Geneva is a city of ideas and ideals for mankind. It is a mirror of a many-faceted world. From the Place des Nations begin a discovery of the humanist city. It is a city of peace and human understanding. Here human rights, environment, health, migration… international organizations find their true outlet. Here is one city where differences are respected and the accent is on integration.
My trip to Geneva was a kind of an eye-opener for me. I had gone to attend an International Conference on Wildlife Tourism sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Save Tiger Campaign. Never before did I have the experience of attending such a high profile conference and there were tourism scholars and wildlife experts from 30 countries who attended the 3-day conference. Although it was a 3-day Conference, guests were given the option of extending their stay for a week at their own cost. I thought it is not very often that I would get an opportunity to visit a city as stupendous as Geneva and so decided to extend my stay by another 4 days, which was just about enough to see the sights and sounds of this incredible city. There were a few other like-minded guests who too decided to extend their stay.
One good thing that I have learnt over the years through my international travel is that once I land up in a city I have never visited, I straightaway look for the Tourist Office and inquire about the availability of a guide. The Geneva Tourism office which is located just a stone's throw away from my hotel at Rue du Mont-Blanc, provided me with a well-informed guide who would be my companion for the next 4 days of my stay in Geneva. After a long chat with him, we decided to embark on a walking tour of the city, particularly the “Old Town”. Wandering in Geneva can be great fun and the city's infectious spirit is bound to hit you. Geneva is the city of Protestantism, the watch making capital of the world, a city of impeccably landscaped parks and a city renowned for its gastronomic delights.
Characteristic features of the Old Town are its meandering cobbled streets and lofty, shuttered, greystone quarters that give nothing away. Ambling through the Old Town makes you aware of Geneva's roots that draw upon a rich heritage; its distinguished history has over the past several centuries imposed a profound effect on its character, tolerant and open to the world, to ideas and to human relationship.
Our first stop was the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Pierre that was reportedly constructed between 1160 and 1232. It was originally built in the Romanesque style but later on was redesigned in the Gothic style of architecture. Since the era of Reformation, this magnificent cathedral has been the principal center of Protestant religious congregation. What impressed me the most were the “Calvin's Chair”, the finely carved stalls of the chancel and memorabilia honoring the Duke of Rohan, who was at the forefront as a representative of the French protestants under Henri IV and Louis XIII and whose remnants have been laid to rest in the cathedral.

There were more historical treasures awaiting us…. courtesy the Chapel of the Maccabeans, The Auditoire, The Place Bourg-de- Four, the magnificent Hotel de Ville as well as the Old Arsenal.
While the Chapel of Maccabeans used to serve as a burial and collegial chapel during the time of Reformation the Auditoire was at first a chapel dating back to the 5th century. There is quite a bit of history attached to the Auditoire. My jovial guide Stefan was of the opinion that it used to be a place where one could hear the sermons of Calvin and de Beze. In the year 1555, this one-of-its-kind edifice also played host to John Knox who later on along with Bodley and Coverdale, worked as a team to bring out the first English version of the Bible, which was popularly referred to as the “Geneva Bible”.
Since it was summer, I was fortunate to be visiting the impressive Town Hall or the Hotel de Ville where Geneva's Parliament is seated. Stefan led me through a spiral path all the way to the Alabama room where the First Geneva Convention was signed in the year 1864, thereby heralding the birth of the International Red Cross. An outdoor concert was on at the inner courtyard and it was my first brush with Geneva's cultural life.
For archive enthusiasts, a visit to the Old Arsenal can be a very rewarding experience as we were to discover. It is conspicuous by its rich collection of Geneva's state archives on the second floor, while in the roofed outdoor area some of the original cannons used by Geneva's military unit dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries are the cynosure of all eyes.
The next day we were back on the road once again, discovering the city's rich heritage on the Old Town. I have visited the world famous Paris Opera House and there seemed to be a lot of similarities with the Grand Thetre here at Geneva. This classical opera house is conspicuous by its embossed figurative sculptures of renowned musicians and composers. Geneva's very own opera – the Corps de Ballet is housed at this historical Grand Theatre.
Our next stop was at the famed Victoria Hall that dates back to 1893 and according to Stefan, it was fully financed by the then Counsel of England – Daniel Fitzerald Barton as a mark of respect to Queen Victoria. If ever there was a temple dedicated to classical music in Geneva, it has to be the magnificent Victoria Hall. Ravaged by fire in the year 1984, it was reconstructed and added a new dimension by dedicating an exclusive zone in honor of the great musician – Ernest Ansermet (1883-1969) who was instrumental in founding the famed “Orchestre de la Suisse Romande” way back in the year 1918.
We headed for Place du Mollard on the left bank, located strategically in between the famed Geneva Lake and the Old Town, which is replete with some of Geneva's most popular outdoor cafes with the surreal backdrop of a fountain. After a relaxing time at the open air confectionary shop, biting into the very best of Swiss Chocolates and a steaming cuppa Cappuccino coffee, I purchased a few boxes of the signature White Truffles, which are a speciality of the region as souvenirs for my folks back home.
If the visit to the Old Town with history written all over gave me a sense of the city's rich virile past, a complete change of scene awaited me as I ventured to explore the famed “Lake Geneva”. I wasn't left with much time either and on the penultimate day of my Geneva sojourn, we went on a roller coaster tour of Lake Geneva region. I was stupefied by the sight of the famed “Jet d'eau”, shooting out the lake water to an incredible height (450 feet). The breathtaking sight of impeccably landscaped flowerbeds replete with exotic flora, as well as a bewildering variety of avian life, particularly aquatic birds and sails of myriad colours on the regattas left me in café 7th heaven.
I may not be an adventure freak, but like every other Swiss, I too wanted to be at home on the waves, not as a solo individual sailor but definitely by undertaking a leisurely cruise on board a boat that plied on Lake Geneva. The ethereal charm of the bustling coastlines and the adjacent mountains towering above, almost touching the sky was an outof- the-world experience.
The 1-hour trip was every bit exciting and with the cafeteria on board serving lip-smacking Swiss menus, we had our afternoon grab consisting of slices of Vaudois sausage, Cabbage-filled sausage, freshly caught trouts and the finest collection of local cheese, all of which made for a truly sumptuous luncheon onboard.
Two fascinating attractions awaited us after we disembarked from the boat on Lake Geneva – the impeccably maintained English Garden with its ubiquitous flower clock that somehow epitomizes Geneva's unquestionable innovation in watch making and the other was the iconic National Monument that takes you back to the time of Geneva's official union with Switzerland in the year 1815.
The entire day was hectic and we decided to have a sip or two of our favorite Swiss tipple at a nondescript bar located on the corner of Rue Du Rhone.