Geneva

Switzerland's most populous city is reputed to be the intellectual and cultural capital of the nation. Today the city is famous for its pinstriped gnomes and art galleries, and for the way it manages to balance finance and aesthetics better than anyone but Sothebys.

Comfortably encamped on the shore of Lake Geneva, this spic-and-span city belongs to the international community as much as it belongs to the Swiss: over 200 international organisations are headquartered here; one in three residents are non-Swiss; and just about every global problem from nuclear proliferation to ethnic cleansing has done a star turn at Geneva's famously neutral negotiating tables. The global affairs it tries to make sense of may be murky, distressing and dangerous, but the city itself is pristine, efficient and safe. Some punters have gone as far as to complain about sterility, but then some people wouldn't recognise a good thing if it waved a dozen flags and shouted in their ear.

The city enjoys a fine location and strolls around the lake and boating excursions are hugely enjoyable. The cable car up Mont Sal�ve offers the complete picturesque panorama. The River Rh�ne runs through the city with the old part of town lying on the south side. The centre of town is dominated by the partially Romanesque, partially Gothic Cathedral St Pierre. John Calvin preached here from 1536 to 1564 and the body of the church matches the austerity of his teachings. The nearby Place du Bourg-de-Four is the oldest square in Geneva. It was once a Roman forum, evolved into a medieval marketplace, and is now destined for a future as the loci of touristy shops.

Getting there and away

The main entry points for international flights are Z�rich and Geneva. Basel, Bern and Lugarno airport also have international flights. There is no departure tax when flying out of Switzerland. Trains are a popular and convenient way to travel to Switzerland, and European rail passes make train travel affordable. Getting to Switzerland by road is simple, since there are fast, well-maintained motorways through all surrounding countries. If you have time and money, it's possible to get to Switzerland by boat along the Rhine all the way from Amsterdam. Switzerland can also be reached by lake steamer ferries from Germany via Lake Constance, from Italy via Lake Maggiore and from France via Lake Geneva.

Go right now to Expedia.com and plan your dream trip to Switzerland. Have a great time!!