An Amazing 2 Days in Geneva Itinerary, Switzerland

Surrounded by the Alps and Jura mountains, Geneva (or Genève in French) is an incredible place to visit for its amazing landscapes, the Léman lake and delicious dishes (cheese galore!).

I spent two days in Geneva in winter (in March precisely) and loved my time in this peaceful city, and I have my 2 days in Geneva Itinerary for you to enjoy the city as well!

Geneva is located on the French border, so French influence is widespread. From the old town to the Headquarters of Europe’s United Nations and the beautiful clear blue water of Lac Léman, there are plenty of things to do in Geneva.

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2 Days in Geneva Itinerary, Switzerland

As I stated above, I went to Geneva for two days during winter time with a friend; it was the first time that I spent some proper time in Switzerland.

Switzerland is an amazing European destination if you’re looking to visit several countries; it is clean, beautiful, and has a lot of amazing scenery to offer.

The only minus is that it is a little bit expensive, so it might not be the best destination for you if you’re on a budget, although it can be doable!

This also gives you a great insight into the main things to do in Geneva.

If you enjoy Switzerland, check out those beautiful quotes and puns about Switzerland for your next Instagram or TikTok post!

Things To Know Before Visiting Geneva

• You’ll get a free Geneva Transport Card if you stay at a hotel or hostel. It’s a great way to save on the price of daily transportation. You need to download it and keep the QR code on your phone.
• Geneva has an efficient public transportation system, including trams, buses, and boats.
• You can use the Free Transport Card to go from and to the airport if needed.
• While Switzerland is on the European continent, it isn’t part of the EU and has its own currency, the Swiss Franc (CHF).
• The Language used in Geneva is French, but many people speak English, especially in tourist areas.
• Switzerland uses Type J electrical outlets. The standard voltage is 230V, and the frequency is 50Hz. If your devices use a different plug type, bring an adapter.
• Tipping is not mandatory, as service charges are included in the bill. However, rounding up the bill or leaving a small tip for exceptional service is appreciated, which is usually the case for most European countries.

How Many Days In Geneva?

Are 2 Days in Geneva Enough?

If you’re planning your trip to Geneva (or a Switzerland trip), you might wonder how many days in Geneva are enough and if 2 days are enough to visit the city.

So, how many days do you need in Geneva?

Geneva is a pretty compact city and easy to navigate. Two days is enough time to see the city’s prominent landmarks (the Old Town with St Pierre Cathedral, the Geneva Water Fountain, and so on) and enjoy some delicious cheese dishes and chocolates.

But if you want to explore more in-depth, I recommend spending three days in Geneva. A day trip is also doable; however, you’d have to rush and maybe not enjoy it as much.

So in conclusion two to three days in Geneva is an ideal time to uncover the highlights of the city and get a good taste of it.

Now you can decide how many days to spend in Geneva would be your best option!

I am used to short trips and somewhat packed itineraries while travelling to make sure I see what I want to see, but I didn’t feel rushed while visiting Geneva in two days and we enjoyed the city at a leisurely pace which’s really pleasant.

How To Get To Geneva

Geneva is easily accessible by bus, train, plane, or car, as is usual for any big city.

Geneva’s public transportation is also very easy to use, so getting around the city is nice and as I mentionned above, it is a very walkable city.

My favourite means of transportation to travel to Geneva if you’re coming from Paris is the Lyria.

The ride with the Lyria takes 2h30, and the train is very comfortable, it’s friendly and efficient as it takes you from one city centre to another. It is also a more eco-friendly way to travel than a plane.

You can leave Paris as early as 6h49 and be in Geneva at 10h35. It’s not early enough for sunrise, though, so if you want to arrive earlier and are on a budget, then the night bus is a great option.

This is what we did; we took a night bus late in the evening in Paris. It was pretty empty, so it was easier to be at ease, and we arrived in Geneva before 7 a.m., right in time for a beautiful sunrise.

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You can check out train tickets on websites like Trainline or Omio.

Where To Stay In Geneva

Switzerland is notoriously expensive, and we were on a budget, so we tried to find the cheapest accommodation possible for our overnight stay while avoiding staying in a dorm.

When deciding where to stay in Geneva, consider your proximity to attractions, such as the city centre, Old Town, or Carouge, for unique shops and cafes.

You can balance your budget by choosing luxury hotels along the lake, mid-range options in Carouge or Paquis, or budget accommodations near the train station.

We stayed at the Geneva Hostel for 80€ the night, so 40€ per person, which I believe is a very reasonable budget for accommodation in Geneva.

The room is elementary, but we had our private shower and a balcony view; it’s an excellent budget accommodation in Geneva if you are looking for one.

With our reservation came a free transportation card for public transport (this included the shuttle boat); while Geneva can be mostly done on foot, if you like to walk, it is pleasant to have the option to use the transportation.

You can check out more accommodations on Booking.com or HostelWorld.

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Do you like Switzerland?
Then check out those fantastic quotes about Switzerland. If you’re still on the fence, they will make you plan a trip to Switzerland as soon as possible!

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Geneva In 2 Days Itinerary: Here is a summary of what we did during our 2-day trip. It’s also a good list of things to do in Geneva if you want ideas.

Day 1 In Geneva:

• Quai de Wilson – Sunrise Stroll/Morning Stroll
• Alps Square – Brunswick Monument
• Quai Du Mont-Blanc – Mont Blanc Bridge
• Horloge Fleuri
• Old Town Geneva
• Promenade de la Treille
• Parc des Bastions
• St. Pierre Cathedral
• Musée d’histoire naturelle
• United Nation/ Broken Chair

Day 2 in Geneva:

• Conservatory and Botanical garden
• Shuttle Boat ride
• Jet d’eau de Geneve – Port des eaux vives
• Parc de la Grange & Parc des Eaux Vives
• Carouge Market
• Place des Grottes

This itinerary can be done any time of the week and can also be used as a Geneva weekend itinerary if you’re visiting over the weekend, as most of the things to do will still be open.

It also gives you a good insight into what to do in Geneva and places to visit if you want to make a bucket list.

Geneva Itinerary What To Do In 2 Days

Let’s jump into the details of what to do in Geneva for 2 days in winter or for any time of the year as those activities are there all year round.

Two days in Geneva may seem short, but I can assure you it is enough time to see the highlights of this beautiful city, and you’ll see this with my itinerary.

Okay, let’s start this 2 days in Geneva Itinerary!

Geneva Itinerary Day 1

We arrived early in the morning in Geneva from our bus night ride from Paris; we used FlixBus.

After we dropped our bags at the hostel, we started our day. We were right in time for the sunrise on Lake Léman (and not “Lake Geneva”) it was truly magnificent; if you are in Geneva and willing to wake up early to catch the sunrise, it is a blissfull moment.

Promenade Quai wilson To Quai Mont-Blanc

We started walking near Palais Wilson on Quai Mont-Blanc to the Mont Blanc Bridge; the lake is one the best city lakes I have seen.

While we were there in 2022, the promenade hosted an open-air exhibit with 20 “Chats de Geluck” (from a Belgian artist) welcoming you. It was a fun addition to the path (see above)

You can find café scattered through the promenade if you want to enjoy a drink while you admire the scenery.

Square des Alps – Brunswick Monument

The Square des Alps is located on the Quai Mont Blanc; the Brunswick Monument is a mausoleum dedicated to Charles II, the Duke of Brunswick who was originally from Germany but died in Geneva in 1873.

It is a really beautiful mausoleum with very detailed architecture when you get close by.

Horloge Fleurie – The Flower Clock

The famous Flower Clock, located at the entrance of the English garden (Jardin des Anglais), commemorates the city’s watchmaking tradition.

It was created in 1955 and was the longest clock installation at 2.5m up until 2005, when a 15m clock was created in Teheran, Iran.

We chose to wait until the second day to stroll through the Jardin des Anglais as we were heading directly to the Old Town Geneva.

Old Town Geneva – Vieille Ville de Genève

The Old Town of Geneva is great to visit on foot; it has the city’s most emblematic landmarks, charm, and history.

Did you know it is the largest historic centre in Switzerland? Now you do.

Here are some things you can do in the Old Town Of Geneva:

Another exciting thing to do in the Old Town of Geneva is to pay attention to the street names. You’ll find some odd street names if you speak French (or can translate them)!

Cathédrale Saint Pierre- St Peter’s Cathedral and its towers

 The neo-Gothic style Saint Peter’s Church and the Chapel of Maccabees are located in the Old Town of Geneva and are a must-visit.

The cathedral, built between 1160 and 1252 as a tomb for Jean de Brogny and his family, a cardinal who served under Pope Clement VII.

It is the most important cathedral in the city. Initially built for the Catholics, it became a Protestant place of worship in 1535.

You can visit the chapel of Maccabees, which is rich in decorations, and climb the 157 steps leading up to the towers.

It’s the best place in Geneva to get the best view of the city, a perfect 360 over the city. You can admire the Jet d’eau and the landscape from there. It’s also a great photo spot.

You can also visit the archaeological site in the basement.

Promenade De la Treille – Bench and Treille Promontory

Built in 1767 the Bench of the Treille Promontory is longest bench in the world is on the Promenade de la Treille: 120m (393ft) long made of 180 wooden boards!

You will walk on the remains of what used to be the city’s fortification to keep the city and its people safe back in the day.

Parc Des Bastions – Bastions Park

Under the Treille Promenade, Bastions Park, originally called “Belle Promenade”, was built in 1720 to allow the city’s inhabitants to walk within the fortification.

The park is famous for two things:

• 100m-long Reformation Wall – this wall was erected in honour of men who worked on creating Protestantism. You can see the statues of 4 great preachers: Jean Calvin, Guillaume Farel, Théodore de Bèze and John Knox.
• The Giant chess games: it’s a fun way to play chess; not as fancy as the Harry Potter chess game in the first movie, but it’s cool!

It’s a popular spot among students, as the University is nearby, as are several monuments of interest: a few palaces, the Saint-Léger fountain, and Geneva’s library.

Place Neuve is another spot of interest close to the park; you can see an equestrian statue of General Dufour, a national hero and cartographer. It’s a really fun area to explore.

Natural History Museum

After exploring Bastion Park, we visited the Natural History Museum; it’s enjoyable if you like animals and nature. It’s quite an interactive museum, so I think it’s also a great museum to visit with kids.

Check out more museums you can visit in Geneva:

• Philippe Patek Museum
• International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum
• Geneva History Museum
• Ariana Museum
• Rath Museum
• Musée D’Art & D’histoire
• Barbier-Müller Museum

And more! You can check the complete list of Geneva’s museums here.

Lunch at Restaurant Auvergne de Savièse

Of course, we wanted to eat some delicious cheese dishes for lunch. You’ll find that eating in Switzerland is pricey, but the food is delicious. We ate at “Restaurant Auvergne de Savièse” and had a fantastic time; the place is cute, the staff is very friendly and gave us tips, and the food is delicious.

After lunch, we walked more and decided to take a break and return to our hostel before exploring more of the city.

Broken Chair / United Nations

Geneva is home to the United Nations headquarters. You can visit the Palais des Nations, but we didn’t get to visit it at 4:30 p.m. when we explored the area. So, we checked out the other landmark in the area, the Broken Chair.

Sponsored by Handicap Internation, the Broken Chair Sculpture, a giant 12m high wooden chair with a broken foot, has stood before Geneva’s Palais des Nations since 1997. It symbolizes fragility, strength, imbalance, stability, violence, and dignity.

Walk through Various Parks

We decided to walk back to our hostel by passing around the botanical garden, to go and visit it next, which is underneath the United Nations; unfortunately, at the time of our visit, it was closing as the opening hours were still based on the winter ones so that we couldn’t get in.

However, we had an amazing walk through several parks (Parc Barton, Parc de la Perle du lac, Parc Mon Repos) close to the bank of Lake Léman and Quai Wilson. It’s the perfect peaceful walk surrounded by nature; you will forget you are in a city.

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That’s a wrap on the first day of our 2 days in Geneva Itinerary; as you can see, if you arrive early morning in Geneva, there are many activities you can do on your first day. Then it’s sleep and repeats for the next day!

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Geneva Itinerary Day 2

Here is the second day of my two-day itinerary in Geneva. Our second day started early, and we saw the sunrise shyly from our hostel balcony, as we were lucky to have a room on the last floor. It was a lovely and crispy morning, and we left our bags at the reception to carry on our exploration of Geneva and tick off the things we missed on our bucket list.

We had to leave the city late afternoon, so our itinerary wasn’t as packed as the previous day. We checked in more detail some places we had seen the first day but didn’t have time to visit appropriately, such as the English Garden, and more that you’ll see below!

Conservatory and Botanical Garden of Geneva

We made it to the Conservatory and Botanical Garden bright and early in the morning. It’s a great thing to do in Geneva after you visit the United Nations headquarters, and it’s free!

The park comprises several greenhouses (tropical, temperate, etc.), a small Japanese garden, an ethnobotanical garden, Swiss-protected plants, and more. There’s a lot to do in this green oasis.

I loved exploring the botanical garden; it is lovely and peaceful. We also came across an adorable little hedgehog.

Opening hours: 8 am to 5 pm in autumn/winter and 8 am to 7:30 pm in spring/summer.

Shuttle Boat Ride to Enjoy Lac Léman from a Different Perspective

If you’re in Geneva, you must at least ride a boat on Lake Léman once, even if it’s simply the shuttle boat you can ride with the Geneva free transport card.

It’s a great view of the lake and its fifty shades of blue and the city and a good way to get from one side of the city to the other without using the tram or walking across the bridge.

You can see the pickup points and timetable of the Mouette Genoises right here.

We rode from Genève de Châteaubriand to Port-Noir with the M4.

You can also book a scenic lake cruise with snacks and wine for a different experience!

Jet d’Eau De Genève

Of course, I couldn’t create a two-day itinerary in Geneva without including one of its most iconic spots.

The Jet d’Eau is easily one of the most photographed places in Geneva, so it’s a great Instagram photo spot.
Although to be fair, the beauty of the lake makes it a great photo spot from wherever you are.

You can also do some paddle boats on the Lake.

Le Jardin Anglais – The English Garden.

Located near Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), the English Garden is an iconic landmark of Geneva and an excellent place to stroll around and enjoy the view over the lake.

The leisurely walk and the beauty of the view make the English Garden a famous spot in Geneva amongst locals and tourists.

You’ll also find the Monument National, which commemorates Geneva’s attachment in 1814.

You can visit the English Garden when you check out the Flower Clock; we just split those two activities.

Carouge & Carouge Market

Carouge is a quaint area of Geneva. You can spot a church in this district that, due to the design created by architects from Turin in the 18th century, gives a feel of Italy (or maybe that’s just me). It’s packed with heaps of restaurants and cute shops.

The famous Carouge Market is held every Thursday and Saturday, where you can buy fresh products and beautiful flowers.

It’s easily reachable by tram.

Quartier Des Grottes – “Schmurph house”

Quartier des Grottes was our last stop of the day before heading to Geneva Station due to its proximity to Geneva Corvin Station to catch the Lyria and return home to Paris.

This area is famous for its street art and complex architectural building with the “Schmurph house”. It has nothing to do with the actual “Schmurph” besides that it looks similar to the houses you can see in the comic.

On “Place de la Grotte” there’s a popular market every Thursday afternoon.

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Final Thoughts on My Geneva Itinerary 2 days

Is Geneva worth visiting? Absolutely! The city felt like a fresh breath of air and the perfect balance between nature and city life, if you want an easy city/nature getaway then you should 100% consider a week end in Genava.

That’s a wrap on my 2 day itinerary in Geneva. I hope this post will help you plan your perfect own getaway.

You can do so many activities in Geneva over two days; you’ll see all the city’s highlights while taking the time to soak in its beauty and enjoy yourself.

Geneva is an excellent addition to a road trip if you’re travelling across Switzerland or in the southeast of France and want to take the time to explore a bit of Switzerland.

Geneva was relaxing; although we did a lot, it wasn’t overwhelming.

Are you looking for more travel inspiration for European destinations? Check out those posts:

• Best Amusement Parks In Europe
• 35 Places To Visit in Europe In March 2025
• 50+ Free Things To Do In Paris If You’re On Budget
• How To Spend 2 Days In Zagreb, Croatia
• A Chill 2 Day Ljubljana Itinerary, Slovenia
• Perfect 2 Day In Budapest, Hungary
• 24h In Vienna In Winter: Things To Do
• Best Beaches In France for The Summer

Also, follow me on Instagram to check out my travel adventures around Europe and more lifestyle content @cpt_lyne!

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Geneva 2 day Itinerary: Best Things To Do In Geneva

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✈ Best Travel Ressources To Plan Your Next Trip

✈ How To Find Flights?

– Skyscanner; it is a good comparator for finding the cheapest flights.
– Google Flights is also a good help when comparing flights.

✈ Where To Book Accommodations?

– Booking.com: plenty of options and ways to get discounts the more you book.

✈ Best Sites To Book Activities

– GetYourGuide when I can’t get a ticket directly on the website or if it’s easier to go through them.
– Klook if you need to book more than just activities and would like to get everything from the same website or different day trips—(i.e. transport cards, car rental, hotel…).

✈ Other helpful travel resources

– Radical Storage: If you need a place to keep your luggage for an extended period when you travel, I recommend using them.
– TheTrainline: If you love to travel by train like me, then TheTrainline needs to be your go-to website for train travel in Europe.

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Disclaimer: This resources box contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you book anything through my links at no additional cost. These links help me support the blog and generate more content. Happy travels!