Geneva
Refined and tidy, Geneva is located on a beautiful lake in the shadow of Mont Blanc. It has atmospheric medieval streets for strolling, and as a bonus, those streets are lined with a shopper’s dream selection of boutiques.
Activities and Attractions:
Geneva is a visually striking city, and several attractions will catch your eye immediately. The first is Lake Geneva (Lac Léman, locally). Residents and visitors alike love to rent sailboats and bob around; ferry steamers also cruise the lake.
Two man-made attractions in the lake vicinity are hard to miss. One is the Jet d'Eau, a fountain that shoots lake water over 400 feet in the air. The other is the much-photographed flower clock, in the lakeside Jardin Anglais (English Garden). More than six thousand blooms make up the face of a functional timepiece 16 feet across.
On a clear day the Alps can be seen from town. You can reach the closest French ski areas (Chamonix and Megève) in about an hour by car, making some of the most scenic skiing, hiking, and mountain biking in the world an easy day trip from Geneva.
But don’t leave town yet. First walk the narrow streets of Vieille Ville, Geneva’s ancient quarter. Here you’ll find sights such as the 12th-century Cathédrale de St. Pierre and the birthplace of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Next to Vieille Ville are the Rues Basses, the “Low Streets,” where you’ll find Geneva’s finest shopping. It’s here that you can purchase the perfect Swiss army knife, a luscious box of chocolates, an heirloom-quality watch, and many other high-quality souvenirs.
Insider Tip:
Much of Geneva shuts down for a couple of hours in the middle of every day. Don’t fight it. Do as the Swiss do and enjoy a large, leisurely mid-day meal.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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