Choose from 31 Fun Things to Do in Geneva
Maison Tavel
The oldest example of domestic architecture in Geneva, the Maison Tavel traces its origins to the beginning of the 14th century, with its layers revealing the wealth and prestige of its various owners and the growing importance of the city. As you approach, stone heads peer down at you and a corner tower lacks only Rapunzel to complete the fairy tale impression.
Once inside the distinctive dark stone walls you can explore the house from top to bottom. The cellar contains excellent examples of woodcarving and ironwork through the centuries, while the attic boasts a superb model of Geneva in the mid-19th century, when its fortifications were still intact. In between you’ll find displays of domestic interiors, including the surprisingly light and airy private quarters, fully outfitted kitchens, and displays including suits of armour and coins, highlighting the importance of finance to the city.
Practical Info
The Maison Tavel is in the heart of the Old Town and is served by regular trams from the main Gare de Cornavin train station.
Penthes Castle (Château de Penthes)
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International Museum of the Reformation
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Maison Cailler Chocolaterie
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Museum of Art and History (Musee d'Art et d'Histoire)
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Liechtenstein
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Patek Philippe Museum (Musee Patek Philippe)
Patek Philippe is one of the most prestigious names in timekeeping, their watches having graced many a royal wrist since the company’s inception in 1839. Their museum accordingly devotes much attention to the brand’s own products, from the present day’s precision pieces back to exquisitely detailed pocket watches of the early 19th century. Early examples were frequently jeweled, enameled and emblazoned with the arms of the owner.
The Antique Collection turns the clock back even further, tracing the development of timekeeping devices back to approximately 1500. The museum also houses a significant archive and library dedicated to timepieces and related mechanisms, and the whole complex is housed in a handsome early 20th century building distinguished by enormous windows.
Practical Info
The Patek Philippe Museum is served by buses 1 and 4 (get off at Ecole-de-Médecine) as well as trams 12 and 13 (get off at Plainpalais).
Water Fountains (Jet d'Eau)
If you’ve seen a panoramic view of Geneva you’ve most likely seen the huge lake Water Fountains, or Jet d’Eau, with its commanding position at the point where the River Rhône empties into Lake Geneva. It started life in the 19th century as a humble safety valve for a hydraulic installation, but is now the city’s foremost symbol.
With every second, some 130 gallons of water are propelled at 125 miles an hour to a maximum height of 150 yards (that's 500 liters at 200 km/h reaching 140 meters). The water shoots into the air before descending in a graceful fan shape back down to the lake, but its exact destination is determined by the strength and direction of the wind. In the warmer months, the fountain is lit during the evening until 11 o’clock.
Practical Info
You can get up close and personal with the Jet d’Eau on to the Jetée des Eaux Vives (off Quai Gustave Ador), though a drenching is a distinct possibility. Alternatively, the Jardin Anglais is a short stroll along the shore and offers a safer vantage point.
Rousseau Island (Ile Rousseau)
Where the River Rhône meets Lake Geneva, where the city’s north and south shores face each other, you’ll find Ile Rousseau, the green, serene heart of Geneva. Four centuries ago this was a highly strategic position, and the island owes its unusual “arrowhead” shape to its original function as a fortress.
Things are much calmer now; with Italian poplars, weeping willows and stunning views of the city, this is a place for rest and contemplation, and a pavilion restaurant is on hand to provide food for thought. Appropriate, then, that the island should be named for local boy Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the great 18th century philosopher whose statue has been standing guard here since 1835.
Practical Info
Ile Rousseau is best reached on foot and is connected to both shores of Geneva by the Pont des Bergues. The head of the island faces the Pont du Mont-Blanc, one of the main crossing points of the city.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Exhibits tell the story through text, video, sound, interactive displays, as well as an archive of some seven million index cards documenting prisoners of war, a testament to the ideals of the Geneva Convention. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, also known as the Musée International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge, is a monument to humanity’s best impulses in the face of its worst.