Geneva

Place du Bourg-de-Four is the oldest square in Geneva and still one of the liveliest. Right in the heart of the Old Town, it’s lined with cafés, restaurants, and small shops, and works well as a meeting point or a quick stop while exploring nearby sights. On Thursdays and Saturdays, a market sets up with local produce, flowers, and some handmade goods.

The Palais des Nations, once home to the League of Nations, now serves as the UN’s European headquarters. You can take a guided tour (with advance booking) to see spaces like the Assembly Hall and the Council Chamber, where international negotiations still happen today. The building sits inside Ariana Park — a quiet, green space dotted with old cedars, roaming peacocks, and views down to the lake.

At the highest point of the Old Town, Saint Pierre Cathedral dates back to the 12th century and is Geneva’s most visited monument. It’s known as John Calvin’s home church during the Reformation, and its underground archaeological site — the largest north of the Alps — offers a look at earlier layers of the city’s history. Brave visitors willing to climb the 157 steps of the north tower will be treated to a breathtaking panorama of both the city and the lake — worth it if the weather is clear.

Sandwiched between Switzerland and France, Lake Geneva (called Lac Léman in French) is a stunning natural gem known for its picturesque landscapes and beauty. One of the largest lakes in Europe, it offers breathtaking views of the Alps and the Jura Mountains. The lake's shores are dotted with charming towns and cities, including Geneva, Montreux, and Lausanne, as well as the iconic Chillon Castle.

If you're interested in watches, this museum houses an important collection of timepieces from the 16th century onward and the finest creations of this Geneva-based watchmaker. Nowhere else is the Swiss passion for clocks, watches and the passing of time as obvious as here.

CERN is the world’s largest particle physics lab and home to the famous Large Hadron Collider. You can visit the free Science Gateway, which has hands-on exhibits, short films, and live science demos. Guided tours are also available, but spots are limited and usually go fast — best to arrive early and register on-site.

Tucked into the bohemian Grottes district, Les Schtroumpfs — or the Smurfs buildings — are some of the quirkiest architecture in Geneva. Built in the early ’80s by three architects with a clear nod to Gaudí and comic book weirdness, the buildings look like something out of a fairytale: rounded shapes, bright colours, and almost no straight lines. Locals named them after the Smurfs because they genuinely look like something those little blue guys would live in. The complex houses around 750 families and includes a kindergarten, a dental clinic, and a few cafés, all surrounded by trees and playgrounds. It’s not a tourist hotspot, but definitely worth a quick wander if you’re nearby.

MAMCO is Switzerland’s largest museum for contemporary art, with around 4,000 works in its collection. It focuses on post-1960s art and often features temporary exhibitions, performances, and installations across its industrial-style space in the former SIP factory.

Due to Geneva’s ideal location by the lake, you can enjoy true city beach life at Bains des Pâquis, public bath houses on a pier in Lake Geneva, where you can swim with the local ducks and swans. This beach is very crowded during the summer and offers all-season activities, such as a sauna, massages and a Turkish bath during the winter.