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[treehugger1]

Anyone have suggestions re: restaurants, things to do?

I'll be on my own in Geneva for one day + one evening at the end of July, then again for the same period of time about a week later.

Ideas?

[ls410]

Bookmarking: I'll be there too next month and am looking for ideas.

[sea_and_ski]

I was in a similar situation in late spring.  I had flown in, arriving early morning.  These are my tips/what I would suggest.  (Assuming you are arriving by air and staying in a hotel or hostel.)  Geneva is a very easy city to get around by walking and public transportation.

1.  The train from the airport to downtown is free for arriving passengers.  Pick up the ticket from the ticket machine in the baggage claim area.
2.  You get a free transit pass staying in a hotel or hostel.  If you arrive early in the day, I suggest still checking into your hotel to obtain this, even if your room is not ready.
3.  Take the water buses (included on your transit pass) across the harbor to get a relaxing view of the city.  Their zig-zagging routes allow easy connections and offer many different perspectives on the city.
4.  Walk through the old town -- quite scenic and good food
5.  Visit the Palais des Nations (via bus #8).  Very interesting for both current events and history (League of Nations).
6.  Visit the Jet d'Eau.  Depending on the wind and your water tolerance, walking out on the causeway leading to the fountain is fun.
7.  Stroll through the parks on either side of the lake.

We did these in the order 1-2-7-3-6-4-7-5-7 and it was a full day.  We ate at pastry shops and a kebab place, so can't comment on the restaurants.  Enjoy!

[treehugger1]

I was in a similar situation in late spring.  I had flown in, arriving early morning.  These are my tips/what I would suggest.  (Assuming you are arriving by air and staying in a hotel or hostel.)  Geneva is a very easy city to get around by walking and public transportation.

1.  The train from the airport to downtown is free for arriving passengers.  Pick up the ticket from the ticket machine in the baggage claim area.
2.  You get a free transit pass staying in a hotel or hostel.  If you arrive early in the day, I suggest still checking into your hotel to obtain this, even if your room is not ready.
3.  Take the water buses (included on your transit pass) across the harbor to get a relaxing view of the city.  Their zig-zagging routes allow easy connections and offer many different perspectives on the city.
4.  Walk through the old town -- quite scenic and good food
5.  Visit the Palais des Nations (via bus #8).  Very interesting for both current events and history (League of Nations).
6.  Visit the Jet d'Eau.  Depending on the wind and your water tolerance, walking out on the causeway leading to the fountain is fun.
7.  Stroll through the parks on either side of the lake.

We did these in the order 1-2-7-3-6-4-7-5-7 and it was a full day.  We ate at pastry shops and a kebab place, so can't comment on the restaurants.  Enjoy!

Excellent!

Now, all I need are a few good restaurant suggestions ...

[treehugger1]

Oh yeah, and what to do on the second day?

Hmmm?

[treehugger1]

Uh oh.

The dollar has fallen to a record low against the Swiss Franc. Maybe I'll just go with the kebabs. :-)

Sorry for the triple post!

[treehugger1]

Here comes the quadruple post.

What I did in Switzerland: Tried not to buy anything. Wow, I expected it to be over-priced, but not that bad! In case anyone is curious, an average dinner (appetizer, main course + drink) at your humdrum, run-of-the-mill restaurant (say whatever happens to be across the street from your hotel which you not so coincidentally booked in the low-rent red light district) easily runs over 80$.  That street vendor sandwich which you will certainly have the next night? Over 12$. And really, who would buy a crappy T-shirt for $125? Or a nice, "Ann Taylor" quality blouse for over $600? No, seriously.

Good thing some museums were free and the wine (and coffee) totally affordable!

[theblondeassassin]

Here comes the quadruple post.

What I did in Switzerland: Tried not to buy anything. Wow, I expected it to be over-priced, but not that bad! In case anyone is curious, an average dinner (appetizer, main course + drink) at your humdrum, run-of-the-mill restaurant (say whatever happens to be across the street from your hotel which you not so coincidentally booked in the low-rent red light district) easily runs over 80$.  That street vendor sandwich which you will certainly have the next night? Over 12$. And really, who would buy a crappy T-shirt for $125? Or a nice, "Ann Taylor" quality blouse for over $600? No, seriously.

Good thing some museums were free and the wine (and coffee) totally affordable!

It's not just that Switzerland is over-priced, which it always has been by about 50%, but that other currencies are now significantly under-priced by a lot more.

Whilst the strong SFr is good for purchasing power parity (most Swiss purchase everyday goods and leisure experiences in neighbouring countries as much as they can), it's not that good for selling Swiss proucts to foreign purchasers, who make up most of the market.

I may be glad to have that Swiss bank account when all the other currencies have to be hauled around in wheelbarrows!

[treehugger1]

Here comes the quadruple post.

What I did in Switzerland: Tried not to buy anything. Wow, I expected it to be over-priced, but not that bad! In case anyone is curious, an average dinner (appetizer, main course + drink) at your humdrum, run-of-the-mill restaurant (say whatever happens to be across the street from your hotel which you not so coincidentally booked in the low-rent red light district) easily runs over 80$.  That street vendor sandwich which you will certainly have the next night? Over 12$. And really, who would buy a crappy T-shirt for $125? Or a nice, "Ann Taylor" quality blouse for over $600? No, seriously.

Good thing some museums were free and the wine (and coffee) totally affordable!

It's not just that Switzerland is over-priced, which it always has been by about 50%, but that other currencies are now significantly under-priced by a lot more.

Whilst the strong SFr is good for purchasing power parity (most Swiss purchase everyday goods and leisure experiences in neighbouring countries as much as they can), it's not that good for selling Swiss proucts to foreign purchasers, who make up most of the market.

I may be glad to have that Swiss bank account when all the other currencies have to be hauled around in wheelbarrows!

Yeah. I understood all that intellectually before I went, but actually experiencing it ....

Re: wheelbarrows --- I did actually have images of Weimar Germany come to me at some point.

A swiss bank account? Lucky you!

[qrypt]

I'll be in Geneva for a few days next month.  My university's financial regulations contain per diem limits for meals that are wildly unrealistic for travel to Switzerland, with no flexibility for exchange rate movements of the sort we've been seeing.  I anticipate no accommodation from the finance office.

[categorical]

Take a boat trip around the lake.  You can go to Nyon, Yvoire (France), or go further up, stopping at Lausanne or Montreux.  I think that you can get tickets at the train station.

[wegie]

I'll be in Geneva for a few days next month.  My university's financial regulations contain per diem limits for meals that are wildly unrealistic for travel to Switzerland, with no flexibility for exchange rate movements of the sort we've been seeing.  I anticipate no accommodation from the finance office.

Pot noodles and a travel kettle?

[theblondeassassin]

I'll be in Geneva for a few days next month.  My university's financial regulations contain per diem limits for meals that are wildly unrealistic for travel to Switzerland, with no flexibility for exchae nge rate movements of the sort we've been seeing.  I anticipate no accommodation from the finance office.

Pot noodles and a travel kettle?

If there is a workplace lunch where you are visiting, those are usually very good deals. Fill up on lunch there and you will need only a light dinner. (I once had to feed myself for a week on 2SFr -- it was not a very gourmet week, but the lunches at work made it OK).

You can pick up good picnic-type food at supermarkets (e.g., Co-op, Migros)/boulangeries. The open-air markets for fruit, vegetables, and other produce used to be good for bread, cheese, cooked meats, etc., when I lived in Switerland. The weekly organic market in Geneva (Thursday) is supposed to be good.

You could eat at Manora restaurants (buffet style) relatively cheaply but well, they seem to still have that reputation. Other good bets tended to be pizza or pasta (no meat); ethinic foods that we consider cheap (Mexican, Chinese, Indian) were usually very expensive.

If you want a blow-out meal, go to France (e.g., Annecy) or invest in a 2-for-1 card (http://www.assiettegenevoise.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=6).