Season guide · Geneva · Switzerland
Geneva in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net )., CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cold and often cloudy in the city, but festive in December and close to sunny ski slopes. Expect highs up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 27 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -1°C (30°F) to 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5°C (41°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 9 | 9 h | 2/5 |
| February | 6°C (43°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 8 | 10.3 h | 2/5 |
| December | 5°C (41°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 10 | 8.6 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 5°C (41°F) against a yearly 15°C (59°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 109 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: L'Escalade — costumed parade, a city run and chocolate cauldrons (usually the weekend nearest 11–12 December)
- December: Coupe de Noël — mass swim in the cold lake (usually mid-December)
- December: Christmas markets in the Old Town and by the lake (December)
Good choices for winter
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
Museum · Eaux-Vives
Natural History Museum
Switzerland's largest natural history museum, in the Malagnou district, has floors of lifelike dioramas of Swiss and world wildlife, minerals and fossils, and an exhibition on the history of the Earth.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Neighbourhood · Old Town
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
Historic site · Nations
Palace of Nations
Built between 1929 and 1938 for the League of Nations, the Palais des Nations is now the United Nations Office at Geneva.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Nations
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Allow time for the witness videos, which are the heart of the exhibition.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Annecy (About 1 hour by bus) — Across the French border, Annecy's old town has canals, flower-hung bridges and the island prison of the Palais de l'Isle, beside a clear Alpine lake popular for swimming and cycling.
- Chamonix (About 1 hour 30 minutes by bus) — The French mountain town at the foot of Mont Blanc is the base for the Aiguille du Midi cable car to about 3,800 metres and the rack railway to the Mer de Glace glacier.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Geneva?
It is a trade-off: Cold and often cloudy in the city, but festive in December and close to sunny ski slopes. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Geneva in winter?
Highs of up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.