Free things to do · Geneva · Switzerland
12 free things to do in Geneva
Geneva without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Credits to Mourad Ben Abdallah / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 4 days in Geneva without paying an entry fee: Jet d'Eau, Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four, Broken Chair and Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions are all free. Stay in a hotel, hostel or campsite to get the free Geneva Transport Card for your whole stay.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 12
- Low-cost extras
- 4
- Cost level
- Very expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- October–April
Free sights and experiences
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Landmark · Eaux-Vives
1.Jet d'Eau
Walk out to the jetty's lighthouse when the wind blows away from the path, and see it lit up from the Pâquis side after dark.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Views
Neighbourhood · Old Town
2.Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four
See the large relief model of 19th-century Geneva in the attic of Maison Tavel before walking the streets it shows.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Landmark · Nations
3.Broken Chair
Combine it with the Red Cross Museum and a walk to the botanical garden.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Art
- Photo spot
Landmark · Old Town
4.Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions
Stop to watch a game on the giant chessboards near the park entrance at Place Neuve.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
Museum · Old Town
5.Musée d'Art et d'Histoire
Ask for the Witz altarpiece first; then explore the period rooms and Swiss painting galleries.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
Garden · Rive
6.Jardin Anglais and the Flower Clock
Walk from the clock along the left-bank quay to the Jet d'Eau, about 15 minutes.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Park · Eaux-Vives
7.Parc La Grange rose garden
Visit in June for the roses, and pack a picnic for the lawns facing the lake.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Nature
- Kids
Garden · Nations
8.Botanical Garden of Geneva
Combine it with the Palace of Nations and the lakeside parks of Mon Repos and the Perle du Lac.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Neighbourhood · Carouge
9.Carouge
Go on a Saturday morning for the market, then browse the craft shops along Rue Saint-Joseph and Rue Ancienne.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Meyrin
10.CERN Science Gateway
Reserve a free guided tour or lab workshop online if you want more than the exhibitions.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Market · Plainpalais
11.Plainpalais flea market
Arrive mid-morning on Saturday for the widest choice, and bring cash for smaller stalls.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Eaux-Vives
12.Natural History Museum
Start with the ground-floor dioramas of Swiss animals, which young children enjoy most.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Eaux-Vives | Jet d'Eau, Parc La Grange rose garden and Natural History Museum | 30 minutes + 1 hour + 2 hours |
| Old Town | Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four, Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions and Musée d'Art et d'Histoire | Half a day + 30 minutes + 2 hours |
| Nations | Broken Chair and Botanical Garden of Geneva | 15 minutes + 1.5 hours |
| Rive | Jardin Anglais and the Flower Clock | 30 minutes |
| Carouge | Carouge | 2–3 hours |
| Meyrin | CERN Science Gateway | 2–3 hours |
| Plainpalais | Plainpalais flea market | 1–2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
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Religious site · Old Town
St. Pierre Cathedral
Climb the north tower first for the lake view, then visit the archaeological site below the nave.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours with towers and excavations
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Architecture
Experience · Pâquis
Bains des Pâquis
Come for fondue at the buvette on a winter evening, or a morning swim in summer before the decks fill.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Food
- Couples
- Views
- Active
Experience · Lake Geneva
Mouettes water taxis and lake cruises
Use a Mouette crossing as a cheap mini-cruise with a close view of the Jet d'Eau.
- Time needed
- 10 minutes to a full day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Museum · Nations
Musée Ariana
Pair it with the Palace of Nations next door; the domed hall alone is worth the visit.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
More ways to save
- Stay in a hotel, hostel or campsite to get the free Geneva Transport Card for your whole stay.
- Collect the free public-transport ticket in the airport baggage hall before leaving the terminal.
- Several major museums are free, including the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire's permanent collection, the Natural History Museum and CERN's Science Gateway.
- Eat a plat du jour at lunch and picnic by the lake in the evening with supermarket food.
- Refill bottles at the city's drinking fountains; tap water is excellent.
- Use a Mouette water taxi on a standard ticket as an inexpensive alternative to a harbour cruise.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Geneva expensive to visit?
Geneva is very expensive for most visitors, but 12 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Geneva?
Jet d'Eau: Walk out to the jetty's lighthouse when the wind blows away from the path, and see it lit up from the Pâquis side after dark.