Outdoors · Geneva · Switzerland
7 best outdoor things to do in Geneva
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net )., CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions, Bains des Pâquis and Jardin Anglais and the Flower Clock. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 7–9 hours across 6 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 7–9 hours
- Areas
- Old Town, Pâquis and Rive
Outdoors in Geneva
Landmark · Old Town
1.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
Experience · Pâquis
2.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
Garden · Rive
3.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
4.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
5.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
Experience · Lake Geneva
6.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 · Eaux-Vives
7.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions | 30 minutes |
| Pâquis | Bains des Pâquis | 1–3 hours |
| Rive | Jardin Anglais and the Flower Clock | 30 minutes |
| Eaux-Vives | Parc La Grange rose garden and Natural History Museum | 1 hour + 2 hours |
| Nations | Botanical Garden of Geneva | 1.5 hours |
| Lake Geneva | Mouettes water taxis and lake cruises | 10 minutes to a full day |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 5 free, 2 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Bains des Pâquis; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Town, Pâquis, Rive and Eaux-Vives): Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions → Bains des Pâquis → Jardin Anglais and the Flower Clock → Parc La Grange rose garden, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Eaux-Vives, Nations and Lake Geneva): Natural History Museum → Botanical Garden of Geneva → Mouettes water taxis and lake cruises, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- September: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds. Often settled and mild; the grape harvest begins in the surrounding vineyards.
- June: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 9 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and long-lit, with roses in bloom at Parc La Grange and the swimming season beginning.
- July: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Warmest month, ideal for swimming at the Bains des Pâquis and lake cruises; occasional thunderstorms.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Pâquis — Multicultural streets between the station and the lake, with the city's best-value eating
- Eaux-Vives — Left-bank lakeside district of parks, the Jet d'Eau and neighbourhood restaurants
- Nations — International district of the UN, the Red Cross, parks and lakeside hotels
More of Geneva
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Geneva?
Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions. Set into the old city ramparts in the Parc des Bastions, this 100-metre monument completed in the early 20th century shows the reformers Guillaume Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza and John Knox as giant stone figures, flanked by smaller statues and inscriptions.
+Which of these are free in Geneva?
Reformation Wall and Parc des Bastions, Jardin Anglais and the Flower Clock, Parc La Grange rose garden, Botanical Garden of Geneva and Natural History Museum.