Top 12 Geneva Highlights
Geneva is a fascinating place with its history stretching back centuries. The Geneva now known for its timepieces, its role in the Reformation, its banking institutions, and as the seat of the United Nations is actually a pretty compact city, and the two nights we spent there was sufficient.
As a nod to this city's obsession with horology, I share with you my tick-tock-12 highlights from our visit.
1) Riding a boat across Lac Leman.
Taking the water taxi to Old Town is a great alternative to walking, especially in the summer heat.
With the complimentary transport card that our hotel provided, we were able to hop on the water taxi to Old Town. Being on a boat gives a different point of view, and it is quite relaxing even for such short jaunt.
2) Visiting Cathedrale St. Pierre and climbing one of its towers.
View from the top of Saint Pierre's Cathedral.
3) Stuffing myself with raclette.
Raclette at Restaurant Edelweiss was an experience to be had.
Months before we left for this trip, I knew that having raclette was a definite must. A traditional dish of melted cheese from the Valais region, raclette is typically served with potates, cornichons, and dried meats. From the French word racler, which means to scrape, the wedge of cheese is placed on a heating mechanism and then scraped on to the plate. I ate 4 servings of raclette with the seemingly unlimited supply of potatoes, plus the cornichons, pickled pearl onions, and Assiette Valaissane (charcuterie). I enjoyed all of it, and I could only wish my stomach was able to hold more food!
4) Seeing the Jet d'Eau.
This is actually the second one installed in 1951; the original was built in 1886.
Flying into Geneva, travelers can see this giant fountain just as the plane lands. It's a pretty impressive sight of lake water being pumped at a maximum height of 295 feet. You can actually walk up to it, but we opted not to since it was a bit of a walk. It's definitely one of the city's top landmarks.
5) Partaking in the merriment of the Fêtes de Genève.
To celebrate Geneva's accession to the Swiss Confederation in 1815, the city hosts this massive festival attended by people from all over Switzerland. When we arrived in Geneva on Friday night, we were told that we timed our visit very well. For me, I get a little anxious when I am told that because I have an aversion to crowds. In addition to that, I had to get over the smoking part right away. Because we come from a state with stricter rules on smoking, that's something I always have to consciously adjust to. However, it turned out that being a part of the crowd was THE experience itself. The entire Jardin de Anglais was turned into a giant fairground with booths and stalls, featuring food and cocktails plus carnival rides and games all around. This was basically a giant party along Lac Leman, and to be part of this traditional celebration for momentous event in their history, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Total blast!
6) Breakfast at Bains de Paquis
Waterfront Breakfast with a great view of Geneva
We met up with our friends Steph and Aaron for breakfast at Les Bains de Paquis (Baths of Paquis). For 10 CHF, the petit déjeuner plat gets you 2 slices of bread with a choice of nutella or jam, a hot drink, juice, and a choice muesli or fruit salad. It was a straightforward breakfast with an excellent view of Geneva and the Jet d'Eau.
7) The International Monument to the Reformation
Also known as the Reformation Wall.
Located on the grounds of the University of Geneva, this monument was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Calvin's birth and the 350th anniversary of the university's establishment. It was built on the old city walls as a testament to the integral role that Geneva played during the Reformation. I was raised a Catholic in the Philippines, and I didn't learn about the history of the Reformation until I was in high school in the US. It's an intriguing subject to me, and seeing this giant monument plus all the buildings around town that revolves around John Calvin's role has closed the learning loop.
8) Running through the fountains at the United Nations plaza + seeing the UN Palace.
United Nations, motherf***ers!
Regardless of my opinion of the United Nations, it was a great opportunity to have seen the Palais Nations. My fourth grade teacher in the Philippines, Mrs. Cosep, taught us how to sing the United Nations hymn, and I can still sing it to this day. I almost busted out singing by the gate and start marching back and forth. Then I thought better of it. It's still too early in the trip to get arrested. We then decided to join the local kids running through the fountains across the street by the Broken Chair (a monument to the removal of land mines in former war zones). It provided some cool relief during these hot summer days, and it was just a lot of fun.
9) Exploring Old Town with friends.
Steph and Aaron flew in to Geneva the day after we did. We explored Geneva for a bit before Stuart and I hit the road for France.
We found a lot of shops and businesses closed on Sunday, and Old Town was quiet. We walked around to see the Reformation Wall, then walked all the way back to Cathedrale Saint Pierre. The day prior, when we were exploring with Pearl, we passed by the homes of John Calvin and Jean-Jacques Rosseau (the philosopher). Aside from being financially wealthy, Geneva is also historically rich.
10) Crossing the quaint footbridge to Ile Rosseau.
Accessible via footbridge, this island park in Geneva is in located in the Rhone river. This was named after Jean-Jacques Rosseau, a Genevan philosopher whose teachings and ideas influenced the French Revolution. The Russian empress, Catherine the Great was also a huge fan of his.
11) A quick learning tour through the Cite de Temps.
This was the last stop for us before heading out to France. My opinion is that Geneva is obsessed with time. This museum has a cafe with really cool and modern chairs -- works of art on their own right. This was put on by the Swatch group with permanent exhibitions showcasing the creativity and culture of watchmaking. When we were there, we also saw an exhibit of Tissot watches, including ones that are solar powered.
12) The incredible fireworks show by the lake.
Because baby, you're a firework! :D
We could not have timed our stay in Geneva any better. The high point of the Geneva festival is the one-hour fireworks display right on Lac Leman, which occurs two nights in a row. Stuart and I had never seen such a grand show. Complete with music and narration appropriately themed around time, Geneva knows how to wow. This was probably the height of our visit. The sky was filled with sparkling, dancing, flashing, twisting lights that take various shapes and exploding in giant bursts of colors. It was phenomenal.
And there you have it!
