I will be staying in Geneva, Switzerland from November-January, for an exchange program and I have noticed that this period of time is not recommendable to visit that area due to poor weather conditions.

Will definitely be able to travel during the weekends, so any ideas on where to visit in Switzerland or anywhere close?
I am very open to ideas on where to visit

I take it you aren't into so-called Winter sports.

Get on a train and in a few hours you can be in Italy; better yet, take a look at www.skyscanner.com and see where you can FLY from Geneva as there are infinite possibilities.

Paris 4 hours by train

Into winter wonderlands -head for Interlaken area or take a few-hour bus ride to Chamonix in nearby France.

Christmas Markets in Germany -just a few hours by train

Yes Italy too just a few hours by train.

Anyway trains are great everywhere - for a look at Europe's fantastic rail system and where it can take you from Geneva check these IMO superb sources: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com.

But Paris for a weekend would be at top of my list as well as a Alpine resort whether you ski, snowboard, etc.

and yes planes could take you to a plethora of cities but plenty of places to hop train to not far away.

Hi I would really try to get to the Xmas markets in Germany, one of the largest ones is in Nuremburg. They are great fun and very festive/glug? wine, Xmas items. Spend a night there to not have to rush. They begin after Thanksgiving up until Xmas. Perhaps their are some closer to Geneva and others might add to this idea. Also don't miss other places in Switzerland, the ski season may be on, but don't let that discourage you if you do not ski. The little museum in Zermatt is fascinating as to the history of Zermatt, the little church and cemetery with climbers buried in Zermatt. Very touristy village, others may give you better suggestions for Winter in Switzerland. Swiss rail is great. Sue

Although it's a good idea to do some research about destinatios with easy transportation options -- you want to look both at departures & returns -- would make sense to hold off booking anything until you can see short-term weather forecasts. Might be that it is easy to get to, say, Vienna -- but if the sun is shining in Bologna or Pisa while its only rain in Vienna, why not go there? That sort of thing.

Also, if you do searches "city breaks Europe" or "weekend travel Europe" you will get a lot of information about destinations that are easy to conquer & be done with in a weekend. A fascinating small city Maastricht or Catania (in Sicily) might be more satisfying that the enormity of Rome or London. Don't forget too that Italian small cities of interest are closely linked by train. So if you find good flights into Milan's Linate airport, you can very easily spend the weekend in Mantova or Bergamo or Bologna if Milan itself doesn't appeal to you. Same is true of the airports of Pisa, Trieste, Genova, etc

Why the Geneva hate guys? I spent a few months there a couple of years ago to build my exhibition at BAC. Also during the winter months. I loved it, but I had good local guides who took me places. You've got to look for it a bit, but Geneva has a great alternative art scene (into video art and experimental video/sound stuff) and the winter months: lots of cosy places, log fires, fondue. And of course, there's skiing and such. And if you want to scratch the Paris itch, that's not too far either. Cities like Lyon in France are not that far away either.

check out

https://www.usine.ch

http://www.lezoo.ch

http://www.cinematheque.ch/f/

Hi yolofrst8888,

I've spent a lot of time in Montreux (first time in boarding school through the winter...), so I know the lake pretty well.

There are several Christmas markets held in & around Montreux, including along the lakeside, a medieval market inside the walls at Chillon castle, a Santa village up at rochers-de-Naye, an Elves' Village, a lumberjack village.

https://www.montreuxnoel.com/

Montreux is about 90 minutes from Geneva by train.

You may also want to visit Lake Annecy, France. There are direct buses there from Geneva that take about 90 minutes. The buses leave from the Gare Routiere, the main bus stop.

Yes, Paris is about 4 quick hours by train, so that would be a great option.

You may want to go inland just a bit from Geneva to visit the Saanenland -- maybe just see the beautiful landscape or even walk or hike if the trails don't have snow. Gstaad is about 2h30 from Geneva:

Saanen
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Gstaad
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Gstaad to Saanen
https://swandav.shutterfly.com/434

Wispile Walk
https://swandav.shutterfly.com/333

Have fun as you plan!

s

All depends on your interests. There are tons of good museums, stunning exhibitions, medieval cities, castles, theatre performances at less than 3 hrs from Geneva (by public transport).
As to outdoor things, don't think that the weather will be bad all the time. Some days will be sunny (in the Alps more than in the midlands), others may be rainy or foggy. Snowfall is not very frequent around Lake Geneva, but in higher aereas.

As neckervd notes, it really depends on your interests. I was stunned by the art museums in Switzerland -- many are small, but every one I visited (and I visited a LOT) had some exceptional pieces. IMO, you have MANY options... but you need to consult some guidebooks and decide what interests YOU.

https://visit.cern/

CERN - the high-speed particle accelerator is on the edge of Geneva and straddles the French-Swiss border - a novel place to visit with that long in Geneva.