A few weeks ago I headed on a cheeky press trip to Geneva in Switzerland for the weekend. I've passed through Geneva plenty of times, however never actually explored the city. It's always been more of a stopping destination for ski trips. However, I was excited to see what the city had to offer, and maybe find some pretty places that aren't as well known on Instagram as other European destinations.
I was so shocked and delighted to find out on arrival in Geneva that transfers from the airport to the centre are free to everyone! Pick up your ticket from the booth in baggage reclaim and hop on board the next train. It takes a grand total of 7 minutes for the journey (the shortest in Europe).
Public Transport
Another fantastic thing about Geneva is that once you check into your hotel you are given a free public transport card to use freely throughout your visit!
Hotel N'vy
We stayed at the Hotel N'vy, a very modern hotel that I absolutely loved. The decor is beautiful and the beds were so comfy as well. I loved that the bath was visible from the bedroom and it gave a fantastic open plan feel to the decor. Breakfast here was also very good, as well as their in house restaurant (which I'll chat more about later). I'd definitely recommend it!
To See & Do
Ariana Museum
Carouge
Originally it's own town, Carouge is a beautiful little place just outside of the centre of Geneva. It's filled with more traditional architecture, as well as this beautiful pink house which I had to get a snap with! There is also a bi-weekly farmers market held in the square which has a whole abundance of fresh foods and flowers. It's definitely worth the visit.
St Pierre Cathedral
At over 850 years old, St Pierre Cathedral gives one of the best views of Geneva, as well as of the Jet D'Eau. It's a bit of a trek to the top, but it wasn't very busy at all when we went and definitely worth the climb. However, if you're not feeling up to it, just sitting inside the church on the ground floor is wonderful as well.
Jet D'Eau
Ariana Museum
The Ariana Museum was definitely on my list of must-see places in Geneva. Not only is the building absolutely stunning (and pink!), but it's also the only museum in Switzerland dedicated entirely to kiln craft and ceramics. It's definitely worth a visit and is right nearby the famous broken chair sculpture, if you want to kill two birds with one stone.
Carouge
St Pierre Cathedral
Jet D'Eau
One of the tallest fountains in the world, the Jet D'Eau is Geneva's iconic landmark. It can be seen from pretty much anywhere around the waterfront (although they do switch it off during windy periods) and is such a cool and unique feature. You pretty much can't go to Geneva without seeing it!
The World's Longest Bench
Pretty much does what it says on the tin! It's a super long bench. Sit on it and enjoy the view of the city.
One of the highlights of our trip for me had to be our spa day at Bain-Bleu - an absolutely stunning spa featuring heated pools and saunas, as well as Hammam rooms. This was one of the last things we did and it was so relaxing and the warm waters were perfect for healing our sore joints from walking around. I also sampled the Hammam experience (it's a self serve style one) and that was amazing too, I came out feeling very smooth.
Chocolate Tour
Something that was seriously right up my street was the chocolate tour. Of course, Switzerland is renowned for its chocolate and a chocolate tour is the perfect way to taste iconic flavours from multiple shops around the city. Our tour was hosted by Local Flavours Tours who were fantastic and informative. We even got to consume an entire fondue which was truly the best bit.
To Eat
Tilby
Specialising more in French food, this little restaurant is situated right in the middle of Geneva's English gardens. The food here was more simple than Trilby, but in a good way! A great spot to grab some lunch on your day exploring.
This was the restaurant in our hotel I was talking about! The food here was absolutely delicious and includes a range of meats, seafoods and veggie options. The desserts were also huge! Everything is served in a very arty way too. Definitely food porn if you ever did see it!
La Pontiniére
Definitely the cutest eatery we visited, Cottage Cafe looks like it's been plucked from a story book! A lot of the tables are outside, so if you visit during the warmer months it's a lovely place to sit and relax. The service was a bit slow here, but the food was delicious and the portions are massive. If you're not big eaters, you could definitely share one plate between you. They specialise in salads, pasta and other hearty foods.
We popped by this busy little spot on our final day after the spa and it was so busy that they couldn't fit us in earlier than our reservation time - I always say it's a good sign if a place is too busy to seat you! And it definitely did not disappoint. We had brunch here and everything was super delicious. I went for the French toast with Nutella and it was seriously good. The perfect place for breakfast!
I was so pleasantly surprised by all that Geneva had to offer. It wasn't somewhere that was on my bucket list before visiting, but I'm so glad I got to go and experience it. Hopefully this inspires you to plan your own trip to Geneva! It's definitely somewhere to visit for amazing food, culture and unique sights.
Let me know if you've ever visited Geneva! x
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All images and experiences were taken as part of a press trip with Geneva Tourism but all opinions are my own.
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