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Geneva, Switzerland

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  Geneva is Switzerland's second-largest city, but surely the most international: a third of the population is from elsewhere. The city is crowded with museums, has many excellent cultural events, even more good restaurants, and is ideally placed for quick hops to the Swiss and French Alps. Basking in the sunshine of its peaceful setting on Lake Geneva's banks, this acclaimed neutral territory displays an obvious self-confidence. It is in pristine condition, clean, efficient and safe, yet spirited in its style and love of adventure.

Geneva is home of one of the oldest universities of the world, the University of Geneva, founded in 1559, and one of the most prestigious graduate schools of international relations, the Graduate Institute of International Studies. It is also home to the oldest international school in the world, the International School of Geneva, founded in 1924 with the League of Nations.

 		  
     
  The centre of town is dominated by the imposing, partially-Romanesque, partially-Gothic Cathédrale de St Pierre. John Calvin preached here from 1536 to 1564; his seat outlasted him and still sits in the north aisle. Beneath the cathedral can be seen the crumbling remains of a much older church.

Notable sights in Geneva include the Flower Clock, the Art and History Museum, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum and the Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations. The city's most noted landmark is a fountain: the Jet d'Eau (water-jet), situated in Lake Geneva. Its 140-metre-high water column is visible from many parts of the city.