Travel List Addition: A Weekend in Geneva, Switzerland

This is a sponsored post in partnership with the FatJoe Publishing.
All words and opinions are my own.

Sometimes figuring out where your next stop is can be the most challenging part of traveling. There are so many wonders in the world to discover. When I think about planning my next vacay, I like to consider famous attributes of cities. 

I visited Switzerland my senior year of high school and I was in absolute AWE!  Geneva is well worth adding to your list of holiday vacations because of its natural beauty, variety of castles, free amenities, and of course, the chocolate!

However, Switzerland is not just all mountains and chocolate (although, make sure you don’t pass up the latter), so here’s why you should go and visit the heart of the Suisse Romande, Geneva.

Geneva's Natural Beauty

Image from Zicasso

I know I said it’s not all mountains, but when you can see the Alps from your hotel window it’s hard not to be impressed. See them on a crisp autumn day and it’s a sight to behold, but you don’t just have to gaze from afar. In around an hour you can be up to the nearest points and, if you visit in the winter, you could get some skiing in. Yeah, Skiing in the Alps. Cross it off the bucket list.  

Even closer is the Saleve mountain range, you know, the one featured in Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein. Accessing this point is a little easier because you can drive, hike or take the affordable cable car. You can find a plethora of activities like parachuting, biking and hiking trails at the top. I suggest taking a picnic and spending a long afternoon there.

Then there’s the famous lake, Lake Geneva. Spanning two countries, Switzerland and France. You’ll discover small towns, villages, and castles as you follow it around. It is a very charming mountain town.

Geneva's Tourist Attractions

Image from GeoBeats

Some fun free things to do include sightseeing museums and touring castles. Popular on rainy afternoons (because the weather is often gloomy here) is the impressive, not to mention free, Natural History Museum. Spanning four floors, the museum has a great collection of animals, dinosaurs and temporary exhibitions. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the two-headed the tortoise who resides near the cafe. I suggest going in the summertime to explore this exhibit.

Castles are vast in Switzerland and I remember being in wonderment of all the castles I saw, no matter how big or small. Some are self-guided and some offer full blown tours, history information and gift shops. It is a completely different scene then what America has to offer. Some of these castles are older than the country I live in. I cannot wrap my head around that one!

For a more serious look at the city, visit the impressive Palace of the United Nations. Take a tour or look from outside in the petit square. Here you’ll also find the magnificent yet poignant statue of the Broken Chair. A symbol set outside the Palace to remind world leaders of their commitment to end the use of landmines and cluster bombs.

Up the road, you’ll find the Red Cross Museum, which can be a somber experience yet deeply fascinating.

Geneva also boasts a wealth of fabulous parks, all with adequate space for children to frolic picnics to be enjoyed and sports to be played. Take a look at the Jardin Anglais, the city’s famous floral clock, down by the lake before hopping on a tram and heading to Parc Bastion and the famous Reformation Wall, which depicts statues of Geneva’s famous religious reformers.

Home to thousands of people from across the globe, you’ll see why it’s such a popular destination to work, visit and live. A weekend in Geneva will certainly take some planning so you can hit all of the spots that pique your interests. Check out Passion Roamer and discover what you is available to see, experience and eat in this incredible city.

Enjoy Swiss life at its finest with a weekend trip to Geneva.