Geneva was voted the best city to live in 2014. This is the most comfortable, comfortable and interesting European city, its only drawback is that life here is very pleasant, but not cheap.
A moderately humid and mild climate reigns here - Geneva is located on the shore of the lake. In summer it is warm enough to swim in the lake, but in winter it can be freezing rain and the weather can be uncomfortable. But at the same time, a lot of interesting people gather in Geneva at Christmas, and there are Christmas markets and festivals, so it is worth coming here in winter.
Districts of Geneva
The historic center of Geneva is located between two rivers - the Rhone and Arve, there are preserved ancient buildings, temples and many museums. On the opposite bank of the Rhone is a modern business and administrative center: the headquarters of many international organizations are located in Geneva.
For tourists, the following quarters of these main areas can be distinguished:
- Ryu Bas Fustry;
- Site;
- Holland;
- Palais des Nations;
- Mon Repo;
- Sesheron;
- Mont Blanc;
- Dorsier;
- Ser-Gervais;
- Se Same;
- Champel;
- Maison Royal;
- Monchoisy.
Rue Bass Fustree, Cité, Holland
These quarters are the historic center of Geneva. Here on a hill is the Cathedral of St. Petra, and from the observation deck on one of its towers you can see the whole city. Its heart is the Bourg-de-Four square, on which the historical buildings of the XIV-XVI centuries have been preserved. The City Hall was built in 1455, the Geneva Museum is located in a building from 1303. In the same neighborhoods there is a Museum of Contemporary Art, a Museum of Natural History, the famous flower clock in the park by the lake, and much more.
Shopping here is mainly represented by souvenir shops and small specialized shops. However, it is worth paying attention to the Bon Geni shopping complex. There is a flea market not far from it, but there are few ordinary grocery stores in the historical center.
There are practically no parking lots: the streets are narrow here, parking, as a rule, is taken out underground, but only the most expensive hotels have them. Many of them are occupied by historical buildings - mainly buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but there are also real unique ones. For example, the hotel Les Armures is located in a 17th century building, and a restaurant has been operating since that time. In 1854, the Hôtel Métropole Genève was built overlooking the waterfront. But mostly small apartments are presented in the center: modern huge hotels do not fit well into the historical buildings. And in apartments in old houses it may not be very good with Wi-fi. At the same time, hotels here are not cheap, and restaurants, which have 100-200 years of history, are expensive, so only true lovers of antiquity and medieval European cities should stop here.
As for entertainment, the famous nightclub L'Usine is located practically on the waterfront - this is the youngest place in Geneva. But most of the entertainment is on the other side of the Rhone.
Mont Blanc, Dorsier, Ser-Gervais, Se Same
The opposite bank of the Rhone from the Old Town. Back at the end of the 19th century, it was an industrial area with factories. But now it is the most expensive and fashionable place in Geneva, and some factory buildings have been turned into nightclubs. The most expensive are hotels on the Mont Blanc pedestrian promenade with views of Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc, towering above it. The bridge is also called, which connects the two banks at the beginning of the embankment. From here you can clearly see the famous Geneva Jet d'eau fountain, the jets of which hit the top for almost 150 meters. The promenade begins with a pier and ends with a swimming pool with a jumping tower, next to which is the La buvette des Bains des Paquis restaurant - it is believed that it has the cheapest and freshest oysters.
On this bank of the Rhone is the Geneva Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame, built in the neo-Gothic style in the middle of the 19th century, the Trinity Church at the Mont Blanc bridge in 1853. Near the railway station, several large shopping centers - for example, Manor Geneve. There are more nightclubs and bars on this side. There are also old hotels here, but not in historical buildings of the 19th century, but in buildings of the mid-20th century, for example, the five-star President Wilson. It was built of glass and concrete using the latest technology in 1962. The "Royal Suite" in this hotel is the most expensive hotel room in the world, the suites are not much inferior to it. It is here that the heads of state traditionally stay when they come to Geneva.
The second famous hotel in this part of the city is Le Richemond. It is older, built in 1875. In it, the famous French writer Colette wrote her last novel: her memorial room is kept in the hotel. Another luxurious hotel is the Grand Hotel Kempinski, which has the most fashionable nightclub in the city, Java Club, and its own theater. The Hotel d'Angleterre is housed in a restored 1930s mansion. In short, if you want to live truly luxuriously, then this part of the city will suit you best.
Palais des Nations, Mon Repos, Sesheron
Three blocks north of the city center, essentially one large steam zone. Mon Repos Park is only one part of this park. They are located on the shores of Lake Geneva. There is a pier, bike paths, playgrounds. This landscape was created at the beginning of the 19th century as a manor, several park pavilions and grottoes have survived, and many trees are more than a hundred years old.
To the north of this park is the Botanical Garden. Its foundation was laid at the same time when rare plants were ordered specially for the manor garden. Botanist O. Decandol is considered the founder of the Botanical Garden of Geneva. Now the garden occupies 28 hectares, and its collection includes twelve thousand species of plants. There are greenhouses, a park area, an arboretum, a pharmaceutical garden, an orchard, and there is a beach on the shore.
And, finally, the third park in this area is Ariana, which houses the complex of buildings of the Palais des Nations. They were built in the mid-30s. of the last century, at first it was used as the headquarters of the League of Nations, and since 1966 it has been the European seat of the United Nations. There are many interesting monuments in the park around the palace: for example, a weapon with a barrel tied in a knot, which is aimed at the Palace. The state rooms and meeting rooms were designed by famous artists of the 20th century, and many works of modern art were used in the interiors. You can get here with a guided tour.
Non-park areas of the district are also occupied by administrative buildings. For example, there is the Geneva Institute of International Relations, several interesting museums, for example, the Red Cross Museum. But there is almost no shopping, few restaurants and no nightlife. This is the front part of the modern city, which is most suitable for lovers of walking.
Maison Roaille, Monchoisy
Areas on the shores of Lake Geneva on the opposite side of the Mont Blanc. The main attraction here is La Grande Park. This is also a former country estate park, like Mon Repos, now transformed into an urban space: there are two summer theaters, dog walking grounds, a magnificent rose garden, centenary cedars and chestnuts, statues and park pavilions.
Opposite the park on the lakeside is Baby Plage, a beach specially designed for children. There is an amusement park with attractions, a safe area for the little ones, an ice cream parlor, in a word, everything for the kids to have fun. And to the north there is another beach area for adults. This area has a large supermarket and many small shops, and at prices it is more democratic than the historic center.
The most original location in the area is the Floatinn Boat-BnB, which sits directly on a yacht moored in front of the park.
Champel
This is an elite area in the south of the city, on a hill above the Arv River, no longer historical, but residential. Accordingly, its advantage is a well-developed infrastructure: there are not boutiques and souvenir shops, but ordinary supermarkets and shopping centers, many parking lots, playgrounds, by public transport you can quickly get to anywhere in the center.
There are many young people in the area - there is a university dormitory here. It is also the most athletic place in the city: a large sports center is located in the Arva bend in the south of the district, and several stadiums and sports centers are located along its banks in the immediate vicinity. There are quite a few restaurants here, and they are more budgetary than in the city center.
Nearby is the main Russian landmark of Geneva - the Orthodox Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in 1866. In addition, in this area there is a large green park Bertrand, and in it, on a hill above the Arve River, a pavilion in the form of the ruins of a Gothic castle.
