







































The Swiss city, Geneva, is edged by the Alps and Jura mountains, and has dramatic views of Mont Blanc. It is a global banking centre and home of the United Nations and the Red Cross. This French speaking city has museums, galleries and international shopping areas.
This is a year-round travel destination. The best travel period is from May until October. Travel there for holidays and festivals such as the Marathon, which is at the beginning of May or the regatta, "Bol d'Or" in June. The summer festival, "Fêtes de Genève" happens on Lake Geneva in August with a spectacular fireworks display. The commemoration of the city's defeat of the Savoyer is on 12th December. Named "L'Escalade", the city celebrates with road running, processions and parades.
Hire cars are a practical option for exploring the mountains. When there, try the local specialities, for example a "Longeole", which is a type of uncooked sausage. Be warned that Geneva is one of the worlds most expensive cities. A restaurant meal costs from about 20 CHF and a beer 7.50 CHF.
Journey from Aéroport International de Genève to central Geneva by free public transport. A free ticket is valid for 80 minutes and is only available with a valid boarding pass. Get tickets from the machines located near the baggage reclaim area. The quickest journey is by train. From the main station, Gare Cornavin, it takes about 7 minutes. Without a free ticket the train trip costs 3 CHF. Bus (Line 5) and trolley bus (Line 10) are slower, taking about 30 minutes. Without a free ticket they also cost approximately 3 CHF. A taxi will charge about 35-45 CHF to take passengers from the airport into town. Free Shuttle-Bus services also run to some hotels. Hostel accommodation will amount to approx. 25 CHF pp/night and 3 star hotels in the vicinity of the railway station will cost 135 CHF upwards. Hotel, youth hostel and campsite guests are given a "Geneva Transport Card" for free use of public transport. Other users pay 3 CHF for a single journey and 2 CHF for a short journey. A day pass costs 8-10 CHF and a weekly pass 38 CHF. Taxi fares are high. Cycling around Geneva is easy except in the hilly, historic town centre. During the summer, bike hire is free if visitors provide ID and pay a refundable deposit of around 20 CHF.