Geneva - Gateway to the Alps
- Work To Wonders
- Apr 26
- 2 min read
Geneva is quite the place. Effortlessly chic, deeply historic, friendly, and cosmopolitan, with gorgeous views across the lake, all the way to Mont Blanc on a clear day, it's a city that deserves a visit. The fact that anyone with a hotel reservation receives a free transport pass also sweetens the deal.
It's an ideal entry point for the Alps and the rest of Switzerland. The airport has excellent transport connections—way superior to any airport in the UK.
This historic city is the home of many of the Reformers, as well as the United Nations and the Red Cross.
The only drawback for this stunning city is the cost. It is tagged as the most expensive city in the world, and we can definitely see why. Expect to pay around £30-£50 for a main course in a restaurant. Local chocolate, while completely delicious, can cost up to CHF 74 for 250 grams of chocolate almonds.
However, Geneva is absolutely worth it, provided you don't stay in the city for long.
How to get there
There are excellent train and bus connections from most of Central and Western Europe. There are also plenty of reasonably priced flights to Geneva Airport. If you don’t have a hotel booking in Geneva, you will have to pay for the 11-minute, non-stop train journey downtown. If you do, then even the train journey to and from the airport is free.
How we did it
We flew EasyJet from Glasgow and booked accommodation at the Ibis Geneva Centre Nations hotel through Expedia. It's a 10-minute walk, or a few minutes' bus ride, from Geneva station. We were sent a QR code which granted us free transport for the duration of our stay.
Flights: EasyJet
Hotel: Ibis Geneva Centre Nations, booked through Expedia
Tours: We walked and used our free transport pass.
Our top tips
Food in Geneva is expensive wherever you go, but you can save a little if you buy your lunch or dinner at the Migros Supermarket in the train station, or at ChaCha Food Corner, which is a small Filipino take-away a couple of blocks from the station.
Sailing on the yellow mouette boats across the lake is an absolute must, and included in your free transport pass. Take the routes that pass close to the Jet d'Eau, a tourist attraction that started from a burst water valve and spurts water hundreds of meters into the air. Pay close attention to their schedule off-season as they finish before 6 pm.
Walking around the Old Town is a great experience, provided you aren't easily enticed by expensive fashion brands.
Important note: We know that the free transport pass is available in most hotels, which, in general, in Geneva, are expensive. While Airbnb and other similar services are likely to be cheaper, we are not aware of whether or not they also provide the free transport pass.
Want to see where we visited? Click here.
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