Neither the capital nor the largest city in Switzerland, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Geneva, next to traveler magnets like Zurich, must be pretty middle-of-the-road. Far from it!
Geneva is famous for its cosmopolitan appeal, functioning as the headquarters of countless international organizations and companies. Geneva is also known for its excellence in cuisine, finance, and other fields as well as its breathtaking Alpine surroundings.
By uncovering the magic of Geneva far beyond first appearances, you’ll find that this city is a truly beautiful place to be! Let’s explore it together and find out about some of the greatest things that Geneva is known and famous for.
Table of Contents
1. The Geneva Convention
Gather a hundred people from all over the world in a room and ask them to name one single thing that Geneva is most famous for, and most of them are bound to bring up the Geneva Convention.
It might surprise you to know that this world-changing document was not just signed and ratified in Geneva once, but four times since 1864.
When people bring up the Convention in the singular, they generally mean the most recent version, which replaced all the previous Conventions and was signed after the end of World War Two, in 1949.
All the Conventions concern themselves with the issue of humane treatment of soldiers (including prisoners) during times of war.
They essentially set the first international ground rules for armed conflict, and the first of the Conventions set the foundation for the Red Cross as well!
2. CERN
Geneva has not just been the stage for some of the most world-changing events in international diplomacy.
It’s also known the world over as the home of CERN, the leading center for nuclear research that has contributed to countless milestones, perhaps most notably the first observation of the Higgs boson in 2012 using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN’s headquarters, just outside of Geneva.
Oh, and as if that wasn’t enough, its proximity to CERN probably also makes Geneva the world’s most popular city with conspiracy theorists of all stripes.
There’s a nearly endless supply of myths to the point where it makes you wonder: how are the Franco-Swiss particle scientists supposed to destroy the world this time around?
3. The United Nations
Geneva’s association with politics on an international scale goes far deeper than the Geneva Convention.
Geneva is also famous for serving as one of the main headquarters of the United Nations. The famous complex, called the Palais des Nations, was originally designed as the headquarters of the Leauge of Nations.
Today, the influence of the UN presence in the city is one of the things that has made it so unusually cosmopolitan, with the biggest chunk of Geneva’s residents coming from abroad.
Fun fact: Despite containing one of only four main offices of the UN, Switzerland as such never joined the organization until 2002, citing its position of neutrality.
This is only possible because every UN headquarters site is officially designated as international territory, which is to say that you can actually cross borders without ever leaving Geneva!
4. Swiss Chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth, you’re going to love Geneva.
While you can argue that there is no one birthplace of Swiss chocolate and the tradition extends almost equally throughout the entire country, there’s also no denying that Geneva is famous for its particular take on sweet delights.
Geneva is chock-full of chocolatiers, from internationally-renowned brands to tiny boutiques, some of which have been in the business for centuries.
5. Medicine
I mentioned already that the Geneva Convention signed in this monumental city helped lay the groundwork for the International Society of the Red Cross — which, by the way, is still headquartered here as well.
But Geneva’s connection with high standards of medicine goes far deeper than that. Already in pre-industrial times, some of the best hospitals and spas in the world were located in Geneva, and people traveled at great expense seeking treatment here.
Today, Geneva-based international organizations like the World Health Organization continue this legacy.
6. Lake Geneva
Zurich might be the larger, busier, and more heavily-visited Swiss city with a famous lake within its limits, but nothing can beat the tranquil beauty of Lake Geneva.
A major intersection right at the foot of the Alps, the Lake is shared about 60/40 between Switzerland and France and also defines both countries’ borders with Italy.
Besides that, it makes for one of the region’s top destinations for watersports including competitive boating, tubing, wave running, and of course the most traditional pastime of all Genevois — those long, pensive walks by the water just around sundown.
7. The Jet D’Eau
One of the most iconic symbols of Geneva, the Jet D’eau is a 140-meter tall water fountain situated right where the Rhône river flows out of the lake.
You really have to see the Jet in person to appreciate how huge it is. Almost no other water fountain in the world comes close, and the sheer volumes of water necessary to keep it operational are insane to think about!
In case you’re wondering, the Jet has been spraying unsuspecting tourists in Geneva since about 1891, mostly uninterrupted except for downtimes during particularly harsh, freezing winters.
8. Finance
If there is one industry in Geneva that towers above all the rest in terms of revenue, employment, and other markers, it’s that of international finance.
That’s no big surprise, either. As the headquarters of the World Trade Organization along with countless big banks such as Crédit Suisse, ING, and UBS, the city has long been one of the most important global financial centers.
You might not have heard of it before, but Geneva is also known for being among the global hot spots in commodity trading.
From oil to gold, from cotton to rare earths, anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of some of the most important resources to the global economy are traded right here, in Geneva!
9. Fine Dining
If there is one hallmark of a classic European metropolis, it’s excellent food. Geneva sure has plenty of that — with a population that’s in large parts comprised of expats, diplomats, and those working in the foreign services of their countries, the influences on the local food scene are extremely diverse.
Geneva is one of those rare cities where you can truly have a bite of everything — say, a traditional Swiss fondue for breakfast, Ethiopian for lunch, and Vietnamese for dinner. How does that sound?
10. Watchmaking
Closely behind only the finance sector, watchmaking is one of the longest-lived and most important industries in Geneva.
If names like Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Piaget ring a bell for you, then place a pin by Geneva on your “to-visit” world map. Swiss watchmaking has been compared to fine art, and nowhere can you experience what this truly means better than here.
11. Excellent Transportation
Despite not having ever been the official capital of Switzerland, Geneva is arguably the most well-connected city in the whole country. Its highways lead you straight into France, Italy, or Germany within only a few hours of driving or less.
The same can be accomplished with even greater convenience by a visit to Geneva’s large central railway station. French TGVs can take you from and into the country at blistering speeds while Swiss regional trains easily transport you to nearby traveler’s delights such as Lausanne, Lucerne, Bern, or Zurich.
On top of that, Geneva is also famous for hosting one of Switzerland’s busiest airports, with connections including direct flights to almost all the popular destinations around Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond.
If you’re not planning to leave Geneva in the first place, you’ll also be delighted to hear that not just the entire metropolitan area, but the whole canton of Geneva is well-served by a large bus, tram, and cantonal railway network.
12. The Price
This might come as a bit of a bummer, but there’s no denying it. Geneva is known for being one of the most expensive places to live in the world.
And you really have to be there to appreciate just how high those prices really go. Housing, as in many desirable European cities, is incredibly competitive and tight, which leads to sky-high rents and a nearly unapproachable real estate market.
But even the little, day-to-day things like groceries and basic utilities are going to cost you dearly.
I’ve never lived in Geneva long-term, but some of my friends who have tell me they actually drive across the border to France for their weekly shopping runs.
As funny as it sounds, that can save you a lot of money living in Geneva! So, make no mistake: to truly enjoy living in this city, your pockets need to be deep. But in return, you get a real lot for what you put in!
