KID-FRIENDLY SIGHTS IN GENEVA!

For our last trip of spring break, the girls and I headed to Geneva! We decided to spend two nights checking out this gorgeous city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland! Geneva is located on the southern tip of Lac Lèman (or Lake Geneva) so it was about a 3-hour train ride from Basel. We ended up having the best time checking out kid-friendly sights in Geneva!

We spent morning until night both days exploring this expansive city! Did you know that Geneva is the second largest city in Switzerland and the most international city in Europe? There were so many great spots to explore, and we are going to outline our top ten favorite Geneva sights with kids.

10. St. Peter’s Cathedral (or Saint Pierre Cathedral in French) & Archeological Site museum – Visiting Cathedrals during our travels in Europe is always a highlight as they are just gorgeous! The girls love seeing what the inside looks like as well as exploring all of the nooks and crannies. And, it is usually a free sight to see! St. Peter’s Cathedral was built over 850 years ago on the site where a basilica stood from the 6th century. This cathedral was built as a Catholic Church but transformed into a Reformed Protestant Church during the Reformation.

Under the church, there is an archeological site which began excavations in 1976. It has now turned into a museum that is family-friendly, and it offers a scavenger hunt that is only in French, as well as an audio visual tour. It is 8 CHF for adults and 4 CHF for children from 7 to 16.

9. World’s Longest Bench and Reformation Wall at the Parc des Bastions – Does anyone else love finding the world’s largest things?? I’m a huge fan of roadside attractions! When I saw that the world’s largest bench was in Geneva, I knew that we had to go! Trielle’s bench is 120 meters long and built in 1767. It is located in the Promenade de la Treille, which is a small park overlooking the Parc des Bastions and the Reformation Wall. The park is usually hopping so make sure to get their early if you want to the bench to yourself!

The Reformation Wall is built into the old city walls of Geneva, and the major figures from Protestant Reformation are depicted. The wall is located in the Parc des Bastions. In the park, there is a playground as well as lots of space for the kids to run around and get rid of some energy!

8. English Garden & Flower clock – The English Garden, which is along Lake Geneva, is home to the National Monument and Flower Clock. Since Geneva is known all over the world for its’ watch making tradition, Geneva created this amazing clock made out of flowers to pay tribute to this tradition.

7. Botanical Garden & Playground – The Botanical Garden of Geneva is free for entry! There are greenhouses, beautiful areas filled with plants, a playground, and an animal park. The greenhouses were closed when we visited, but we still had a great time exploring the rest of the gardens! We were all surprised by the beautiful flamingos and black swans in the animal park. There were also some goats, deer, and peacocks.

6. Jet D’eau – The Jet D’Eau is definitely one of the most recognized sights in Geneva! But, did you know that the Jet D’eau was not originally a fountain? It was a release valve designed to relieve pressure from a hydraulic pumping station! It was such a hit that it was turned into a tourist attraction in 1891.

5. Point de la Jonction – This sight is a point where the two rivers, Rhône and Arve, come together. Both rivers have different colors of water so they begin to mix when they come together, and it is quite the sight! Luckily, there is a bridge right after this junction so you can see the two rivers joining from above.

Unfortunately, we had a tough time figuring out how to get to the bridge, and we spent about an hour walking around trying to find it! So, make sure to figure out the exact route ahead of time! This website gives directions on how to get there. There is also a park and zoo right by the bridge so that makes it extra kid-friendly!

4. Taking a Mouette on Lake Geneva – A Mouette is Geneva’s public transport boat(s) along Lake Geneva. There are four lines that go from one side of the lake to the other, and these are a fun and kid-friendly way to get around. It is 2 CHF for an adult ticket.

3. Mini Train tour of the Left Bank – Le Petit Train is Geneva’s solar-powered mini train that takes tourists for a 30 minute tour along the Left Bank of Lake Geneva. It costs 8 CHF for an adult ticket and 5 CHF for a child ticket. After a lot of walking, it’s a great way for to rest little legs of kids while learning facts about Geneva!

2. Gelato in the Little Italy (Carouge) of Geneva – Ice Cream is ALWAYS a yes for our family! During our trip, we visited Gelatomania in Carouge. Carouge was modeled after Nice so it has a Mediterranean feel, and It is known as the Little Italy of Geneva. The gelato from Gelatomania was delicious!! But, if you would prefer somewhere closer to Geneva proper, check out some of the stands along Lake Geneva!

1. Carousel in Old Town Geneva – My kids have always loved carousels. Luckily, we stumbled across one while walking around Old Town named the Carousel de la Madeleine, and it was built in 1878. It is 3 CHF for one ticket or 10 CHF for four tickets. The girls were troopers walking all over the city so they enjoyed two rides on this historic ride! If you want to be the best parent ever, take your kids to the giant toy store around the corner (Frank Carl Weber toy store).

To see more about our trip to Geneva, check out our video on our first day in this beautiful city!

Is Geneva now on your must visit list? Thank you so much for wandering along with us!