Lying at the southern tip of Lake Geneva — one of the largest Alpine lakes in Western Europe — and surrounded by the soaring Alps, Geneva is a vibrant city that reflects the region’s strong French heritage. At the same time, it’s very much an international city, home to some of the world’s biggest organizations, including the United Nations and the Red Cross.

As the largest historic centre in Switzerland, Geneva’s Old Town, the Vieille Ville, features well-preserved cobblestone streets lined with artisan shops, outdoor cafe tables, and renowned restaurants with golden signs and red awnings. In the newer part of the city, you will find wide streets crisscrossed by tram lines as well as luxury stores, upscale restaurants, and chocolate shops with elaborate window displays. Lake Geneva is a popular place for outdoor activities — cycling on the shore and boating on the water — and the city offers easy access to many of the lake’s most popular attractions, including the picturesque Chillon Castle.

You have a wide array of options for getting from the Geneva Airport (GVA) to the city centre. The train between the airport and the central Cornavin railway station takes around 15 minutes, and a bus will take roughly 20. Geneva boasts an advanced public transport network, with plenty of onward connections to the broader region and beyond via tram, train, bus, and boat. There are also plenty of places to rent bikes throughout the city, along with boat routes that give you the chance to see more of picturesque Lake Geneva, including the section across the French border. Most of the central city is easy to navigate on foot, especially the Old Town area.

Warm, sunny summers and postcard-worthy snowy winters are popular times to book a holiday apartment in Geneva. People come to the city in the summer months to kayak and paddleboard on Lake Geneva or to attend one of the region’s many music festivals that take place during this time. The summers can get hot, so you may want to pack shorts and tank tops or a lightweight dress to stroll around town in.

Autumn brings beautiful foliage and crisp temperatures, making this the best time to head out onto the stunning hiking trails on the nearby Alps. In the winter, the surrounding mountains are covered with snow, and downhill skiing opportunities abound. The city also hosts Christmas markets from the end of November until the end of December. The most authentic is the Rue du Mont-Blanc, which offers a range of traditional stalls selling Christmas gifts, baked goods, and warming mulled wine. Once spring makes its return, the skies tend to clear and the air warms enough to make the prospect of strolling or picnicking in the parks particularly appealing.

Lake Geneva

The crescent-shaped Lake Geneva, lying amid the snow-covered Alps, extends north from the city. Straddling Switzerland and France, the lake serves as an outdoor playground for the residents of the many cities along its shoreline, including Geneva and Lausanne. The superb water quality makes this a popular spot for swimming and scuba diving, along with a wide array of water sports. The Jet d’Eau fountain, located on a platform jutting out from the shore, propels water 140 metres into the air and has become a symbol of the city.

Chillon Castle

Around an hour from the city, this remarkably well-preserved medieval castle is perched on an oval limestone rock on the shore of Lake Geneva. Chillon started out as a Roman outpost and was later built up under the Savoy period around 1005. Visitors are drawn to this historic spot for 14th-century wall paintings, dungeons carved out of the rock it stands on, and jaw-dropping views of the lake and its alpine surroundings.

St. Pierre’s Cathedral

Located in Geneva’s old town, Saint Pierre’s Cathedral looks more like an ancient Roman temple than a Protestant church, with marble columns and an interior richly decorated in red, blue, and gold. During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, John Calvin led its congregation. The 157-step climb to the top of the tower will reward you with far-reaching views over the city and across the lake.