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Natural good looks

You won’t be able to stop looking when you first arrive on Geneva holidays. Switzerland’s third-biggest city straddles both banks as Lake Geneva – or Lake Leman, as locals call it – narrows into the Rhône River. All around are snow-crested Alps, with the landmark Jet d’Eau fountain rising from the water and a church-speckled Old Town.

The beauty is inward, too. Geneva is safe and slick, clean and cosmopolitan; nearly everyone speaks perfect English and a calm atmosphere pervades.

Year-round appeal

Locals line the serene lake from June to September, sunbathing on every square inch and diving into bains (bathing areas). Paddle boarders and sailors abound further out, while the surrounding cantons lure hikers and wine tourists.

During winter, Geneva serves as a gateway for nearby ski pistes, yet fondue cafes and lantern-lit lakeside scenes make the city itself just as alluring.

Gazing and grazing

Cultural weekend city breaks in Geneva compare well to any in Europe. There are the gorgeous St Pierre Cathedral’s scenic towers, paintings by Renoir in the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire and the Patek Philippe Museum’s Swiss clock-making exhibits. There are also places of global import: the UN’s European headquarters and particle-physics lab CERN both open to visitors in 2017.

Take a city break in Geneva and you can also peruse Plainpalais’s vast Sunday flea market and dive into the gastro scene, with restaurants swapping the white tablecloths for something more dynamic. 

Keeping Geneva cheap

Living costs such as hotel rooms and food are high compared to other European destinations, making cheap Geneva holidays in 2017 a bit of a challenge.

Happily, there are some factors that relieve these costs. Firstly, the city is served by an excellent transport network, which means you can get about with ease and pack a lot into a Geneva weekend.

Secondly, all those buses, trams and mouette boats are complimentary for hotel guests, who receive a Geneva Transport Card for the duration of their stay. Finally, many of the main tourist attractions, such as the Jet d’Eau and Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, are free to see or enter. 

When to go 

Weather-wise, there’s no bad time for a Geneva holiday – it just depends what you’re after.

Thermometers routinely proclaim 30C during brilliant, blue-skied summer days, while winters see average temperatures plummet as low as 2C.

There’s no low season or single time for the cheapest holidays to Geneva, such is its year-round appeal. Christmas and New Year tend to be the priciest periods. Use TravelSupermarket to compare city breaks – whether you plan to do it yourself or pick up a cheap package holiday to Geneva in 2017 – and you’re more likely to root out a gem. 

Events for your diary

Time your visit in 2017 around a fabulous event. Mid-June’s Fête de la Musique sees everything from jazz to trip-hop performed al fresco across the city. The Geneva Lake Festival in August offers carnival rides, variety shows, food stalls and fireworks, and culminates in a raucous Techno Parade.

Held from late-November, an annual Christmas Market sees handmade crafts sold from quaint wooden chalets, accompanied by ice skating at Place du Rhône.