Introduction |  |
For the first-time visitor to Geneva, the initial reaction is not so much awe at the beautiful scenery, rather a more mundane concern: ‘How can I afford it?’. The chauffeured Bentleys and imposing headquarters, both corporate and inter-governmental, can be intimidating, but there you have the key to appreciating the town: don’t let the glitter get you down. As opposed to St Tropez, where you’re stuck with the mini bar and French daytime soaps if you lack a Platinum AmEx, Geneva is doable on a budget.
Actually, Geneva’s best features don’t even cost a euro: the setting on the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French), the yacht-packed harbour, the Jet d’Eau fountain with its 140-metre-high spray of water, and the market stalls selling everything from antiques to flowers on the cobbled streets of the Old Town. On Saturdays, many of the vineyards in the surrounding countryside offer free wine tasting. And for a couple of euros, you can go behind the bureaucratic façades of the organisations – the UN, WTO and the International Red Cross to name but a few – that make this town such an important stage for world politics. Away from politics, head straight for the avant-garde MAMCO (Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, 10 rue des Vieux-Grenadiers, 320 61 22, www.mamco.ch) and its sculptures and performance art.
The St-Pierre Cathedral, one of the key sites of the Reformation, is to Geneva what Notre Dame is to Paris, so it’s a must (Site archéologique de la Cathédrale St-Pierre, Cour Saint-Pierre 6, 311 75 74).
Last but not least, a bit of advice: beware of the traffic. Whether you’re walking or driving, one distracted moment and the last thing you’ll remember of Geneva is a big blue license plate. Diplomats these drivers may be, but it seems like the frustations of long negotiations are vented on the streets.
• Tourist information: 18 rue du Mont-Blanc (909 70 00, www.geneve-tourisme.ch).
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