| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
If it's a toss-up between Geneva and the larger city of Zurich (and you have time for only one stopover), make it Geneva. Many patriotic French feel this French-speaking city of elegance and charm should belong in France. It does indeed sit on the doorstep of France. But in some respects Geneva is international, belonging to the world with its 250 international organizations based here, the most important being the European headquarters for the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Red Cross. It's the most orderly and serene of all major European cities (or most sterile, in the view of those who'd like more local color, nightlife, and excitement). Because of its ideological and geographic isolation from Switzerland, Geneva almost feels like one of those old European "city states." Locals here used to burn books by Rousseau until Voltaire arrived and set them straight. Those romantics Shelley and Byron came here seeking inspiration from the surrounding mountains, but Lenin failed to convert anyone to communism. As one local and very wealthy lady told us, "Geneva is one of the few places on the planet I can walk around in my white sable without fear I'll be hit by a rotten tomato by an animal rights fanatic, or else have it stolen from me by some poor wretched down and out." She actually said that. Geneva is located in the Rhône Valley at the southwestern corner of Lake Geneva (or Lac Léman, in French), between the Jura Mountai
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | Geneva is, and always was, an international city. Marauding barbarians, Roman conquerors, exiled religious leaders, immigrant workers and refugees have left their traces on the area. Some visitors, such as the Duke of Savoy, came with swords and were repelled, as described in the novel mentioned above (the annual Escalade event in the old city commemorates this). Politicians with the horrors of the First World War fresh in their minds arrived to establish the League of Nations (now the United Nations). Krystof Kieslowski, the late Polish film director, came with cameras to shoot The Double Life of Veronique and Three Colors: Red . Visitors have a tendency to pass through the city without discovering the richness of its past. Those willing to dig deeper will find 2000 years of fascinating history. Evidence of human settlement in the Geneva area dates back to about 3000BC. However, it was not until 500BC that the Allobroges—a tribe of Celtic origin, established a permanent village in what is now the Old City. The first written reference to Geneva appears in Julius Caesar's comments about the Gallic wars ( De Bello Gallico ), which detail the Roman army's victory over an advancing Helvetii tribe in 58 BC. Romans had occupied the town (known as Genua), having driven the Celts out in about 120 BC. The town continued to flourish over the following centuries and, at the height of the Roman Empire, a bishopric was created, commanding a large diocese (400 AD).
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | Getting There Air Geneva International Airport ( GVA ) ( +41 22 717 71 11 / http://www.gva.ch/ ) is a mere 3 miles from the city center, and may be the only airport in the world to hurdle the border of two countries, in this case France and Switzerland. The terminal is divided by the Swiss Sector and the French Sector. Both sections are loaded with retail outlets including a wide array of duty free options, and cafes. The Skycom Business Center ( +41 22 788 14 30 ) has 11 meeting rooms as well as the usual business services. Three banks, ATMS, and a post office are also onsite. Airlines that service this airport include: Aer Lingus ( +1 800 474 7424 / http://www.aerlingus.com/ ) Air France ( +1 800 237 2747 / http://www.airfrance.com/ ) Air Malta ( +33 ( 0 )1 58 18 64 05 / http://www.airmalta.com/ ) BMI Baby ( +0890 710 081 ( France ) / http://www.bmibaby.com/ ) British Airways ( +1 800 217 9297 / http://www.ba.com/ ) Condor ( +1 800 524 6975 / http://www7.condor.com/ ) Continental ( +1 800 231 0856 / http://www.flycontinental.com/ ) Easy Jet ( +33 8 25 08 25 08 / http://www.easyjet.com/ ) FlyBe ( +871 700 0535 / http://www.flybe.com/ ) Jet 2 ( +44 207 1700737 / http://www.jet2.com/ ) KLM ( +1800 447 4747 / http://www.klm.com/ ) Lufthansa ( +1 800 803 5838 / http://www.lufthansa.com/ ) SAS ( +1 800 221 2350 / http://www.scandinavian.net/ ) Sterling.dk Airline ( +457 033 3
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | Geneva offers world-class entertainment, with everything ranging from museums to live music represented. Museums and Galleries A gargantuan space covering archaeology, applied and fine arts, the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Museum of Art and History) holds Geneva's greatest collection of treasures from the past. Highlights of the collection include: Rodin sculptures, paintings by Modigliani, Renoir, Cézanne and Swiss artists as well as an impressive Egyptology section. From a 21st century perspective, the Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain (MAMCO) holds frequent exhibitions of contemporary art. MAMCO houses a noteworthy pop art selection, including works by Warhol and Lichenstein. Le Petit Palais has an eclectic collection of predominantly late 19th and early 20th century works. The Centre de la Photographie within the Grütli Arts Center is dedicated to fine art photography. Something like 10-15 exhibitions are held each year, with a strong focus on individual photographers and their ideas. Musée Rath on the Place Neuve only shows temporary exhibitions of international and Swiss art. Exhibitions are often thematic or major retrospectives of one artist's output. A startling array of Asiatic art is on display at the Collections Baur . Noted collector Alfred Baur collected these Chinese ceramics, jade pieces and Japanese prints dating from the 8th to the 18th centuries until his death in 1956. Another private museum, the Musée Barbier-Müller hol
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