Wish We Were Here: Geneva
It was the year 2000 and one of my New Year’s resolutions was to travel more. So I embarked on a small European tour, the kind of thing an ageing rock band would undertake after a lifetime on the road. A friend from work and I would fly into Switzerland and spend a week in the country before taking a pre-booked interrail pass through the Alps into Milan. The remaining three weeks would be spent touring Italy – taking in Venice and Florence before ending the trip in Rome and flying home via Ciampino airport. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I would fall out with the friend I was travelling with, leaving us separated in Florence. He took off with the money and passports, I spent an anxious night in a mountainside B&B, going over in my mind what I would do to him if he didn’t show up in Rome. Thankfully, he did.
But before the fall out, we spent a week in Switzerland, a country I knew little about. In fact, all I knew about the country could be written on the back of a stamp with a large crayon: Toblerone and political neutrality. However, they say travel broadens the mind, so with my trusty guidebook I quickly sort to remedy this. Upon arrival we found a youth hostel to stay in, dumped our bags and set out to explore Geneva. We had already begun arguing about where we would start.
The first thing that strikes you about Geneva is the mountain air. It had a somewhat soporific effect upon me. We decided to spend our first day checking out the local area. Getting around was easy; the city has a wonderful public tramway system that will whisk you away to wherever you wish to go. One thing that I quickly developed whilst there was an aesthetic appreciation for art. The architecture was fascinating. We found a building in the Les Grottes quarter that looked like it had been coloured in by a child armed with pastels. I asked a local who told me it was called ‘the smurfs building’. My guide informed me it was built in the early 1980’s and inspired by the work of Spanish architect Gaudi.
Things to do:
Take in the views from Lake Geneva
Situated on the eastern side of the Swiss canton of Valais, Lake Geneva is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. Split between Switzerland and France, the view of the mountains from the lakeside are breathtaking. The bucolic landscape is reminiscent of a Constable painting. It is easy to get to as it’s only a short distance from central Geneva, and numerous hotels dotted around the lakeside offer a longer stay. Visit between May-September when the weather is at its warmest. Trust me, the snow will still be there.
Visit the Musée d’art et d’histoire
Located a few hundred metres from the 12th century Saint-Pierre cathedral, it is one of the biggest museums in Switzerland. The 600,000 pieces on show are devoted to art and archaeology throughout the ages. Spread over five floors, it takes you on a captivating journey through time.
Enjoy the Swiss cuisine
Depending on your culinary disposition, eating in Geneva can either be a blessing or a curse. Swiss food is heavily influenced by the cuisines of Germany, France and Northern Italy. Vegans beware. The Swiss love their cheese; fondues are everywhere. When I travelled the country I was vegan and found it very hard to eat anything other than fruit. Vegans should look out for a dish called Birchermüesli (just make sure you switch out condensed milk). Carnivores, I recommend you find a restaurant serving the traditional Tartiflette.
