Hotel Royal Geneva

Genève-Cornavin railway station is Geneva's main train station, located in the centre of the city. The station has over 400 train departures every day from its eight through-platforms. Platforms 7 and 8 have French and Swiss border controls. Long distance and regional express trains leave for France without making any stops in Switzerland. The Hotel Royal is 300 meters away from the train station

Scale the heights! At the highest point of the Old Town, its towers offer a breathtaking panorama. And its vaults house the largest archaeological site north of the Alps. St Peter's Cathedral, built in the 12th century, underwent important transformations in the 16th century. The first walls were constructed around 1160 and work continued for almost a century. In 1535 at the time of the Reformation, the Cathedral became a place of Protestant worship. Visitors undaunted by climbing the 157 steps of the north tower are rewarded with an incredible view of the city and the lake. Don't forget to visit the archaeological site below the Cathedral and admire its treasures dating back to Antiquity.

Geneva Airport is the international airport of Geneva, the second most populous city in Switzerland. It is located 4 km (2.5 mi) from the city centre. It surpassed the 15 million passengers mark for the first time in December 2014. The airport serves as a hub for Swiss International Air Lines and easyJet Switzerland. It features a route network of flights mainly to European metropolitan and leisure destinations as well as some long-haul routes to North America, China and the Middle East.

The lakeshore’s star attraction is the elegant water fountain, dazzling visitors as it shoots 140 metres into the sky. Originally a simple security valve at the Coulouvrenière hydraulic factory, the Jet d'Eau has become the landmark of Geneva. Its millions of air bubbles will immediately put you under its spell. The fountain came into being by chance. In 1886, a hydraulic power station was built to deliver water under pressure from the Rhône to the city’s fountains, households and factories. One evening, pressure build-ups forced the engineers to install a special pressure relief valve. This marked the birth of the Jet d’Eau. The ephemeral work of art soon became a tourist attraction and was moved closer to the lakeside. With time, water column grew taller. Since 1951, an autonomous pumping station has propelled 500 litres of water per second to a height of 140 metres at a speed of 200 km/h (124 mph)

Art from Antiquity, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Culture and tribal art of the world’s civilizations are part of this amazing collection. Situated in the heart of the Old Town, the Barbier-Müller Museum preserves, exhibits and studies a collection started in 1907. Today the collection contains several thousand artworks from tribal and classical Antiquity as well as sculptures, fabrics and ornaments from around the world. Many of these items are priceless masterpieces. These “historic” items cannot be found anywhere else today, which makes this private collection the most important of its kind in the world.

Leaning against the city’s ancient fortifications, the Reformation Wall keeps watch over the Parc des Bastions. A stone’s throw from the Place de Neuve in an exceptionally beautiful park, Europe’s most important Protestant reformers are honoured with giant statues and bas-reliefs. The Reformation Wall in the Parc des Bastions is an imposing monument. The major reformers are portrayed with giant statues and bas-reliefs. In the middle stand Jean Calvin, Guillaume Farel, Théodore de Bèze and John Knox. On the sides we find those who carried the Reformation across Europe. Geneva’s maxim ‘Post Tenebras Lux’ (light after darkness) is engraved into the wall because it also became the motto of the Reformation movement. At the park’s entrance lies the Place de Neuve with its buildings dedicated to art and culture.

An encyclopaedia of cultures from the prehistoric to contemporary periods. Multidisciplinary in its approach, Geneva's Museum of Art and History invites visitors to travel back in time, and to cover all the important stages in the history of Western civilization. Inaugurated in 1910, the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire is one of the three largest museums in Switzerland and the only one with such a wide range of collections, the result of the merging of several regional museums and donations from collectors, foundations and philanthropic citizens. The richness of its collections is further enhanced by the presence of major works and several unique series, making it an institution of international standing.

A village in the city. Carouge, this ancient market town that formerly belonged to the kingdom of Sardinia, lives a Genevan version of “la dolce vita”. Its streets lined with boutiques, food shops and workshops exude a Bohemian atmosphere. Visitors appreciate the lively ambience on its leafy squares. Carouge, across the River Arve, is the Greenwich Village of Geneva. You can spend hours strolling along the streets and window shopping in its galleries and boutiques. The Mediterranean architecture reflects its Sardinian origins, giving it this air of the South. Spend a relaxing few hours on its shaded terraces in the company of residents, craftsmen, antique dealers or artists. Or an evening with Geneva’s smart set in a trendy bar!