SamanthaSKY

Hi !

I will be taking my flight back to London from Geneva and my flight is 8.30 pm. I will be travelling into Geneva early in the morning on the same day i board my flight which is 1st of December. I will be in Geneva around 11 am by bus from Chamonix.

I read a lot articles saying that there are nothing much to do in Geneva on a Sunday as most of the shops are closed. I was thinking to go to Bern and back to Geneva for my flight. I can't think of anywhere to visit on 1st of December for such short time period in Geneva.

Any suggestion ?

Pintxos

Everything is closed in Geneva on a Sunday and the city has a hush over it. You could walk around Lake Leman and see the fountain and the old city. There are some restaurants open but generally people are out of the city in their suburban (France) homes. If the weather is nice, you could take a trip to Saleve, which has a gorgeous view of Geneva and the Lake:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salève.

Pintxos

Here is another good link:
http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/en/see...ing/must-sees/

PalenQ

Well is anything in Bern open on Sundays either besides the Bear Pit and museums? Why would there be a difference between the two?

I dunnow so am asking???

SamanthaSKY

The fountain is close on 1st of December as well.

I know about everything is closed but since I have to take my flight in Geneva and I have not been there before, I was wondering if there is anything for me to do there like walk around. We mainly like sceneries and taking photographs, not shopping. I'm trying to check about the cruise in the Lake if it is open on 1st December, any links to it?

SamanthaSKY

I was asking about Bern as I thought there will be some christmas market over there but not sure it it is open on Sunday.

Ingo

*If* there is a Christmas market somewhere then it is definitely open on Sunday. You might want to check out Montreux's Christmas market: http://www.montreuxnoel.ch/en-1-presentation.html

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=gene...bih=1099&dpr=1

geneva's Christmas market - all markets seem to be open daily from late Novemnber to Dec 23.

jamikins

Be careful about the weather...we flew out in a snowstorm last 2 Dec....in fact our flight to London was cancelled because it couldn't land it was snowing so hard! So you may not want to chance getting stuck in Bern and not able to get back in time for your flight...

WeisserTee

The Bern Christmas Market opens on November 30. It will be crowded, but if you don't mind crowds, it can be fun. It might be fine weather, might be raining, might be snowing. You never know. The suggestion above about going to a Christmas market closer to Geneva is a good one. As the Montreux market opens on the 22nd of November, it will be in full swing and apparently some parts like the Lumberjack Village have been revamped.

(I have not been to that one as I am partial to the market in my city, Basel. But this year I plan to visit a few others, including the Lugano market. I might give the Montreux one a visit.

Pintxos

Lausanne is an hour away from Geneva by train and it might also have a nice Christmas market in the main square.

SamanthaSKY

Thank you everyone, you guys are the best !! I was feeling so sad that I've booked my air ticket on a Sunday in Geneva and also because everything is close on Sunday, but now, I'm happy that I have things to do in Geneva or around Geneva. I probably will go to Montreaux market as it looks nearer than Bern.

Thank you !!!

SamanthaSKY

@ jamikins,

Thank you for your warning ! I appreciate it a lot !!



to many of you that thinks it was a stupid question to ask about if christmas market is open on Sunday, just so you know, I am not from Europe and has only live in London for a while, so I do not really know how does Christmas markets works here as I am from asian country who do not have any christmas market.

Sorry !

Cheers !

menachem

PalenQ, Geneva is very calvinist, that's why sunday is indeed its day of rest. It felt decidedly Dutch when I was there a couple of years ago for work. My birthday was on a sunday and I had to consult a special expat website on "places that are open in Geneva on a sunday", to find a good restaurant where I could have a celebratory dinner with friends.

A spot I value highly is the buvette at Les Bains des Pâquis, great fondue in winter and it's a very nice spot. Book ahead for their fondue, it's rightly popular

http://www.buvettedesbains.ch/

menachem

Incidentally, calvinism also explains Genevan watch making. Jewelry was too frivolous, but watches are "useful" jewelry and were allowed.

menachem

If it were me, I'd make the most of my sunday and head to the hammam or the sauna at paquis, then have lunch there. By then, it will be well into the afternoon, a stroll around town and a bite to eat and something to drink, and it's time to head to the airport.

Be aware that lunch ends at 3pm, and dinner starts after 6pm, so in terms of getting a meal in a restaurant, there's a weird hole between 3pm an 6pm. There are restaurants that will turn you away because their dinner menu hasn't started yet. MAMCO has a few nice things on during winter (if you're into contemporary art)
http://www.mamco.ch/

neckervd

"I know about everything is closed but since I have to take my flight in Geneva and I have not been there before, I was wondering if there is anything for me to do there like walk around. We mainly like sceneries and taking photographs, not shopping. I'm trying to check about the cruise in the Lake if it is open on 1st December, any links to it?"

I suppose you would have got the answer if you had opened the second link sent by Pintkos.

There is a lunch boat Geneva dp 12.20 - Nyon 13.45 - Geneva ar 15.00.

May be you are interested in the Tutankhamun exhibition
http://www.palexpo.ch/en/Manifestati...=538&year=2013
or in the Red Cross Museum http://www.redcrossmuseum.ch/en/
All other museums are open too on Sundays.
So are many restaurants in the historic medieval city center, close to the cathedral (some of them are famous for specialities from all over Switzerland).

BTW: I don't think that the Chamonix dp 9.15 bus will run on Sundays.
http://www.chamonix.com/pdf/bus-cham...tomne-2013.pdf

SamanthaSKY

@neckervd,

OMG !!! Thanks a lot !! I was looking at S for Sunday.

PalenQ

Maybe in Geneva go across the border to France for more Sunday openings - at least till noon lots of things open and cafes always.