ablaze with 6,500 blooms and feel the force of the 140-metre-high Jet d'Eau fountain. Narrow streets wriggle up to the Old Town, where St-Pierre Cathedral offers knockout views across Lake Geneva to snow-capped Mont Blanc. Admire contemporary art in Plainpalais factory-turned-galley MAMCO. On the Right Bank, explore the UN monolith Palais des Nations before relaxing on Bain des Pâquis pier. Most museums open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm.
Museum of Art and History
Egyptian urns to Impressionist masterpieces
Geneva's cavernous Museum of Art and History on the Left Bank shelters
Medieval tapestries, Renoir masterpieces and Etruscan pottery. The vaulted
galleries also contain the celebrated 15th-century altarpiece by Konrad
Witz, The Miraculous Draught of Fish, which draws the crowds.
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Cost
Permanent collections free; temporary exhibitions SFr5; concessions SFr3; under-18s free
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-5pm
Address
2, rue Charles-Galland, Geneva 1206
Telephone
+41 (0) 22 418 26 00
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
History of humanitarians
On Geneva's Right Bank stands the emotive International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Museum. Interactive exhibits trace the Red Cross back to 1862, from
Florence Nightingale's humanitarian deeds to the harrowing plight of
prisoners of conscience.
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Cost
SFr10; concessions SFr5; under-12s free
Opening Hours
Mon & Wed-Sun 10am-5pm
Address
17, Avenue de la Paix, Geneva 1202
Telephone
+41 (0) 22 748 9525
MAMCO
Creative approach to art
Housed in a 1950s factory in Geneva's trendy Plainpalais district, MAMCO
showcases European and American contemporary art. Swiss artists like Sylvie
Fleury and Thomas Huber, and a playful programme of installations, are
displayed against the industrial backdrop.
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Cost
SFr8; concessions SFr6; 1st Sun of the month free
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 12pm-6pm; Sat & Sun 11am-6pm
Address
10, rue des Vieux-Grenadiers, Geneva 1205
Telephone
+41 (0) 22 320 61 22
Water Fountain
Powerful fountain
Originally a security valve, the Jet d'Eau water fountain is Geneva's most
visible landmark, propelling 500 litres of water per second to a height of
140 metres. Visitors approach it on the Rade to experience its power and
invigorating spray.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Dependent on weather and season, please visit the tourist office website for detailed information
Address
Quai du Général-Guisan, Geneva 1204
Transport
Bus 9 to Place Eaux-Vives
St-Pierre Cathedral
Where Calvin preached
Rising high above Geneva's cobbled Old Town, St-Pierre Cathedral fuses
Romanesque, Gothic and neoclassical styles. Climb North Tower for
far-reaching views over Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc. The cathedral's
archaeological site hides a 4th-century baptistery and intricate 5th-century
mosaics.
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Cost
Free; archaeological site SFr8; concessions SFr4; under-6s free
Opening Hours
Jun-Sep Mon-Sat 9.30am-6.30pm, Sun 12pm-6.30pm; Oct-May Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 12pm-5.30pm
Address
6, Cours Saint-Pierre, Geneva 1204
Telephone
+41 (0) 22 311 75 75
Palais des Nations
United Nations powerhouse
Situated in the 45-hectare Ariana Park, the Palais des Nations is the seat of
the United Nations in Geneva. Twice the size of Versailles, the white marble
behemoth offers behind-the-scenes tours that take in the Assembly Hall and
sculpture-dotted grounds.
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Cost
SFr10; concessions SFr8; children SFr5; under-6s free
Opening Hours
Apr-Jun & Sep-Oct daily 10am-12pm & 2pm-4pm; Jul & Aug daily 10am-5pm; Nov-Mar Mon-Fri 10am-12pm & 2pm-4pm
Address
Pregny Gate, 14 Avenue de la Paix, Geneva 1211
Telephone
+41 (0)22 917 48 96
Flower Clock
Celebrating Swiss watchmaking
Set in the oak-fringed Jardin Anglais on the Left Bank is the Flower Clock.
Geneva's most famous timepiece is planted with 6,500 plants and flowers.
Celebrating Switzerland's watch-making industry, the clock blooms with the
seasons and lures crowds of horticulturalists.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
24 hours daily
Address
Jardin Anglais, Quai du Mont Blanc, Geneva 1201
Transport
Bus 9 to Place du Port
Bains des Pâquis
Lakeside living
Brazilian mamas and businessmen, students and Rastafarians - everyone chills
at the Bains des Pâquis on Geneva's Right Bank. Marked by a lighthouse, the
pier is great for sunbathing, swimming laps in Lake Geneva, or unwinding in
the glass-walled spa.
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Cost
Entry on the pier SFr2; concessions SFr1; spa complex SFr17
Opening Hours
Pier 9am-8pm; spa 10am-9.30pm
Address
30, Quai du Mont Blanc, Geneva 1201
Telephone
+41 (0) 22 732 29 74
Geneva Botanical Gardens
Home to deer and birds
Bordering Lake Geneva, the serene Botanical Gardens on the Right Bank nurture
plant life from across the globe. A stroll takes in dahlias in bloom,
waterfalls, tropical greenhouses, a scent-and-touch garden for the blind, an
aviary and deer enclosure.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Apr-Oct 8am-7.30pm; Nov-Mar 9.30am-5pm; greenhouses 9.30am-4.30pm
Address
1, Chemin de l'Imperatrice, Chambesy, Geneva 1292
Telephone
+41 (0) 22 418 5100
