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Lake Geneva, Geneva

4.7
#1 of 1,929 in Things to do in Switzerland
Water Body Nature / Park Must See
One of Western Europe's largest bodies of water, Lake Geneva sits on the northern side of the Alps. Shared by Switzerland and France, the lake serves as one of the continent's most popular year-round travel destinations, its pristine natural areas a favorite stomping ground for both hikers and skiers. The Swiss side of the lake features a string of picturesque cities, the largest of which is Geneva. This city serves as a hub for paddle steamer cruises, providing a slow but scenic way of connecting to other ports on the lake. After visiting the region's old wineries, castles, and thermal baths, head to one of the lake's tranquil beaches, backed by rugged mountain scenery and shady woodlands. Use our Geneva vacation route planner to arrange your visit to Lake Geneva and other attractions in Geneva.
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Related Tours to Book
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Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
5,785 reviews
TripAdvisor
  • August 19, 2017
    I was on my way to Annecy when I had a four hour wait in Geneva. The lake is a 5 minute walk from the gare routière on rue des alpes. I walked along the lakefront for half hour. It's beautiful and I c...  more »
  • August 19, 2017
    On a hot summer day, take the ferry around the lake. See the Jet d'eu, relax as you saunter to Lausanne or perhaps Evian Les Bains. The lake straddles the frontier between France and Switzerland and i...  more »
  • August 18, 2017
    Geneva representative spot for the spring and summer along Lake, various events are also held. Is seen doing a winter swimming in the dead of winter scene
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Best things to do in Geneva

Popular
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St Pierre Cathedral
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Palais des Nations, Genève
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Patek Philippe Museum
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
Side Trips
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Chillon Castle
Veytaux
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Olympic Museum Lausanne (Musee Olympique)
Lausanne
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Cathedrale de Lausanne
Lausanne
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
Museums
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International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Geneva
Visit for: 3​h
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Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Maison Tavel
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
Hidden Gems
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Jardin Anglais
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h
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Site archéologique de la Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Genève
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Parc La Grange
Geneva
Visit for: 2​h 30​min
Parks
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Parc Des Bastions
Geneva
Visit for: 2​h 30​min
Mon-Repos Park
Geneva
Visit for: 2​h 30​min
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Parc Trembley
Geneva
Visit for: 2​h 30​min
Nearby
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The Geneva Water Fountain
Geneva
Visit for: 30​min
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Trip Trap Escape
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Flower Clock
Geneva
Visit for: 1​h 30​min
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Where to stay in Geneva

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In the elegant city of Geneva, a little shuteye doesn't come cheap. A number of relatively expensive hotels surround the lakefront, a prime location for visitors here; note that these tend to fill up for conferences and trade shows, so plan accordingly. More budget-minded travelers can look into options closer to the airport, which is a quick 15-minute ride on public transport into the city. While there a very few family-owned guesthouses and hotels, there are a handful of hostels--though these too are priced pretty steep. You can also find more affordable options in the outlying cities of Annemasse and Gaillard.
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Plans in Geneva by other users

31 days in Europe BY A USER FROM AUSTRALIA January, culture, outdoors, romantic, historic sites, shopping, popular PREFERENCES: January, culture, outdoors, romantic, historic sites, shopping ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 10 days in France, Geneva & Courmayeur BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES November, outdoors, popular & hidden gems PREFERENCES: November, outdoors ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular & hidden gems PACE: Medium 2 days in Geneva BY A USER FROM EGYPT October, popular PREFERENCES: October ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 3 days in Geneva BY A USER FROM EGYPT October, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, romantic, historic sites, popular & hidden gems PREFERENCES: October, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, romantic, historic sites ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular & hidden gems PACE: Medium 13 days in Geneva BY A USER FROM SINGAPORE December, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, historic sites, shopping, wildlife, popular PREFERENCES: December, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, historic sites, shopping, wildlife ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 3 days in Geneva BY A USER FROM SINGAPORE November, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, historic sites, shopping, popular PREFERENCES: November, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, historic sites, shopping ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 12 days in Switzerland & Sweden BY A USER FROM SINGAPORE December, popular PREFERENCES: December ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 7 days in Switzerland BY A USER FROM UNITED ARAB EMIRATES October, teens, popular PREFERENCES: October, teens ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 26 days in Europe BY A USER FROM UNITED ARAB EMIRATES September, popular PREFERENCES: September ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 18 days in Switzerland BY A USER FROM HONG KONG June, culture, relaxing, romantic, popular PREFERENCES: June, culture, relaxing, romantic ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 24 days in Switzerland BY A USER FROM HONG KONG June, culture, relaxing, romantic, popular PREFERENCES: June, culture, relaxing, romantic ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 19 days in Switzerland BY A USER FROM HONG KONG June, culture, relaxing, romantic, popular PREFERENCES: June, culture, relaxing, romantic ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium
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