Shop-'til-You-Drop Alert

Shop-'til-You-Drop Alert

Calvin created watchmakers out of less-utilitarian jewelers and goldsmiths, but the urge to create beautiful baubles never died in Geneva.

Teams of expert craftsmen still toil steadily behind chic shop walls, and Geneva watchmakers are rightfully known for unparalleled excellence. But great shopping is not confined to timepieces. Handmade chocolates are an art form here.

Stores just off the beaten path can be extraordinarily vibrant, and the Vieille Ville has no shortage of antiques shops.

Geneva is also a city of markets; chatty fruit and vegetable vendors, taciturn flea-market regulars, and craftspeople clustered in designated squares continue the legacy of the medieval trade fairs once held along the department-store-lined Rues-Basses.

As for the main shops in Geneva's main shopping district around the Rue duRhône, the dazzling window displays will prove an irresistible magnet for even the most budget-conscious tourist.