Victoria Hall, built at the end of the 19th Century in honor of the English queen, is a magnificent concert hall that is both luxurious and acoustically brilliant. Built for classical concerts, the hall is the venue of choice for city-based as well as visiting orchestra groups across the country. The ornate decorative elements and regal ambiance of the hall enhance the performances hosted here. A wide range of cultural events are conducted here throughout the year, which you can't afford to miss. Visit the website for details about upcoming performances.
With a pleasant combination of art galleries, bistros, bric-a-brac and antique shops, the Old City area is popular with tourists and Geneva's younger crowd. You can easily mix shopping with a bit of sightseeing in the area. Art galleries show a surprising range of styles from ancient Chinese and Japanese pots, primitive to impressionism, and all the while in attractive, bright spaces. While the medley of tiny shops makes the Old City particularly appealing for impulse purchases, a large department store in this area provides a good selection of necessities. Less hectic than other parts of the city, it is the perfect place to browse at a leisurely pace and then enjoy a cheese fondue or other regional cuisine. Pause to view the splendid Hôtel de Ville and Maison Tavel along the way. Shoppers can also admire the beautiful architecture and charming ancient streets that beg to be explored.
Les Bains des Paquis is a recreation area situated on the shores of Lake Geneva. Several attractions and activities are offered at this location. During winter, one can bathe at their traditional baths and spas, while in the summer, the lakeshore offers brilliant swimming opportunities. You can also enjoy a lakeside meal at Les Buvette des Bains, or go for a relaxing massage. A great place to relax and rejuvenate.
Having aged gracefully over more than 850 years, this magnificent cathedral lies nestled in Geneva's Old Town. Its interiors set alight by chandeliers, this cathedral boasts ornate chapels like the Chapel of Maccabee adorned with Gothic frescoes, and side aisles bearing tombstones of various luminaries of the church. In addition, its majestic capitals draw influences from the Romanesque and Gothic styles of architecture and are some of the largest in the whole of Switzerland. Not only is this cathedral a solemn dedication to Saint Pierre, but it is also a stirring emblem of Roman Protestantism. A steep climb through a labyrinthine spiral staircase leads to two imposing towers which serve as an outstanding vantage point over the shimmering blue Geneva Lake, charming brown-roofed buildings and the iconic Jet d'Eau. North of this grand structure lies the extensive International Museum of Reformation, which is a stirring insight into theology, and what life looked like after the reformation.
Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York the Statue of Liberty, and Geneva the Jet d'Eau. Resting at the convergence of Lake Geneva and the Rhone, Jet d'Eau is one of the most recognizable emblems of the city. The original fountain was installed in the late-19th Century not far from the current location, where the fountain's ambitious plumes soar as if to embrace the sky. Although built for practical purposes, this fountain has now come to command much appreciation for its ability to augment Geneva's cityscape, and to leave visitors gazing in awe at its sheer glory. With its gushing waters soaring to the height of 140 meters (459 feet) every second, Jet d'Eau has become an epitome of dynamism to the people of Geneva. An engineering feat par excellence, the fountain metamorphoses into a dazzling, luminescent wonder come night.
Located at the intersection of rue Verdaine, rue des Chaudronniers, and rue Étienne-Dumont is the Place du Bourg-de-Four, a bustling town square in Geneva's Old Town. This place draws its historic significance from the historic buildings that surround it; though bearing picturesque, pastel-hued facades with flower-laden windows, at one time these buildings were originally raised to shelter European refugees from across Europe. The square is within close proximity to noteworthy attractions like the Palais de Justice and St. Pierre Cathedral, the largest church in the city. Surrounding the Place du Bourg-de-Four are gelateria, cafés, book stores, art galleries, bars, and bistros which promise a buoyant and enjoyable atmosphere through the day. Once the site of a significant cattle market, the square also offers high-end shopping to today's visitors.
With branches in various popular cities like Los Angeles, New York, London and Rome, Geneva could boast of its own Gagosian Gallery since 2010. A brainchild of art enthusiast, Larry Gagosian, this art gallery aims at giving impetus to contemporary art in the city, promoting it to a wider audience. Modern thought expressed through paintings, sculpture, photography and other art forms are well represented here. Gagosian Gallery also offers its platform to launch upcoming Genevan artists.
Founded in 1981, Andata Ritorno is a contemporary art gallery that has given its space to a number of emerging artistes since its inception. The center is dedicated to promoting fresh talent and has the workshops of several artists as well. Some of the artists to have displayed their art here include Gianni Motti, Yan Duyvendak, Guy Limone and Qui Jie.
Sponsored by Geneva's Department of Cultural Affairs, Halle Nord is a non-profit interactive arts space that seeks to promote contemporary local artists. Sandwiched between a gallery and an art center, the Halle is more of a laboratory, a place of experimentation and expression. In addition to frequent performances and community events, it hosts about fifteen temporary group and solo exhibits each year, all with the goal of facilitating important interactions between ground-breaking Swiss artists and its broader public.
For a cultural experience, the Musée d'Ethnographie de Genève, abbreviated to MEG, is the perfect place to be. Conferences about cultural exchanges take place a few times a year and are animated by experts of the field. Exhibitions are organized throughout the year and workshops on different subjects are also offered. To attend these workshops, prior reservation is a must. The exhibitions focus on societies and cultures the visitor can relate to as well as older civilizations. After a visit at the museum, ethnography, which once was a puzzling word, becomes crystal clear.
Established in 1817, this 18 hectares (44.47 acres) of conservatory has dedicated itself to the nurturing and study of plant and animal life. It boasts some 16,000 species of animals, trees, plants, rose garden, flowers, rock gardens, streams and mountain flora from all over the world, as well as an arboretum, an aviary with multi-colored birds and an animal park. A state-of-the-art research laboratory with a herbarium and a library (22,000 books on botany) make it one of the world's most important botanical centers. Admission is free.
Maison des Arts du Grütli (Grütli House of the Arts) stages plays and musicals nine months of the year, with the shows usually running two to six days a week (Monday is the off-day). Collectively, the entire night is a theatrical experience, and spectators can meet and mingle with the actors before and after a show and join in the debates organized in conjunction with the event. Théâtre du Grütli (Grütli Theater) is subsidized by the City of Geneva Cultural Affairs department and offers reasonably priced theater around the year.