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St Pierre Cathedral: construction on the imposing church in Geneva's Old Town began in the 12th century and is mainly Gothic with a Romanesque influence and an impressive neoclassical front entrance. This is where John Calvin preached in 1536 as part of the Reformation movement that led to the establishment of Protestantism. Climb to the top of the north tower for a panoramic view of Geneva, the lake and the Alps. 
Address: Place du Bourg-de-Four 24, 0041 223117575, www.saintpierre-geneve.ch/

Reformation Wall: a landmark monument in beautiful Parc des Bastions. The 100-metre wall presents sculpted reliefs of 450 important figures in the history of Protestantism. The centre is dominated by the tall statues of the four pioneers of the movement: William Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza and Scotsman John Knox. 
Address: Promenade des Bastions 1, 0041 223108666

Museum of Art and History (ΜΑΗ): come and admire ancient Greek sculptures, Egyptian papyri and sarcophagi, findings from the prehistoric age, masterpieces by Cézanne, Renoir and Picasso, and old Swiss clocks, watches and musical instruments. 
Address: Rue Charles-Galland 2, 0041 224182600, http://institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/mah/

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum: the museum where the history and actions of the humanitarian organisation, founded in 1863 by the Swiss Henry Dunant, unfold is emotional and thought-provoking. A wealth of visual material and interactive applications in the permanent "Humanitarian Adventure" exhibition bring alive the countless wars and natural disasters around the globe and highlight the work of the Red Cross. The photo exhibit showing the children of Rwanda is particularly shocking. 
Address: Av.de la Paix 17, 0041 227489511, www.redcrossmuseum.ch/

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (ΜΑΜCO): located in the chic Plainpalais district, an old factory from the 1950s has been transformed into a pioneering cultural centre for new trends in painting, photography, visual installations, video art and multimedia. You may run into the artists themselves who are eager to show you around. 
Address: Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10, 0041 22 320 61 22, www.mamco.ch/ 

European Organisation for Nuclear Research - CERN: the exciting journey into the mysterious microcosm of subatomic matter begins here in Geneva at the most advanced particle physics centre in the world with the famous particle accelerator. Quarks, gluons that travel at the speed of light and the "God particle": guided tours by CERN scientists provide answers and raise new metaphysical questions about the origins and nature of the universe. 
Address: Route de Meyrin 385, 0041 227678484, http://home.web.cern.ch/

Palace of Nations: the European office of the United Nations is housed in a white marble 1930s building in Ariana Park, serving as a symbol of the unity and brotherhood of the world's people. The place where "nations meet nations", comparable in size to the Palace of Versailles, welcomes more than 100,000 visitors a year who may tour the Assembly Hall and the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilisations Room, and admire a collection of art work from all over the world.
Address: Palais des Nations, 0041 229171234, www.unog.ch/

For a bird's eye view of Geneva… you have to go to neighbouring France. Just 400 m from the Swiss-French border, you will find the cable car setting off from the Swiss village of Veyrier which can take you to an altitude of 1,100 m at the top of Mont-Salève, in France. The view of Lake Geneva and the city is breathtaking.   

Cruises on Lake Geneva: from the gentle slopes of La Côte and the vineyards of Lavaux, to the cliffs of the French Chablais mountain range along the Savoy shore, the Belle Époque steam boats will take you within arm's reach of the magical settings around the lake. Alternatively, you can take a cruise along the Rhône River, to the Verbois dam.
Address: the boats leave from the Fleuri, du Mont Blanc and des Moulins de I’île docks.

With the latest trends in fashion arriving in Geneva from neighbouring France and Italy in the flash of an eye, Geneva has emerged as a trend-setting destination. Look for unique prêt-à-porter items for your wardrobe on Rue du Rhône and Rue du Marché with the flashy store windows that look like catwalks. Here you will also find a row of famous Swiss watchmakers with the best and most expensive wrist and pocket watches. There are also five malls in the city, if you would like to combine shopping with dinner and a movie.

Head for Rue du Mont Blanc to buy popular souvenirs, like Swiss Army knives, wooden cuckoo clocks and famous Swiss chocolates with mocha, hazelnut or spice flavours. Search for vintage items with ethnic highlights in the more eclectic boutiques along Rue des Pâquis, and browse the artists' studios in the Carouge district with the retro antique shops.

Have a cup of coffee in Geneva's Old Town at the tasteful hangouts on Rive Gauche with the tables set outside on the cobblestones at the first sign of spring. Wander round the Bohemian Carouge district with the little restaurants, artist studios and bistros. Get a taste of cheese fondue - Geneva's classic speciality, fish from Geneva Lake and the Rhône River, accompanied by Swiss wines, authentic dishes from neighbouring France and Italy at award-winning restaurants with an aesthete lakeside environment. To experiment with international cuisine, try some of the ethnic restaurants concentrated in Les Pâquis district, east of the main Rue du Mont Blanc.

Geneva loves jazz, but also wild parties with famous DJs on decks at bars that are open late around the Place des Volontaires, at lounge bars, music stages in Old Town, along the lake front and in the Plainpalais and Eaux-Vives districts.

Events in Geneva combine entertainment and sports with sightseeing.

• Geneva Festival: A spectacular production at the peak of summer. Two million visitors crowd into the city in August for live concerts on four outdoor stages, a spectacle of fireworks, a gastronomic tour of 30 different world cuisines and endless fun for young and old at 70 carnival rides. 
• International Hot-air Balloon Festival: Giant, colourful balloons float into the sky as part of the largest winter festival of its kind in the world every January at Château-d'Oex, east of Geneva. Come see the dazzling sight of illuminated hot-air balloons at night and dare take an aerial ride over the alpine lake. You'll feel as if you could reach out and touch the Alps!
• Geneva’s International Exhibition of Inventions: Innovative ideas, machine patents, original devices and inventions by a vast range of scientists are presented each April at the Palexpo Exhibition Centre in the city by creators, scientists and researchers, university institutions and institutes from 45 countries around the world.
• Harmony Geneva Marathon for UNICEF: View the sights of Geneva while running for a good cause. The 42.195 km route passes through 10 villages of the idyllic Swiss countryside, and past many of the city's landmarks, including the Flower Clock of Jardin Anglais, to finish up at the Mont Blanc bridge.

Getting to and from the airport

Aegean Airlines lands at Cointrin-Geneva International Airport, located 4 km north-west of the city centre. You can download a free app with all passenger services, and it features a number of stores, restaurants, cafés, banks, foreign exchanges desks, a post office, a playroom and child care room, a smoking area and free Wi-Fi.

The best way to get from the airport to the city is by train departing every 12 to 20 minutes for the central Geneva-Cornavin Station; the journey takes just 6 minutes. You can also use urban buses 5, 10, 23, 28 and 57 that stop at many locations in Geneva. If you choose to go by taxi, note that it is possible to pay by credit card.