Geneva, Switzerland is well known as a city in the center of politics and business for the world. It is also a place full of beautiful and interesting attractions for tourists to visit. Often ranking in the world’s top ten most expensive cities to live, Geneva also has many free activities to offer visitors and inhabitants alike.
To begin, there’s transportation options. Geneva boasts an excellent public transport system. Luckily, many hotels offer a free pass for all trams and buses for the duration of your stay. If that is not the case, there is also a free bike rental service with five different locations in the city. Information for bike rental locations can be found on the Geneve Roule website (http://geneveroule.ch/). From within the main parts of the city all the main attractions are a walkable distance.
In the center of the city you will find Lac Leman. The lake itself offers a great way to spend the day. Sitting by the water, on any spot, will offer a view of the the lakeside buildings with a backdrop of mountains. On the south bank, on the side of Rive Gauche, you will find the Jardin Anglais (English Garden). This is a great spot to sit and take in the view. Also, it is where you can find the famous flower clock.
Following the lakeside, you will be directly on your way to the Jet d’Eau. This massive jet of water is Geneva’s most famous landmark. From the jet, passing the marina, you can reach Baby Plage, a free beach complete with tire swings for the kids.
In the Eaux-Vives neighborhood of Geneva, next to the Jet d’Eaux, you will find the city’s largest park. Parc de la Grange features a beautiful mansion, Roman ruins and a rose garden. If you are in visiting in July or August, the stage in the park plays host to free concerts every Wednesday and Friday evening.
Atop the hill of the Rive Gauche sits the Vieille Ville (old city) portion of Geneva. Its narrow streets, courtyards and architecture offer a great place to walk and experience the city. Inside Vieille Ville are the Museum of Art and History and Cathedral of Saint Pierre. The museum offers free admission to its permanent exhibits. The museum has a large collection of fine arts pieces and relics from ancient cultures (http://ville-ge.ch/mah). The Saint Pierre cathedral dominates the skyline of the city as seen from the lake, and is as impressive inside as it is out (http://www.saintpierre-geneve.ch).
On the outskirt of the city lies the famous center for physics research, CERN. Their world-recognized experiment uses a particle accelerator called the Large Hadron Collider. The LHC is inside a tunnel 17 miles in circumference partially beneath Geneva. CERN offers free tours with reservations made at http://outreach.web.cern.ch/outreach. Reservations should be made a few months in advance.
Geneva has much to offer for all different interests. It is not only a center for international business and politics, but a hub for culture. With all the free attractions it has to offer, one can experience it’s natural beauty, architecture, cultural offerings and famous monuments.
