Guidebook for Genève

Scotti
Guidebook for Genève

Food Scene

All of these food suggestions, and most of the bars, are in Paquis, within 5 minutes of the apartment.
My favourite place in town – for an affordable meal (plat de jour is 14 CHF), a swim in the summer, or sauna in the winter. You’ll find here billionaires, refugees & everything inbetween, and everyone is treated the same. They sometimes have evening events, with a DJ / cinema / some other entertainment. It's 5 minutes away, where the lake bends, across from the Kempinski Hotel.
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Bains des Pâquis
30 Quai du Mont-Blanc
365 locals raden deze aan
My favourite place in town – for an affordable meal (plat de jour is 14 CHF), a swim in the summer, or sauna in the winter. You’ll find here billionaires, refugees & everything inbetween, and everyone is treated the same. They sometimes have evening events, with a DJ / cinema / some other entertainment. It's 5 minutes away, where the lake bends, across from the Kempinski Hotel.
Eritrean food - basic decor (very pink!), but definitely cheap & cheerful. Lovely staff: the wife is the chef, and the husband is the waiter/bartender.
9 locals raden deze aan
Mosaïque
31 Rue du Môle
9 locals raden deze aan
Eritrean food - basic decor (very pink!), but definitely cheap & cheerful. Lovely staff: the wife is the chef, and the husband is the waiter/bartender.
Basic decor, but good food, cheap & cheerful.
Pad Thaï
50 Rue de Monthoux
Basic decor, but good food, cheap & cheerful.
Reasonably good Italian food, fun & lively place
15 locals raden deze aan
Espresso Club
25 Rue des Pâquis
15 locals raden deze aan
Reasonably good Italian food, fun & lively place
Low-key, nice vibe. Great place to read the newspaper or meet friends for a coffee / beer. Reasonably good food: burger, salads, etc.
24 locals raden deze aan
Café Art's
17 Rue des Pâquis
24 locals raden deze aan
Low-key, nice vibe. Great place to read the newspaper or meet friends for a coffee / beer. Reasonably good food: burger, salads, etc.
Great Mexican food!
17 locals raden deze aan
El Catrín
7 Rue de Richemont
17 locals raden deze aan
Great Mexican food!
Yummy pho! A bit pricey, but excellent quality. And just across the street from the flat. I see that it says above that Airbnb says it's a 'strip club' - eh??! It's definitely not! It's a Vietnamese restaurant!
Sen
43 Rue de Zurich
Yummy pho! A bit pricey, but excellent quality. And just across the street from the flat. I see that it says above that Airbnb says it's a 'strip club' - eh??! It's definitely not! It's a Vietnamese restaurant!
The best Indian food I've found in Geneva! A bit on the pricey side.
Shahi
38 Rue de Lausanne
The best Indian food I've found in Geneva! A bit on the pricey side.

Drinks & Nightlife

Nice bar, decent (but not special) food - except Sunday brunch. I think it is closed on Saturday days - ?
25 locals raden deze aan
Restaurant Les 5 Portes
8 Rue de Zurich
25 locals raden deze aan
Nice bar, decent (but not special) food - except Sunday brunch. I think it is closed on Saturday days - ?
Surprisingly good Thai food - ! Also good bar & night club ... Not at all pretentious, low-key.
7 locals raden deze aan
Fenomeno
28 Rue des Pâquis
7 locals raden deze aan
Surprisingly good Thai food - ! Also good bar & night club ... Not at all pretentious, low-key.
Lively bar, decent restaurant, and turns to a night club later in the night. Particularly good in the summer, when the terrace is open – but open all year.
50 locals raden deze aan
Brasserie des Halles de l'île
1 Pl. de l'Ile
50 locals raden deze aan
Lively bar, decent restaurant, and turns to a night club later in the night. Particularly good in the summer, when the terrace is open – but open all year.
The restaurant is at the Perle du Lac, before the Botanical Gardens. Their terrace is a perfect place for a drink in the summer - surprisingly reasonably priced (whereas the food is expensive).
23 locals raden deze aan
Perle du Lac
126 Rue de Lausanne
23 locals raden deze aan
The restaurant is at the Perle du Lac, before the Botanical Gardens. Their terrace is a perfect place for a drink in the summer - surprisingly reasonably priced (whereas the food is expensive).
Just next to the Bains des Paquis - outdoor bar next to the lake, packed with people in the summer (and closed in the winter).
20 locals raden deze aan
La Terrasse
31 Quai Wilson
20 locals raden deze aan
Just next to the Bains des Paquis - outdoor bar next to the lake, packed with people in the summer (and closed in the winter).
Tapas bar - nice ambiance, but a bit noisy.
17 locals raden deze aan
Olé-Olé
11 Rue de Fribourg
17 locals raden deze aan
Tapas bar - nice ambiance, but a bit noisy.
Along the Rhone, outdoors … Very laid-back, lovely beer garden in the summer. (Closed in winter, I think?)
14 locals raden deze aan
La Barje
Promenade des Lavandières
14 locals raden deze aan
Along the Rhone, outdoors … Very laid-back, lovely beer garden in the summer. (Closed in winter, I think?)
Hip new-ish bar, just what Paquis needed! Next to the bike shop, same owners. Very nice vibe. Excellent place for a coffee or cocktail.
18 locals raden deze aan
Qafé Guidoline
24 Rue des Pâquis
18 locals raden deze aan
Hip new-ish bar, just what Paquis needed! Next to the bike shop, same owners. Very nice vibe. Excellent place for a coffee or cocktail.

Essentials

Closest supermarket, reasonably good selection. Open Mon-Sat, closes 19h except Thurs (20h) and Sat (18h).
21 locals raden deze aan
Migros Les Cygnes
18-20 Rue de Lausanne
21 locals raden deze aan
Closest supermarket, reasonably good selection. Open Mon-Sat, closes 19h except Thurs (20h) and Sat (18h).
Sri Lankan convenience shop - amazing spices!! Open late & on Sundays. Very nice guy working there.
Rue de Zurich 31
31 Rue de Zurich
Sri Lankan convenience shop - amazing spices!! Open late & on Sundays. Very nice guy working there.
Located in Cornavin (train station). Open every day, until 22h. The selection is limited, but enough to keep one from starving.
139 locals raden deze aan
Migros
3-7 Pl. de Cornavin
139 locals raden deze aan
Located in Cornavin (train station). Open every day, until 22h. The selection is limited, but enough to keep one from starving.

Shopping

Tuesday & Friday mornings - local farmers' market. More expensive than the supermarket for most things (unfortunately), but still nice.
8 locals raden deze aan
Place de la Navigation
Place de la Navigation
8 locals raden deze aan
Tuesday & Friday mornings - local farmers' market. More expensive than the supermarket for most things (unfortunately), but still nice.
Flea market, produce, etc… Tues / Fri / Sat / 1st Sunday of the month
34 locals raden deze aan
Plainpalais
34 locals raden deze aan
Flea market, produce, etc… Tues / Fri / Sat / 1st Sunday of the month
Local products, lively scene. Thursday evenings, 16h – 20h
14 locals raden deze aan
Les Grottes
14 locals raden deze aan
Local products, lively scene. Thursday evenings, 16h – 20h

Parks & Nature

84 locals raden deze aan
Conservatoire et Jardin Botanique
1 Chem. de l'Impératrice
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This is the mountain you can see from Geneva, towards Annemasse, which isn’t the Alps nor the Jura. You can walk / cycle / drive up, or take the télépherique (https://www.telepherique-du-saleve.com). To travel by public transport: bus (Nos. 8, 34, 41, 44) to Veyrier-Ecole, Veyrier-Douane, Croix-de-Rozon douane. https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/mount-saleve.html
16 locals raden deze aan
Le Salève
575 Route des Fruitières
16 locals raden deze aan
This is the mountain you can see from Geneva, towards Annemasse, which isn’t the Alps nor the Jura. You can walk / cycle / drive up, or take the télépherique (https://www.telepherique-du-saleve.com). To travel by public transport: bus (Nos. 8, 34, 41, 44) to Veyrier-Ecole, Veyrier-Douane, Croix-de-Rozon douane. https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/mount-saleve.html
Walk through the vineyards of Lavaux, between Lausanne & Montreux - lovely in all seasons, and spring should be particularly so. Easily accessible by train, you just need to decide which quaint little village to exit the train.
23 locals raden deze aan
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
23 locals raden deze aan
Walk through the vineyards of Lavaux, between Lausanne & Montreux - lovely in all seasons, and spring should be particularly so. Easily accessible by train, you just need to decide which quaint little village to exit the train.

Arts & Culture

I found this tour absolutely fascinating! Needs to be booked in advance - spots open up 2 weeks in advance. http://visit.cern/tours/guided-tours-individuals
53 locals raden deze aan
CERN
1 Espl. des Particules
53 locals raden deze aan
I found this tour absolutely fascinating! Needs to be booked in advance - spots open up 2 weeks in advance. http://visit.cern/tours/guided-tours-individuals
The Old Town is a lovely place to walk around, have a drink or a meal. Visit the Cathedral. If you’re into history, there are a number of museums.
260 locals raden deze aan
Kathedraal van Genève
Cour de Saint-Pierre
260 locals raden deze aan
The Old Town is a lovely place to walk around, have a drink or a meal. Visit the Cathedral. If you’re into history, there are a number of museums.

Getting Around

tpg.ch -- Use this website / application to plan your public transportation - route planners, buy tickets, etc.
8 locals raden deze aan
Geneva public transport - TPG
1 Rte de La-Chapelle
8 locals raden deze aan
tpg.ch -- Use this website / application to plan your public transportation - route planners, buy tickets, etc.