We were all there also, to visit Adam who just moved to the city 2 months ago from Australia.
Photo by Tom
All this was only supposed to be a less than 2 hour flight by plane from London, but lengthy flight delays meant we were held hostage for 4 hours at the airport before we could enjoy Geneva. But we all did make it in time for rich fondue on the lake at Buvettes des Bains on a crisp and cool Saturday night.
Needless to say, after filling up on cheese, we all hit the sack at the excellent Kipling Hotel, which seems many more stars than the 3 it has been awarded.
Sunday morning we made our way (with our passports) across the Swiss-French border to Téléphérique du Salève to catch a 5 minute cable car ride up 1100 metres to the top of Mont Saleve.
It boasted views right across Geneva and the alpine region.
We made our way up and around to the other side of the mountain for more views.
And then took the "short cut" muddy track down, temporarily distracted (from our hunger and muddy shoes) by a paraglider about to take off off the side of the mountain. We watched helplessly as he prepared the chute and the mess of strings (which frankly had us all worried) before his run off the side. As his red chute filled with air and glided down over the green fields, it was back to the muddy tracks, lookout, cable car and bus to town for lunch to satisfy our ravishing hunger (even after Albert and Angela's Pizza Shapes all the way from Oz which we scoffed down on the side of the mountain).
Lunch was a couple of massive Italian pizzas and bowls of pasta before we walked off the carbs up around the lovely cobbled Old Town surrounding the Cathédrale St-Pierre.
It was then down to the Parc des Bastions, which was bustling with people strolling under the yellow and red tree canopies, playing intense games on the giant chess and checker boards or just hanging out by the carved statue, of Geneva's founding fathers, set in the wall of the park.
A quick hot drink at the bohemian Cafe Art's was enjoyed before Angela, Albert and Tim had to head back to London to start their work week on Monday.
Sunday night dinner in Geneva was a bit of a challenge. As not much is open on Sunday in Geneva, a decent dinner place (that wasn't a restaurant in a 5-start hotel) was not the easiest to source. Myles, Adam and I took to the evening streets as Tom and Geoff power napped back at the hotel. On our final night in Geneva, we ended up at a cosy traditional Swiss restaurant, Auberge de Saviese and enjoyed hearty steaks and bakes polished off with vino and of course dessert.
Monday saw Geneva at her best. Basked under warm sunshine and clear blue skies, made for very mild temperatures for Autumn. Geoff and Tom rented bikes for a ride around the lake, while Myles and I decided to hit the shops. We visited (after getting lost) the cute suburb of Carouge, but only found one boutique open on its lovely streets.
We took the tram back to the city to Manor, the big department store with one of the most fabulous 'food courts' we've ever seen. The food was beautifully presented, beautifully coloured and so fresh, it was hard to decide what to have for lunch.
We took a sun drenched table by the window where we could see over the Geneva rooftops, the Jet d'Eau (the city's famous water fountain), the Cathédrale St-Pierre and even the white tipped alps in the distance. After lunch, a quick visit to the chocolate shop (one cannot leave Switzerland without chocolate) saw the girls and guys split to make our way up to the Old Town for, you guessed it, more food!
Photo by TomWhile the guys rode their bikes, Myles and I found our way on foot, to the city's shopping strip, which looked uncannily like Bourke St, Melbourne with its long shop-lined avenues and trams that rattled down both sides of the street. The shops weren't really inspiring us, and like food in Geneva, things were pretty expensive. So we walked up the cobbled hill to the Old Town to meet the guys at the cafe we spied the day before whose windows boasted hand-made chocolate treats.
We took a seat in the square, by the fountain for cafe au laits and chocolate while the sun was sinking in the blue sky, savouring our last moments in the serene city of Geneva.
Some tips on visiting Geneva
- At the airport, one can get a free bus or train to the city (the airport is only 4 km from the city and it only takes 6 minutes by train). Look for the machine which will print a small ticket or visit the airport's website for information
- The free transport doesn't stop there. As a visitor to Geneva, your hotel should issue you with a transport pass which allows you free use of public transport (trams, trains and buses) all over the city for the duration of your stay
- Carry your passport with you at all times as you never know when you might want to cross the border into France (having said that, when traveling, we always carry our passports with us as it is the most recognised form of identity)
- When you cross the border, Swiss francs are no longer the currency and some places might only accept Euros so good idea to have some with you
- Food is quite expensive in Geneva, drinks are even more
- A lot of Geneva is closed on Sunday, but most of the Old Town is open
- The Old Town is one of the most charming places to visit in the city. Highly recommend relaxing with coffees at the cafes in the square
- You can only have fondue once over a weekend (any more and that might put you off cheese for the rest of your life)
- Can't recommend the Kipling Hotel enough for great rooms, great front desk service and great prices through Expedia
- The guys loved renting bikes to see Geneva. Rent one for 12 francs (with a 20 franc deposit which you get back when the bike is returned)
For more Geneva holiday snaps check out Tom's photos here.
