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eneva is the perfect city for a One Night Stand. Surrounded on all sides by the Swiss Alps, this city provides a small sample of all that the country of Switzerland has to offer. You really don’t need more than a day to hit all the best spots. What’s more, Geneva has a relatively large airport and it’s centrally located near some truly amazing destinations, making it the ideal starting point for a variety of trips. Read below on what to do in Geneva Switzerland with limited time.
If you have some time to kill in Geneva—maybe you’re just passing through like we were—this post will help you make the most of a single day in Switzerland’s second largest city.
One Night Stands
One Night Stands is our travel category for those with limited time in a new place. Maybe you have a long layover, or you’re killing time before your flight home — but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a relationship with the destination. With just a single day or night in a city, you want to make the most of every moment.
When we share a One Night Stand post, it’s usually because that’s how long we spent exploring the city ourselves. It can be so helpful to know how long to spend in a specific city when traveling, so we always aim to be honest about which places we want to settle down with, vs. the ones we’re content just to stay the night with.
In the case of Geneva, it’s the latter. We spent 2 nights here on our way to Croatia. We had exactly one full day to see this Swiss City, and we came away from it realizing that it wasn’t a dream destination – at least not for us. Not every place (and not every person) is IT for us, and that’s a-ok. You can enjoy something for precisely what it is – without needing it to be anything more. We’re still talking about travel, right?
We’re sharing exactly what to do in Geneva, Switzerland for one day, and one day only.
Top of Saint Pierre's Cathedral
GF cupcake at Cuppins Bakery
Views from Saint Pierre's Cathedral
Shack Up
When it comes to where to stay in Geneva, you CAN go wrong — and we did. So learn from our mistake and book your accommodation in one of two places: either along Geneva’s waterfront or within the city’s Old Town. Everything you’ll want to do and see in Geneva is located within these two areas, which also happen to be the most eye-catching.
Accommodation in these hot spots may be slightly more expensive, but it’s worth it if you want to embrace as much of Geneva as possible with limited time. If you stay here, you will be within walking distance of all the suggested activities below – and you’ll avoid the underwhelming part of the city (which is where we mistakenly booked our hotel).
If you’re thinking about what to do in Geneva, Switzerland, the lake is a good place to start. In truth, Lake Geneva is the most enticing part of the city — with its stunning fountain, abundance of boat tours, and gorgeous mountain views beyond the water. If you can afford to stay at a hotel that will offer waterfront views, go for it.
Because we’re all about loving on the planet, we always seek out environmentally conscious accommodation. You can use EcoHotels.com to search through 21 sustainable properties in Geneva.
We’ve found some of the BEST sustainable boutique hotels through this platform, and we’re so grateful that Eco Hotels vets properties by ensuring they have trustworthy certifications that demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.
One Booking = One Tree
Every single time you book a hotel through EcoHotels.com, they plant a tree in your honor to increase reforestation and eco-diversity. We’re obsessed with this effort and thrilled to support a company that shares a similar mission, to ensure that travel has a net positive impact.
By booking more sustainable accommodation as we travel, we reduce the toxic load travel can have on the environment and support businesses that are doing the most to care for the planet.
What To Do In Geneva, Switzerland
Now that you’re cozied up in an eco-friendly accommodation, it’s time to explore the city. While it may be tempting, don’t try to cram 4+ activities or excursions into one day. This is the quickest way to tire yourself out, and it almost always ensures that you won’t get to fully enjoy any one thing – because you’ll be too concerned with getting to the next.
It takes time to navigate an unfamiliar city. We’re guilty of overbooking our travel days, and when we do, we always wind up exhausted. If you’re traveling on from Geneva, you’ll want to conserve some of your energy. It’s a great idea to alternate between exercise-heavy activities (like walking tours) and sedentary activities (like a seated boat ride).
Below are our Top 4 recommendations for what to do in Geneva, Switzerland in just 24 hours. You can easily accomplish three in a single day, with plenty of time left to enjoy meals out as well. These activities are listed in order, with our top recommendation at #1. Go ahead and read through all four before choosing the ones that sound most intriguing to you.
1. Climb St. Pierre Cathedral
Okay, we know we said you get to pick — but you have to do this one. It’s a non-negotiable. We’ve climbed up many towers in our adventures across Europe, and the views from St. Pierre’s Cathedral are some of the most impressive we’ve ever seen.
To be honest, this church isn’t anything amazing from out front, so we almost didn’t go up. But thankfully we went for it, and the views did not disappoint. Do note, the church is free to enter but the tower is approx. $5 to climb (again, worth it).
To start, walk inside the church and you’ll find floor to ceiling stained glass windows and rows on rows of beautiful wooden pews. From there, you can purchase tickets at the desk near the front. Then, the climb up to the tower begins through an unassuming wooden door off to the right.
The stairs are spiral and quite wind-y, not to mention tight. But the tower offers many different viewpoints at varied levels throughout your climb, so you’ll be able to take breaks for fresh air, and you’re sure to find more than one stunning view. We love the multiple viewpoints because it helps spread out all the visitors, so you can usually find the perfect, unobstructed spot for a photograph.
Finally, make sure you climb all the way to the top, where you can look down over the entire city and get up close to the ornate tower. It’s worth visiting Geneva just to see this view of the Swiss Alps and Lake Geneva — give yourself more than a minute to take it all in.
@baggagegirls Just 5 euros for this view 🗻🇨🇭 #genevaswitzerland #traveltiktok #baggagegirls #Splice
♬ Married Life (From "Up") - Gina Luciani
2. Take a boat out on the water
Free Mouettes
A visit to Geneva is not complete without a trip out on the famous Lake Geneva. There are multiple different options for boat rides, but the most important thing is that you get out on the water. You can choose to float for free with a Geneva Pass, on the yellow water taxis known as Mouettes. There are 4 lines that run across the banks of Lac Léman (a.k.a. the other name for Lake Geneva).
What is a Geneva Pass? This is a free transport card that ALL tourists who stay in any hotel in Geneva will receive as part of their stay. This gives you access to certain boats, all buses, and specific trains within the city, free of charge.
Boat Trips
Alternatively, if you’re taking a day trip to one—or multiple—of the surrounding towns on the lake (see recommended day trips below), you can often choose to travel by boat instead of train! This way, you’ll get to see the city from the water while simultaneously traveling to a new spot.
Finally, if you simply want to enjoy a boat cruise along the water, you can select options such as a dinner cruise, or a guided tour on the lake.
3. Stroll through Geneva’s Old Town
We’ll always be honest with you, and the truth is, Geneva’s Old Town doesn’t rival those of other European cities we’ve visited (like Marbella, Frigiliana, and Split). But it still makes the list of what to do in Geneva, Switzerland because it offers a little bit of everything. The old town has some great coffee shops and restaurants, plus a few impressive viewpoints where you can see the Swiss Alps that surround the city. Spend a little time strolling the city streets. The old town is a great spot to stop for a meal, or to sip coffee in a quaint cafe (see below for restaurant recommendations). St. Pierre’s Cathedral is located right in the middle of the Old Town.
4. Visit The UN Headquarters
The United Nations Office at Geneva is located in the Palais des Nations complex. Palais des Nations itself is a stunning structure, located inside the beautiful waterfront Ariana park. Take a tour of the Palais des Nations and learn about the United Nations if you’re interested in learning more about the work that’s done here. Or, take the time to walk outside of the building and surrounding park. We listed this at #4 on what to do in Geneva, Switzerland because we didn’t get time to try it ourselves.
Getting Around
Don’t forget that you get FREE transportation with the Geneva Pass if you choose to stay at any hotel in the city! The bus system is quite easy to navigate, especially if you have Maps installed on your phone. Just search where you’d like to go in the app, and then make sure you select the Transit option (as opposed to walking or driving).
Be aware that the buses don’t run all throughout the night. We were surprised to find that we needed to order an Uber to the airport to catch our early morning flight out of Geneva.
Where To Eat
Fondue. The answer is always fondue. Unless you’re dairy-free. Then the answer is Alive, a vegan restaurant located just off from the beautiful waterfront area. This cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering fantastic GF and DF options. Below we’ve listed a few more spots worth checking out during your time in Geneva.
Day Trips
As mentioned above, Geneva is an ideal city to reach some amazing destinations. It’s often true that some of the best destinations aren’t near large airports. For this reason, it can be expensive to fly directly to some of these spots. That’s what makes Geneva such a great city for a One Night Stand, because you can easily fly in and then take trains to these unique destinations.
Below we have listed some of the top day trips from Geneva, including the time it takes to reach each location, and the best mode of transportation.
- Geneva to Annecy, France: 40 minutes by car, 1.5 hrs by train
- Geneva to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc: 1 hr by car, 2+ hrs by train
- Geneva to Lakeside Towns: nearby Vevey & Montreux are 1 hr by train, or take a boat
It’s worth noting that there are MANY little towns along Lake Geneva, and these are just a few that we know of. If you’re really interested in exploring the area, read up on the various lakeside villages of Switzerland before you go.
Exact Itinerary
If you want to follow our lead, here’s exactly what to do in Geneva, Switzerland…
Start your day with breakfast at Ferdinands or one of the neighboring cafes in Geneva’s Old Town. From there, walk to St. Pierre’s Cathedral and climb the tower. Next, head down to the waterfront and enjoy lunch at Alive restaurant. After you eat, you’ll be ready to enjoy a boat cruise, where you can sit and relax from the water. When your boat docks, you’ll be nice and close to La Buvette des Bains restaurant, where you can try some of the Fondue that Switzerland is famous for. After that, head back to your hotel and get a good night’s sleep before traveling somewhere new.
Wrap It Up
Geneva didn’t steal our hearts, but we enjoyed our time here nonetheless. Not every place you go has to be life changing, but we wholeheartedly believe that you can make the most of your experience in any destination with the right itinerary. Hopefully this post helps you learn a bit more about all that Geneva has to offer — so that you can better decide exactly what to do in Geneva, Switzerland with whatever time you have.
If you’ve visited other parts of Switzerland, drop your best recommendations in the comments below so we can add them to our travel list. We’re far from done with this country, and hoping to travel back to Switzerland to explore other regions sometime soon..
xx, Baggage girls
