2 days in Geneva

Day by day

1. Day 1: Jet d'Eau and Parc La Grange rose garden

   Jet d'Eau, Parc La Grange rose garden, Natural History Museum and St. Pierre Cathedral, then Pâquis in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jet d'Eau

      A walkway leads out along the jetty to its base, where the spray often drifts over visitors. It is lit after dark and switched off in strong wind or freezing weather.

   2. Late morning

      Parc La Grange rose garden

      It joins the Parc des Eaux-Vives, making a long green walk along the shore.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Perch fillets

      Lakeside restaurants and brasseries on both shores of the lake.

   4. Afternoon

      Natural History Museum

      Entry is free, and it is one of the best rainy-day options for families.

   5. Late afternoon

      St. Pierre Cathedral

      Pierre became the centre of the Reformation when John Calvin preached here from 1536; his wooden chair is still in the nave. Its towers can be climbed for views over the lake and the Old Town roofs, and the archaeological site beneath the cathedral reveals layers of earlier churches back to Roman times.

   6. Evening

      Pâquis

      Dense bars and late eateries near the station, with an international crowd.

2. Day 2: Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four and Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions

   Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four, Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions, Musée d'Art et d'Histoire and Palace of Nations, then Plainpalais in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four

      Nearby, the Town Hall has a cobbled ramp instead of stairs and the Alabama room where the first Geneva Convention was signed in 1864, Maison Tavel is the oldest private house in the city and a free museum, and the Promenade de la Treille has a famously long wooden bench.

   2. Late morning

      Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions

      The park also has giant chessboards where locals play and the University of Geneva's main building.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Longeole

      Traditional Genevan restaurants, mostly in the colder months.

   4. Afternoon

      Musée d'Art et d'Histoire

      Its highlight is Konrad Witz's 1444 altarpiece The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, which sets the Gospel scene on Lake Geneva with the Salève and Mont Blanc behind, one of the earliest recognisable landscapes in European painting. The permanent collection is free.

   5. Late afternoon

      Palace of Nations

      Guided tours show the Assembly Hall, the Council Chamber with its murals by José Maria Sert, and the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room under Miquel Barceló's dripping, multicoloured ceiling. Peacocks roam the surrounding Ariana park.

   6. Evening

      Plainpalais

      Student bars along Rue de l'École-de-Médecine and the alternative cultural venue L'Usine near the Rhône.

Before you go

• Palace of Nations: Tours run on a limited schedule and must be booked in advance; availability depends on meetings in session.

If it rains

• Swap in International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (Nations): Allow time for the witness videos, which are the heart of the exhibition.
• Swap in Patek Philippe Museum (Plainpalais): Start on the top floor with the antique collection, then work down to the company's own watches.
• Swap in CERN Science Gateway (Meyrin): Reserve a free guided tour or lab workshop online if you want more than the exhibitions.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–13 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.6 hours in December to 15.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The lakefront, Old Town, Jardin Anglais and Pâquis are all within a short walk; the Old Town is uphill from the lake.

More or fewer days

• One day in Geneva
• 3 days in Geneva

Questions travellers ask