Exploring Geneva

Many travelers enjoy only a brief experience of Geneva en route to the French Alps or the Swiss heartland. This is a shame, because it is an elegant and cosmopolitan city that offers the visitor a lot more than just exquisite watches. One of the world’s capitals of diplomacy, it has the largest concentration of United Nations offices outside of New York. It is also a major financial center. And its setting at the western end of Lake Geneva, surrounded by vineyards and with the high Alps as a snow-covered backdrop, is lovely in every season.

Visitors will find that the city’s hotels have never been in better shape. The classic Beau-Rivage, stylish Mandarin Oriental and tranquil La Réserve all underwent significant renovations within the last two years. And the meticulously restored Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues is currently adding 16 new accommodations, each with its own fireplace, as well as a new spa, year-round swimming pool and panoramic rooftop terrace.

Geneva is pedestrian-friendly, and the neo-Gothic Brunswick Monument makes a good starting point for an exploratory walk. Two blocks to the west, the Pont des Bergues leads across the Rhone to the Ile Rousseau, formerly part of Geneva’s defenses. Nowadays, the quiet islet serves as home to waterfowl and a statue of the eponymous philosopher. A larger island lies just downstream, where the lively Brasserie des Halles de l’Ile occupies a former market hall beneath the shadow of a 13th-century tower.

A few blocks south of the river, the 19th-century Grand Théâtre dominates the elegant Place Neuve. (June will see performances of Verdi’s “Macbeth.”) From here, the leafy Promenade des Bastions extends along the edge of the cobbled Old Town.

The gallery-lined rue de la Cité and Grand-Rue wind through Geneva’s most atmospheric quarter toward the Place du Bourg-de-Four, originally a Roman forum. Café La Clémence affords a fine view of the square, with a terrace ideal for people-watching. But the best views are to be had from the tower of the nearby Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, encompassing the city, lake and distant mountains. Next door, John Calvin preached in the Gothic Temple de l’Auditoire.

The rue de la Fontaine leads past the Rolex store and out of the Old Town to the Place du Port, the city’s harbor before the lake receded. Watches, of course, are unavoidable in Geneva. The sumptuous Patek Philippe salon provides perhaps the quintessential watch-shopping experience, but a constellation of elegant neighbors lines the rue du Rhône, including Chopard, Cartier, Piaget and Bucherer.

Continuing toward the lake, the Horloge Fleurie (Flower Clock) in the Jardin Anglais requires a photo. A stroll along the garden’s Promenade du Lac reveals the city’s most famous landmark, the 450-foot Jet d’Eau fountain. (Quai Gustav-Ador offers the best sunset views of the Jet d’Eau, backdropped by the palace hotels across the lake.)

At night, when the Old Town is at its most atmospheric, we love to make our way to Les Armures for traditional fondues served in a cozy 17th-century mansion. The more adventurous might prefer to take a taxi to the Carouge neighborhood, where locals descend on Au Vieux Carouge for satisfying classic fondues, as well as some intriguing contemporary versions.

On Geneva’s Right Bank, you will find the Palais des Nations complex, the former home of the ill-fated League of Nations. The extraordinary interior of the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room alone makes a tour worthwhile. Spanish artist Miquel Barceló covered the ceiling in thousands of multi-colored stalactites and took more than 13 months to apply more than 100 tons of paint. His spectacular and critically acclaimed work debuted in November 2008.

Geneva is a city of museums and galleries. The Musées Barbier-Mueller on the rue Jean-Calvin is one of our favorites. Few would expect a middle-class orphan, raised by a governess, to assemble one of the greatest private art collections of all time, but that is exactly what Josef Mueller did. In 1918, at the age of 31, Mueller had already acquired seven works by Cézanne, five by Matisse, five by Renoir and a healthy assortment of Picassos and Braques, all of which are on display. However, the real heart of his collection is the gathering of primitive pieces from Africa, the East Indies, Oceania, tribal Asia and the early Americas.

Geneva’s Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain opened in 1994 in a former factory building on the rue des Vieux-Grenadiers and immediately evoked comparisons to some of the more notable collections of modern art in Paris. This showcase of European and American art from the last four decades is packed with big names, including Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella and George Segal. Some 1,600 square feet of space is set aside for exhibitions that change three times a year.

Also of note is the Baur Foundation on the rue Munier-Romilly. The 19th-century mansion contains Switzerland’s largest collection of Japanese and Chinese art, including fine ceramics and lacquer-ware, as well as exquisite pieces in jade and ivory. A Japanese Zen garden of raked gravel provides a serene space for reflection.

Wine lovers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to explore the hillside wineries surrounding Geneva. Although Swiss wines can be excellent, they are hard to find outside the country. A concierge will arrange appointments for tastings. However, less ambitious oenophiles need not leave town to sample fine Swiss vintages. Le Rouge et le Blanc boasts fine Rhone views from its terrace on the Quai des Bergues, as well as an excellent by-the-glass menu. On the other side of the river on Boulevard Georges-Favon, Boulevard du Vin combines a bar and shop for those interested in purchasing wines to bring home. Just inland, Lavinia features an even larger selection of bottles for purchase.

One of the region’s best restaurants is nestled in the Geneva vineyards. The Domaine de Châteauvieux serves lushly creative cuisine in a 16th-century manor house overlooking manicured vines and the Rhone. Its highly regarded chef, Philippe Chevrier, also operates a lunch cruise on Lake Geneva between April 17 and October 16, departing from the Jardin Anglais. Aboard the Savoie, a charming lake steamer commissioned in 1914, guests may dine exceptionally well while admiring memorable views of lakeside villas and vineyards and the Alps beyond. Advance booking is essential.

A short taxi ride from the city center, Le Lion d’Or presents inventive French-inspired cuisine in a parklike setting with sweeping lake views. While in the heart of the city, Le Chat-Botté in the Beau-Rivage preserves impeccable traditional service, both in its palatial dining room and on the stupendous lakeside terrace. Just down the quay, Vertig’O serves contemporary French and Swiss cuisine in more modern surroundings.

For a romantic evening in Geneva, take the complimentary Venetian water taxi from downtown to La Réserve, a stylish retreat on 10 lakefront acres just outside the city. Its gourmet French/Mediterranean restaurant Le Loti, a sumptuous space done in deep violets and golds, features indulgent fare such as Limousin veal and lobster risotto.