Laila Rodriguez
Musicians at the Escalade in Geneva
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – It is not too late to head to Geneva’s Old Town to travel back in time, say, over 400 years.
Hundreds of people carrying 17th century arms, dressed as if in the 1600s, carrying flags and playing old military marches take over the streets for the yearly “Fête de L’Escalade,” a three-day commemoration of the city’s defeat of Savoy on 11 December 1602.
Laila Rodriguez
Peacock patrol at the UN - Photo by Christine Knudsen
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – UN staffers y’all can skip this post, for the rest of our readers here’s something to do in this fine lovely weather.
The United Nations Office at Geneva will open the Ariana Park and part of the Palais des Nations for free to the public on Saturday 15 September 2012.
The event sponsored by the Swiss Confederation, the canton and city of Geneva and the Fondation pour Genève, gives the public at large the rare chance to access the awesome park previously owned by the Revillon de la Rive family (of the Ariana Palace fame) whose last descendent donated it to the city.
Get ready to see some of the park’s most famous residents, the peacocks, which roam the grounds freely (“Just your usual day at the UN,” said our guest photographer).
The Geneva public transport system, TPG, will be offering a free shuttle bus service from Cornavin (great for those coming to town just for this event) to the UN every 20 minutes between 10:40 and 18:00.
Valid ID required, pets are not allowed. Fore more information visit the UNOG website.
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Laila Rodriguez
Free tours of the hydro-electric in Vessy, canton Geneva - Photo SIG
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Here’s a resource for those of you with kids in town this summer. Take them for a free tour of the mini-hydroelectric power station in Vessy, canton Geneva.
Inaugurated in May 2007, the “micro-hydro,” as is known in French, is powered by two turbines that coupled with a few generators produce 1.7 GWh per year, enough to power about 500 households in the canton.
Nestled at the entrance of the Arve River, the power station was first born as a water pumping mill in 1865. It supplied water to Bessinge and Chêne-Bougerie for over 100 years.
Visit free of charge the last Thursday of the month until September (28 June, 26 July, 30 August, 27 September). The tour, which is given entirely in French, begins at 17:00 and lasts 1:30.
Recommended for those 10 years old and up but not accessible for people with reduced mobility. Flat shoes are advised.
For more information e-mail: contact@espacevessy.ch or call +41 (0) 22 420 75 75.
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Laila Rodriguez
The free guided walks of Geneva
GENEVA, Switzerland – Get moving on Sundays thanks to GenèveRando, which with the financial support of the city of Geneva, organizes 2-3 hour walks to discover the city.
Fourteen guided walks are offered every third Sunday of the month, free of charge from April to October 2012.
This Sunday 20 May there are two great walks:
Architecture and Urbanism in Geneva during Rousseau’s era. A time when the city was experiencing an architectural revival of great public buildings and patrician houses. It starts at 10:00. Head to the Molard Tower and meet the group there. The walk ends at around noon at the Promenade Saint-Antoine.
From Parks to Gardens. The tour departs at 14:30 from the parking lot of the magnificent Penthes Castle (Ch. de l’Impératrice 18) and ends at 17:00 in Petit-Saconnex.
For more information contact: dimancheapied@geneverando.ch, visit the Dimanche a pied website, or call +41 (0)76 224 8407. The next tour is in June.
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Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – If you are an architecture buff, this one is for you. The UN in Geneva has added a third, thematic tour of the Palais de Nations, including an exhibit of original design sketches and models for the UN compound.
Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room at the UN features a ceiling decorated by Catalan Miquel Barceló - Photo UNIS Jean-Marc Ferré
The tour also includes seeing fine artwork on display at the Palais, including the large fresco by José Maria Sert in the Council Chamber and Miquel Barceló’s ceiling in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilisations Room.
Additional details and info on the architectural tour can be found under the city’s guide to International Geneva.
The UN also offers seasonal guided tours of its pristine gardens. Click here to read more.
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Laila Rodriguez
Must-see processions and activities on Good Friday
The pleureuses, or Good Friday mourners, in Romont - Photo Laila Rodriguez
These are some of my favorite Good Friday and Easter activities around Lake Geneva and beyond.
Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Here’s an excellent idea for when you run out of ideas for what to do with your out-of-town guests: guided walking tours of Geneva.
The Geneva tourism department offers guided walks that range in price from CHF10 for students and seniors, to CHF15 for adults. Free for children under 14 years of age.
Explore Old Town, Carouge, the financial district, or take one of the themed-walks: watch-making history, Calvinism and the city, parks and residences, tales and legends, Rousseau, Henry Dunant & the Red Cross, and in December only, the Escalade with its famous hot soup and hidden trails.
Squeeze through the Passage de Monetier opens only once a year
Exiting the Monetier dressed as back in the day
Tours are offered in French, English and German; Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and other languages available upon request.
Enjoy Geneva in winter!
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Laila Rodriguez
View of some of the trails at the UN Park - Photo Jean Marc Ferre, UNIS
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – If you are one of the few still left in Geneva during the summer holidays, or have guests this month, consider a visit to the beautifully manicured lawns and gardens of the United Nations.
The tour of the Palais des Nations Park takes place every Tuesday and Thursday during the summer, at 11:00 and 14:30, and lasts about an hour-and-a-half.
For more information on the guided tours in English call: +41 (0) 22 917 4894 or email ndawe@unog.ch.
Other UN tours
If you are interested in visiting the UN buildings, including some of the rooms where international policies are created, remember that from September to April tours operate on weekdays only.
For more information on those tours visit the UN website. Remember valid identity documents, such as passports, may be required.
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Laila Rodriguez
Annecy castle one of the places to visit in town (enlarge)
Annecy, France – One of the most quaint and beautiful cities in surrounding France, Annecy at less than 50 km from Geneva now has one more reason to make it a must-visit this summer.
This city, full of history and located on the Lac d’Annecy, boasts a captivating medieval center, picturesque -although sometimes much too crowded streets- and crystalline blue waters in its lake.
Laila Rodriguez
The Ariana museum in Geneva, guided tours
Geneva, Switzerland – Here’s another bargain I found to add to my list of “free or low-cost” Geneva resources.
Free English-speaking guided tours are now available at the Art and History Museum, one of the oldest in the city of Geneva as well as at the Rath Museum, which recently reopened and at the beautiful Ariana Museum.
The 2010 sessions have been scheduled as follows: Read more…