Must stay in Geneva, so what to do?

I for one find Geneva fascinating - at first glance it appears blah - modern, etc. but ferret out its Old Town around the cathedral and it becomes more dreamy

And do a lake boat tour - like the one that goes by many famous lakeside houses of luminaries that have flocked to this cosmopolitan town - home to many international organizations like the Red Cross.

And for a sweet excursion consider tripping over to Lausanne and hopping the Chocolate Train that goes to Gruyeres - medieval walled town par excellence - and visits a cheese factory there - then the train, composed of Belle Epoque Pullman cars and with wine and cheese being served en route - rolls ove to the Broc Nestle Factory for a Willy Wonka tour. From Lausanne the train goes right up thru a vineyard carpeted incline.

Lausanne itself is a nice town as well - a short train ride away.

I don't think it's a bad place at all. Very beautiful and lots of diversity there. I agree with the boat tour. You can consume an entire day with that. Either train to Vevey (1 hour) and boat back (5 hours) or see if it works the other way. Be sure to stroll around the old part of Geneva.

The Chocolate Train Travel Information from Rail Europe
Have a sweet trip when you ride the Swiss chocolate train to the chocolate factory in Broc, Switzerland.
www.raileurope.com/train...trains/chocolate-train/index.html

I would look at the latest TripAdvisor reviews of hotels if you absolutely must stay IN Geneva (I agree with the others, depending on your interests there can be lost to do) and also depending on your interests you could easily stay in nearby Lausanne. In fact you could easily stay in several nearby towns and get back to Geneva for your actual trek quite quickly.

There's an incredible excavation of a Roman religious site beneath the cathedral. My friends had never heard of it and were skeptical until they got down there -- mosaics and all kinds of artifacts intact. I think it was in one of my guidebooks, but if you're interested I can find out more!

Thank you thank you all! Such great suggestions. I'd love to see the Roman excavation and I also love the idea of a boat tour and day trip out of Geneva. I think with three days there, we will have lots of interesting/beautiful things to do. If anyone has a favorite hotel IN Geneva, please let me know, but I'll definitely check out the TripAdvisor reviews as well. Any suggestions for my birthday dinner?

I'm a big fan of Geneva -- lived there for two years, go back at least annually -- but hotels at less than a crippling price point can be a challenge. If money is no object, a lakeview room at the Mandarin Du Rhone or the Four Seasons (or one of the lesser ones on the waterfront -- de la Paix, Swisshotel, etc.) is the way to go. Alternatively, Les Armures, up in the cobblestoned Old Town, is quite charming and characteristic, and probably somewhat less expensive.

However, we'll sometimes stay down the lake in the village of Ouchy, just below Lausanne. It's really just a beautiful little place with amazing views of the mountains/lake, nice hotels (at a somewhat lower price point), the International Olympic Museum, etc. Great vibe. We stay at the Hotel Residence and Angleterre, which is quite charming and not insanely expensive. Then we'll shoot in to Geneva (about 45 mins by car, less by train) for a day to visit favorite restaurants, wander Old Town, whatever. The reality is that Geneva doesn't have a lot of (if any) must-sees, and it's more about the scenery and setting - and you get that big time in Lausanne (or, really, any of the towns along the lake).

Here is the link to the archaelogical site under Cathedral St. Pierre - amazing!

http://www.site-archeologique.ch/

When I was in Geneva we had to make a pilgrimage to the Cafe de Paris because my British friend's family celebrated ALL birthdays and occasions there when they lived in Geneva during his teen years. It was a hoot -- they serve ONLY steak, frites, and salad and the place was packed. I thought it was great fun. Once my friend had asked his parents why they never ate anywhere else. His mother said, "It's the sauce."

Thanks for all the great advice, I'm sure I can plan a great three days - I'll check current hotel prices both in Geneva and nearby and we'll definitely visit the ruins in the cathedral! Cafe de Paris sounds really fun too. Appreciate it!

Julie

I don't know why people are so down on Geneva. I think it's perfectly charming and easy to spend several days there and nearby. there is a very quaint old town, some great museums, boats on the lake and you can do visits to Montreaux/Chillon Castle and a bunch of other places that are barely beyond the suburbs.

Geneva is OK. The Old Town was particularly interesting and the part along the lake. That said, I'd still take the train out to Vevey/Montreux at least one day.

I was researching excursions from Geneva also. Looking at the 'myswitzerland.com website, it indicates that one excursion would be to Mont Saleve, in nearby France. The trip is by cable car, and upon reaching the summit you're rewarded with views of Lake Geneva, The Jura, Mont Blanc, and a chain of alps. Greg

I'm glad there is no need to put a plug in for the ruins - it seems you're already planning on going there. But as long as you're at the Cathedrale, you might as well have fun climbing the steps of the tower and then enjoy the best view of Geneva (that I've seen). For a few Francs you can get a panorama you won't regret. Also, there's an easy-to-miss side chapel in the Cathedrale (on the right upon entrance). It is often overlooked, but beautiful and worth a peak. The side chapel and tower could be done in 30 minutes, but leisurely enjoyed in an hour or more. If you're at all interested in the Protestant Reformation, there is an excellent museum next door to the Cathedrale. Geneva was, after all, called "Protestant Rome." It was the home of John Calvin for the majority of his career. To go to Geneva and miss the Protestant Reformation is like going to Athens and skipping the Acropolis.

Lastly, no one has mentioned the Red Cross museum yet, so I'll suggest it. I will never forget the experience I had exploring this museum. The history of the Red Cross is fascinating, the superb exhibits are inspiring and powerful, and I got a kick out of seeing the original, signed Geneva Convention. Disclaimer: the subject matter is heavy.

Enjoy.