Geneva, Switzerland: Including Lausanne and the Lake Geneva Area

Updated April 2025
A vibrant mid-size city bordered on three sides by France and on the expansive and beautiful Lake Geneva. This is truly an international city with the United Nations and numerous other organizations located here. Geneva is an active hub of commerce, science, world peace and, health. Come here to experience a sophisticated locale with breathtaking scenery.

The Lake Geneva area is more than just one beautiful city. Nearby are historical towns such as Lausanne or Montreux. Tours of the lake on classic ferries bring visitors to quaint towns and castles. Nearby are snowcapped mountains including Mont-Blanc, the highest in the Alps. A detailed chapter on Lausanne is included.

This Starting-Point Guide covers Geneva and many towns along Lake Geneva. Guidance on traveling the lake and reaching nearby mountains is provided as well. It is geared to travelers who wish to use one city such as Geneva as their base camp to travel the area and not move from town to town as they travel through Europe. To help with trip planning, this guidebook includes numerous graphs, maps, and photographs. Guidance on how to get around town and an orientation to the most popular sites is included.