Paquis Situated between the main train station and the lake, the Paquis is Geneva’s red-light district, where sex shops and strip joints are plentiful. But there’s more to the area than that. It’s a lively, multicultural part of town, full of late-night bars, restaurants and ethnic shops. Also worth a visit is the Bains des Paquis—this concrete pier juts out into the lake and has a great restaurant with cheap food. It’s the perfect place for sunbathing in summer and for saunas, massages and champagne fondue in the winter.

La Grotte Located behind the train station, this neighbourhood was once the main area for Geneva’s squatters and still retains its bohemian, counter-culture feel. Wander around among the quirky bars and cafés.

Plainpalais Arguably Geneva’s trendiest district, this is where some of the best restaurants and most fashionable bars can be found. Additionally, the open diamond-shaped space of the Plain des Plainpalais hosts markets, circuses and fun fairs on a regular basis.

Carouge Take the number 13 tram from the main railway station across the River Arve to the picturesque Carouge neighbourhood. It feels like you’ve entered a completely different city. The architecture has a Mediterranean feel to it and was designed by the Dukes of the House of Savoy as a Catholic alternative to the Protestant power of Jean Calvin’s 16th century Geneva. This trendy district is filled with designer boutiques and hip bars and restaurants.

Rive Geneva’s left bank is more conventional than the right bank, and here is where you’ll find most of the major financial institutions along with the city’s extensive shopping district.

Vieille Ville Walk up through the Parc des Bastions to the historic cobbled Old Town and visit the city’s Cathedral of St Pierre and splendid civic buildings. Perfect for museum junkies and antique hunters by day, by night its many bars and clubs make it an ideal spot for late-night drinking.

GETTING AROUND

Trams and buses make up Geneva’s extensive and highly efficient public transport network, which covers almost every inch of the canton. This is probably the easiest way to get around Geneva if you’re not a fan of walking. A day pass (9am-midnight) costs CHF 7, while a 24-hour pass costs CHF 10.

Taxis are a more expensive option. There are numerous taxi ranks around the city and hotels and restaurants are also happy to order you a taxi directly. A reliable service is Taxi-Phone Centrale (15 Rue des Rois, Tel: 33 141 33).

SHOPPING

For retail therapy at its best—and most expensive—head to the Rue Basses which incorporate the chic Rue du Rhône, Rue de la Confederation, Rue du Marché, and Rue de la Croix d’Or. All the top watch and jewellery shops are to be found here, along with the main department stores, including Switzerland’s exclusive Bon Génie (34 Rue du Marché) and Globus (48 Rue du Rhone). Chocoholics can follow in the footsteps of other sweet tooths like Churchill and de Gaulle by paying a visit to Du Rhône Chocolatier (4 Rue de la Confederation), The best place to sample Swiss chocolate.

Behind the Confederation Centre is a favourite with locals, the funky boutique Flying A (17 Rue de la Rotisserie), which sells unique lines of clothing, jewellery and other cool accessories, all at affordable prices. Another of Geneva’s hippest boutiques is Vickyh ( 54 Route de Frontenex), which displays all the latest from the international world of fashion, interior design and cosmetics in a bright, open loft-style area. Elsewhere you’ll find a veritable treasure trove of hidden delights from the world of decor at Galerie Shaman (25 Rue de la Cité), with an impressive range of contemporary silver jewellery.

For bargain hunters, Geneva has several markets to choose from. Check out the large flea market at Plainpalais, held every Wednesday and Saturday. Among the junk there are some real finds and prices are reasonable if you’re prepared to haggle. Others include the flower market on the Place du Molard and the clothing and book market on Place de la Madeleine.

THINGS TO DO

Geneva is known as the 'City of Peace’, so start off with a guided tour at the Palais des Nations (14 Avenue de la Paix). Originally the seat of the League of Nations, the precursor to the UN, the Palace of Nations is a sprawling complex in the form of a double horseshoe. Finally, do your bit for world peace and sign the UN’s Golden Book of Peace.

Next take a stroll through the nearby Jardin Botanique. Created in 1904, it houses 16,000 plant species from all over the world. A truly living museum, it features a garden of scent and touch and an animal park devoted to conservation. Cross over to the other side of the lake and you’ll find the Jardin Anglais. Dating from 1854, this large, leafy park is full of fountains and statues. It is also home to Geneva’s famous floral clock, L’Horloge Fleurie, which is decorated with over 6,000 plants and, true to Swiss efficiency, always tells the right time. Close by is the Jet d’Eau landmark, a water fountain set in the lake and reaching 140 metres high. Place Neuve, built outside the city’s former ramparts, is the cultural heart of Geneva and home to the Music Conservatory and Geneva’s impressive opera house, the Grand Theatre. Walk up the hill from the Place Neuve and take in an awesome view of the city and the lake from the Cathedral de St Pierre (Cour St-Pierre) in the Old Town. Climb up 157 steps to the summit of the cathedral’s north tower and a breathtaking panorama awaits you.

While you’re in the Old Town, check out Geneva’s oldest home, the Maison Tavel (6 Rue du Puits-Saint-Pierre), named after the noble Tavel family who lived here in the 14th century. Today it’s a museum providing an insight into lives of Genevois from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Geneva boasts more than 30 museums, the largest of which is the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire (2 Rue Charles Galland), set in an impressive Gothic fortress at the top of the Old Town. The museum boasts not only a stunning fine art collection but also an impressive array of items from ancient Greece and Rome. The Museé Rath (Place Neuve 2) was the first Swiss museum devoted to the fine arts and displays large temporary exhibitions, ranging from archeology and ancient art to modern and contemporary works. MAMCO, the Museum of Modern Contemporary Art (10 Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers), is a former factory housing a wide variety of works from the early 1960s to the present day. For something a little different, check out the Ariana Museum (10 Avenue de la Paix) which exhibits prestigious collections of ceramics and glass from the city of Geneva. With over 20,000 objects on display, the collections illustrate seven centuries of ceramics, right up to the modern day. Geneva is sometimes referred to as Calvin’s city, so it’s only appropriate that the latest museum to open is the

Reformation Museum (Maison Mallet, 2 Rue du Cloître). John Calvin was a key Reformation figure who lived and preached in Geneva, and the museum charts the history of events that led to, and followed, the break with the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. Scores of rare books are on display, including the first Bible in French.

For the more scientifically minded, a great place to visit is the world’s largest particle accelerator at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (Route de Meyrin). Birthplace of the worldwide web, it’s a surprisingly fascinating place to visit. For bus tours of the city and surrounding countryside, you can’t go wrong with Key Tours (Tel: 731 4140, Email: info@keytours.ch). It organises trips three or four times a day, leaving from the airport and the Intercontinental Hotel. Going on and around the lake is another must. A wide selection of long and short cruises along Lac Léman take place from April through to October, and are organised by the CGN (Tel: 312 5223, Email: info@cgn.ch).

EXCURSIONS

For a wonderful panoramic view of the city and lake, ride in style to the top of Geneva’s mountain, the 1,380m high Mont Saleve. Take the cable car from the stop just a few steps from the border at Veyrier. It takes just five minutes to get to the top—and remember your passport as it’s actually in France. Tel: 450 398 686 for more details.

The Château de Chillon is a magnificent 13th century castle, built on a rocky island just outside the town of Montreux. Visitors can explore the castle, from the dungeon prison right up to the top of the tower. Lord Byron was so inspired by the castle and its history that he wrote the famous poem The Prisoner of Chillon. You can still see where Byron carved out his own name on the pillar in the prison. The train to Veytaux-Chillon takes 90 minutes and guided tours are available.

The picturesque town of Nyon is only a 15-minute train journey from Geneva. Have a look round the Roman ruins and check out the spectacular view from the castle. Then head down to the lake and relax in the sunshine at one of the many restaurants and cafés. Guided walking tours of Nyon start at the Place du Château on Wednesday to Saturday.

Well worth a visit is the town of Annecy, over the border in France. It boasts the cleanest lake in Europe and has a charming, bustling old town, complete with a colourful market featuring local produce. It is just a 45 minute drive away or you can pick up a train from the Gare des Eaux-Vives.

The Alpine medieval town of Gruyère is a two-hour train ride away and is home not only to the cheese of that name, but also to another local speciality: the wickedly rich Gruyère cream, often served with meringues. Walk around the pedestrianised old town, perched on a hill, and check out the Giger Museum, the permanent home of works by Swiss surrealist HR Giger, the Academy Award-winning set designer for the film Alien. There’s also a fantastic new bar on site. The Château de Coppet (Tel: 776 1028) is a magnificent castle overlooking Lac Léman. Bought by Jacques Necker, a Genevan banker and minister of finance to the French King Louis XVI, it still has its original 18th and 19th century furniture, tapestries and paintings. In addition to the castle itself, don’t miss the spectacular gardens. The Château de Coppet is a 10-minute car ride away or a short train journey from Geneva, with services running several times an hour. Summer is the perfect time of year to take a boat trip on the lake, and Yvoire is the ideal destination. The medieval French town is famous for its flowers, gardens and labyrinth, as well as its many restaurants.

For a light lunch, check out La Crêperie (Rue de l’Eglise, Tel: 04 5072 8078).

For something more substantial, try Les Flots Bleus (Port de Plaisance, Tel: 04 5072 8008) down at the port—a classy restaurant with a wide choice on offer. Boats depart from Geneva’s Jardin Anglais with fares from CHF 24.30 return (Tel: 0848 811 848).

TOURIST TRAPS

Geneva has very few tourist traps and even the prices at the airport aren’t inflated, although it has to be said that some people find Switzerland in general to be expensive. But visitors should beware at lakeside hotels and cafés as prices here can be exorbitant, even for a mere hot chocolate.

CONVENTION CENTRES

Geneva has more than 200 meeting halls with capacities ranging from 20 to 6,500, and all are equipped with the very latest technology. There are two main centres close to the airport.

Palexpo (30 Rue Francois Peyrot, Tel: 761 1111, Email: info@palexpo.ch, www. palexpo.ch), at the airport itself, has eight rooms with a combined seating space of over 3,000. It also has exhibition halls, four restaurants and the nearby 19th century Villa Sarasin with its personalised reception rooms, VIP bar, restaurant and garden. The Ramada Park, Suite Hotel and InterContinental are all close by (see listings below).

The International Conference Centre Geneva (Rue de Varembé 15, Tel: 791 9111, Email: info@cicg.ch, www.cicg.ch), also near the airport, has four main conference rooms with all the necessary facilities, and also boasts the Hotel Mövenpick (see below) on site.