For centuries Switzerland’s second city has been synonymous with class and style; a buzz word for jet set holidaying, quality of life and the beau monde. It’s packed to the brim with ostentatious hotels, meticulously-pruned public gardens, marble banks, prestigious institutions—from CERN to the United Nations—and chic fine-dining joints with more Michelin stars than you can shake a skimpily-clad degustation platter at.
Visitors should ask their Geneva tour guide for the lowdown on the sights that rise from the banks of the lake and run between the historic cobbled streets of the Vieille Ville and Paquis Quarter, from the grand green spires of Saint Peter's Cathedral to the romantic crevices of Rue du Perron. And yes, don’t miss the iconic Jet d'Eau after dark, spouting kaleidoscopic neon glows over the Lac Leman prom and riverside streets.
If the ever-looming precipices of the snow-tipped Jura Mountains get just a little too much for you though, then why not consider a jaunt out of town on one of the award-winning train journeys that wind their way into the French Alps, dropping off sportsters on the ski slopes in the winter, and hikers, bikers and wild swimmers between the lakes and verdant valleys during the warmer months.