Geneva

Everywhere you look in Switzerland, you will find stunning natural beauty. The imposing Alps stretch toward the sky, the lush greenery is more shades than you ever realized existed and the lake is deep and pure.

Geneva sits at the point where the Rhône flows out of Lake Geneva, with the Jura ridges on one side and the Savoy Alps on the other. The Rhône divides Geneva into Rive Gauche, which includes the Old Town, museums and the main shopping district, and the Rive Droite, where grand hotels line the waterfront.

Look closely: Mont Blanc is in the foggy, distant background

Pont du Mont-Blanc is a main bridge connecting the two sections of the city. No surprise: it offers a great view of Mont Blanc.

Pont Mont-Blanc and the Rive Gauche

There’s no need to ever wonder what time it is

Once you pass the mid-rise concrete bank buildings, the Rive Gauche is enticing, with steep streets winding past shops, cafes and churches. Many points offer sweeping lake views. As you can imagine, clocks are visible on every corner; you cannot walk a block without passing a few watch shops.

Old Town

Jet d’Eau

The Jet d’Eau fountain is Geneva’s main attraction, though I’ve no idea why. Originally, back in the late-1800’s, it was a safety valve for a hydraulic power network and was located a bit downstream from its current location. Daily, excess water pressure built in the hydraulic turbines; as the outlet released the pressure, a 30-meter high fountain spurted. It was eventually moved from the river to its current lakeside home and furnished with more powerful pumps. Today, the water shoots to 140 meters with 500 liters of water forced out every second at 200 km per hour.

Le Grand Théâtre de Genève