A couple of Spanish friends came to Geneva to pay me a visit and we spent a very busy weekend full of activities around the city. In addition to strolling around Geneva, I invited them to the United Nations headquarters, where an Open Day took place. We also visited the famous Chillon castle on lake Léman and the Olympic city of Lausanne.

Check out the map of our itinerary and follow our adventures!

THE UNITED NATIONS OPEN DAY

On Saturday morning, we headed to the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Geneva to see what the Open Day would surprise the visitors with. The premises were quite full and the staff had organized a range of activities, from a Brazilian dance exhibition, to tours to some of the most iconic rooms in the building and even a food tasting from the four corners of the globe. I was proud to show my friends what the UN stands for and what we do here on an everyday basis.

GOING BACK IN TIME: THE CHILLON CASTLE

After the UN Open Day in Geneva , we drove to the other end of lake Léman to visit the famous Chillon castle. This medieval fortress near Montreux is the most visited monument in Switzerland. According to the excavations carried out, this site has been occupied since the Bronze Age. The rocky island on which the castle is built was both a natural protection and a strategic location to control the passage between northern and southern Europe. When we visited, the castle was decorated for Halloween, which gave it a scary touch.

EXPLORING THE OLYMPIC CITY OF LAUSANNE

To finish the day, we stopped in Lausanne just in time for sunset. We walked around the Olympic Museum and the Ouchy neighborhood and then headed to the upper part of town to admire the Palace of Justice and other nearby monuments.

BIKING AROUND GENEVA

On Sunday, I took my friends around the Old Town first: we saw the Cathedral and the Floral Clock (Horloge Fleurie). After that, we went to Carouge, one of my favorite nearby areas. We did all this by bike, which was pretty cool!

Check out the map below to find all the spots mentioned throughout this post.

Trip details:

Transportation:

We rented a car with Mobility Car for our day trip, which was really convenient and allowed us to move around without depending on public transportation. To get a rental bike like my friends did on Sunday, go to one of Genève roule various locations across the Geneva area.

Where to eat:

• La Cuccagna: this is my favorite Italian restaurant in Carouge. Their pastas and pizzas are delicious, and if you get lucky and it’s sunny outside, you can eat outdoors.
• Gelato Mania: located on the same street, you’ll find yummy ice creams here.