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Natural History Museum, Geneva

Itinerary · Geneva · Switzerland

One day in Geneva

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Geneva, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Grototoro, CC BY-SA 3.0

Quick answer

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. Day 1: Jet d'Eau and Parc La Grange rose garden. Base yourself in Old Town (Vieille Ville).

Key facts

Days
1
Sights covered
4
Day trips
None
Best base
Old Town (Vieille Ville)
Book ahead
Nothing essential

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

      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. Allow 30 minutes.

    2. Late morning

      Parc La Grange rose garden

      Visit in June for the roses, and pack a picnic for the lawns facing the lake. Allow 1 hour.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Perch fillets

      Lakeside restaurants and brasseries on both shores of the lake.

    4. Afternoon

      Natural History Museum

      Start with the ground-floor dioramas of Swiss animals, which young children enjoy most. Allow 2 hours.

    5. Late afternoon

      St. Pierre Cathedral

      Climb the north tower first for the lake view, then visit the archaeological site below the nave. Allow 1.5 hours with towers and excavations.

    6. Evening

      Pâquis

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

If it rains

  • Swap in Old Town and Place du Bourg-de-Four (Old Town): See the large relief model of 19th-century Geneva in the attic of Maison Tavel before walking the streets it shows.
  • Swap in Palace of Nations (Nations): Bring photo ID and arrive early for security screening at the visitors' entrance.
  • Swap in International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (Nations): Allow time for the witness videos, which are the heart of the exhibition.

Where to stay for this itinerary

$$$$ · Best for couples, culture, quiet stays and first-timers

Old Town (Vieille Ville)

Hilltop lanes around St. Pierre Cathedral, Place du Bourg-de-Four and antique galleries

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 5–5 hours of visiting over one day, 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

Questions travellers ask

+Is one day enough in Geneva?

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. How many days Geneva needs.