A weekend in Geneva – A 48 hour fun-packed itinerary to make the best of your time!

When you arrive in Geneva, check-in at your hotel to drop-off your bags and collect your Geneva Transport Card which allows all guests at hotels in the city to use public transport free of charge. Fabulous.

My recommendation for your hotel is the Geneva Marriott, Chemin du Ruisseau 1. The hotel is slightly out of the centre but so well connected, it’s actually in the perfect location. There are so many other reasons to recommend this hotel, beautiful, well-appointed rooms, and an amazing programme of sustainability (read my article in HN Magazine for more information).

CERN Science Gateway
When you’ve dropped your bags head out onto Route de Meyrin at the back of the hotel and the Avanchet tram stop. The number 18 tram (CERN) will take you the visitor centre at the CERN Science Gateway.

All activities and visits are free of charge at the Science Gateway, whether they are guided tours, exhibitions, or science shows and it’s a great way to spend an afternoon. Find out how the large hadron collider works and learn about the 27 km circular tunnel underneath Geneva (and the plans to build a bigger 54 km tunnel!)

It’s great for unleashing your inner science geek or enriching the kid’s science lessons. There are plenty of interactive experiments to get involved in. With so much to do here, it’s best to check the website so that you can plan your visit and make sure you can cover everything that you want to see.

I’d suggest dinner in the hotel at the Moments Restaurant in the hotel - this isn’t your average hotel dining room.

So much care has gone into the food here in order to craft a menu that makes the most of the local environment while being mindful of the global impact. It’s an open kitchen so you can watch the chef preparing your meal, and the menu changes subtly from day-to-day in line with the produce that’s available locally.

Enjoy a fantastic meal, a drink at the rooftop bar (re-opening summer 2025) and don’t forget to try a glass of Chasselas, one of the fantastic local wines!

Get an early night and a great night sleep as you’ve got a busy day tomorrow.

This morning head back to the Avanchet tram stop, and this time catch the number 14 tram heading in the opposite direction (Burnet) this will take you into Geneva centre in about 20 minutes, get off at Gare Cornavin.

Then head to the Geneva Tourist Information Centre to buy your Choco Pass (or buy it online HERE) The Choco Pass is going to form the basis of your morning in Geneva.

It works like this; there are 10 chocolate shops involved, and you have a map of the route to visit them and sample the chocolates! When you visit your first shop, they scan the pass and from that point you have 24 hours to visit them and try all their scrummy chocolate yumminess!!

Most retailers in Geneva, chocolate and otherwise, are closed on Sunday, so making an early start on Saturday allows you time to get around as many shops as possible. Some of the shops have cafes and tea rooms, so you can make the most of your time wandering around Geneva stopping off here and there to collect chocolates, enjoy a cuppa, browse the shops and take in the sights.

There are plenty of options for lunch as you follow the Choco Pass route, even within the shops themselves.

If you’d like something a bit different from classic tearoom fayre, can I suggest DIP Honest Food (Boulevard Georges-Favon), who pride themselves on products that are ethically sourced, unprocessed, and free of artificial preservatives, additives, or refined sugars. It’s a good counterbalance to all that chocolate! I only ate here once, but if I had had the time I would have gone back again, I’m a sucker for a good babaganoush.

In the afternoon, continue your tour of chocolate shops, while ticking off the must-see tourist spots. Geneva is such a walkable city I recommend enjoying your time on foot discovering the local delights as you go.

Jet L’eau– A jet of water, one of the world’s largest fountains and possibly the most iconic landmark in Geneva. The water jets out at 200km an hour!

The Flower Clock – A working clock made of approx. 6,500 plants and flowers, symbolising the Swiss watchmaking heritage.

Cathedrale Saint-Pierre - If you prefer something with a bit of history, the Cathedral on Place du Bourg-de-Four is open to visitors and the view from the tower is amazing.

I’m recommending Café du Grütli for dinner, a bustling, award-winning art café style restaurant on Rue Général Dufour.

Set in a cultural centre that includes a theatre and a cinema as well as event space and exhibitions, you’ll find a menu of local cuisine with sharing plates and lots of vegetarian and vegan options. They often have live music and there is outdoor seating to watch the world go by. It’s a lovely spot to spend the evening, and only 5 mins from the tram to take you back to the hotel.

Before you head back home there’s plenty of time to spend the morning getting to know Geneva a bit better – by tuk-tuk! Welo Swiss will collect you at your hotel and take you on a trip of one of the local vineyards for a wine testing session or you can enjoy an on-board fondue with friends while seeing the city sights. What a perfect way to finish your break! (This must be booked in advance)

If you’d rather sit back and relax, head into to Geneva, and the Bains de Pâquis on the lakeside. Here you’ll find saunas, a mixed and a women-only Hammam, a Turkish bath as well as relaxation spaces and access to the swimming areas and lakeside beach, all covered in the entry ticket.

This weekend itinerary covers lots of the highlights , but Geneva has so much to offer as a city break, I hope to go back and discover more!

Thanks for reading!
Sally

Sally was invited to Geneva as a guest of Switzerland Tourism