Sarah Zeines

Do you plan on looking for love in 2016? Then this is the perfect place for you to celebrate New Year’s Eve. The Swiss online dating website Macaronvanille is planning an exceptional singles’ bash. Age is not an issue for this agency, known for its relaxed attitude towards dating. Participants meet, eat and chat in a stress-free atmosphere. To sign up, just send en email to Christiane, the community’s manager.

Enjoy a cool breeze on some of Lake Geneva’s most renowned ships, while tasting exceptional gourmet dishes. After a departure at 8pm, the boat will sail past the lake’s numerous charming villages, before returning at 1:30am. After a tasty three-course dinner, you can enjoy an exceptional view of the fireworks at the stroke of midnight. A band will also play upbeat music throughout the evening… participants are encouraged to dance the New Year in.

Luxury reaches new heights in this majestic hotel. With a 2,000 square metre spa, three of the Canton’s most refined restaurants and an ice skating rink, La Réserve is like an amusement park for adults. Every year, the place’s managers conceive an exceptional New Year’s program. Champagne, breakfast in bed, free access to the hotel's facilities and most of all, a gourmet meal in a fairytale atmosphere are included in the upcoming edition’s tempting offer. In sum, the perfect place to relax and enjoy the better sides of life, while entering 2016.

Have you every tasted a tomato, a goat cheese or a champagne fondue? At Café-Bonvin, you can have it all. The restaurant offers a creative menu to people in search of a more refined version of the national dish. Cosy and classy, the place is located in Geneva’s Eaux-Vives neighbourhood, a few steps from the lake. 

In Switzerland, the city of Gruyère is famous for its’ cheese. Their speciality, a fondue made with Vacherin cheese, is a national favourite, yet rare in many Swiss municipalities. Luckily for Geneva residents, Georges Magnin, who was born in Gruyère, has made it his mission to bring amazing fondue to local taste buds. A hit, since he now has two successful locations and a third one on the way.

Like a picture out of a fairy-tale, the majestic house that shelters Café du Soleil welcomes clients from all over the world. Located a few minutes by car from the United Nations headquarters, this homey establishment is known for its delicious homemade fondue. With generous servings and a cheese-oriented menu, visitors always leave with a full stomach. The ideal location for an authentic fondue, served by an English-speaking personnel. 

Who said burgers were bad for diets? At L’Atelier, the calorie count, just like the level of refinement, reaches new peaks. With carefully selected local products, the talented chef of this classy restaurant has concocted a foie gras burger (goose liver) that must be tasted at least once in a lifetime. The melt-in-your-mouth effect is instant with this burger fit for a French king.

“It’s greased lightning” in this all-American diner. Like a scene out of 1950s movie set, this tiny corner near the train station is a perfect cliché of milkshakes, hot dogs and of course, typical Yankee burgers. With the city’s historical American Market, right upstairs, nostalgic expats flood into to this place to get a taste of home. With flexible opening hours and a yummy selection of homemade food, American Dream Diner is a great place for a tasty meal. 

Celebrity chef Philippe Chevrier loves his mum Denise. This affection has taken the form of a five star burger at Globus’ top quality food court. On the ground floor of their town centre location, Denise’s – Art of Burger attracts hundreds of gourmet food lovers every day, at lunch. Pricier than your average beef patty, the products are particularly well selected. A simple yet perfect meal. American breakfasts are also served in the mornings.

With two colourful locations, this Holy Cow! is near the train station and has a vast choice of the classic American protein fix. Cranberry and Camembert cheese on a moist chicken breast, chilli beans and avocado on a juicy beef patty: with their local meat and products, this burger bar takes its’ clients’ taste buds on a world tour. Vegetarians are not forgotten and are offered a delicious selection of elaborate tofu sandwiches. 

With two colourful locations, near the train station and in the city’s student neighbourhood, Holy Cow! has a vast choice of the classic American protein fix. Cranberry and Camembert cheese on a moist chicken breast, chilli beans and avocado on a juicy beef patty: with their local meat and products, this burger bar takes its’ clients’ taste buds on a world tour. Vegetarians are not forgotten and are offered a delicious selection of elaborate tofu sandwiches. 

A collective of upcoming young artists, who create anything from clothing and accessories to furniture, reveal their work to the press and the public for four days. Located in the impressive Pavillon Sicli, a local architectural beauty that has become home to some of Geneva’s largest cultural events, the different shows will be at the centre of various debates and conferences. A perfect place for those looking to discover fresh artistic talent. 

Twelve bedrooms with private marble bathrooms, a gym, a Jacuzzi and a lake view terrace: President Wilson Hotel’s Royal Penthouse Suite has it all. However, this comes as no surprise when the you check the price… A staggering 80,000 CHF for one night in this luxury paradise makes it the most expensive hotel room in the world. Amongst it's VIP visitors, celebrities like Rihanna, Richard Branson or Bill Gates have all been happy occupiers of the suite. This being said, the security team that manages the room is what really makes this place special. World leaders like Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev or Egypt's Hosni Mubarak have stayed in this space, surrounded by surveillance cameras and bulletproof glass. The ideal cosy hideaway, in the heart of the city.

In our new regular blog series we profile local entrepreneurs, event organisers and creators whose ideas and passion for their city are changing the local cultural scene. Pascale Clemann is a Swiss-Canadian entrepreneur and co-founder of the Marché Sans Puces, a pop-up trendy market in Geneva that has become hugely successful thanks to its covetable and unique assortment of clothing, artwork and design objects from local stallholders and shop owners.  What events are you currently managing? The Marché Sans Puces is now in its eighth edition and the next one, in June, will take place in Plainpalais, in a large hall with a beautiful courtyard. I am also co-organising the Geneva Street Food Festival in September and I’m working to bring the Piknik Electronique concept, a weekly daytime electronic music gathering, to Geneva, which is planned for the summer of 2016. The events will be similar to the ones in Montreal and Barcelona. <img id="e3d96a52-59eb-023a-e9a9-9d3aab34f399" data-caption="A previous Marché Sans Puces in Geneva" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="116331" loaded="116331" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102528318/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> A previous Marché Sans Puces in Geneva                                                                                         You have lived in cities like Zurich, Madrid and Sydney. Why Geneva? Geneva is undergoing a major positive change. I'm all about pro