Geneva Activities: Lake, Old Town and CERN
Geneva’s sights are easy to list and hard to price; here they are sorted by what each one actually costs.
Free
The Jet d’Eau is visible from the harbor quays at no charge; it shuts off in high wind or frost. St. Pierre Cathedral’s nave, the Reformation Wall in Parc des Bastions, the 1955 Flower Clock in Jardin Anglais, and every permanent collection at the city’s municipal museums, Musée d’Art et d’Histoire included, cost nothing, every day of the week.
Under CHF 10
Bains des Pâquis charges CHF 2 for a swim off its 1872 pier. Climbing St. Pierre’s towers is CHF 7 adult; the Patek Philippe Museum, a serious collection of European horology from the 16th century onward, is CHF 10 adult, CHF 7 for seniors and students, and free under 18.
CHF 15 to CHF 25
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Pregny is CHF 15 adult, with pay-what-you-want admission the first Saturday of the month. A one-hour CGN paddle-steamer harbor cruise runs CHF 20. The Palais des Nations guided tour, the only way to see the UN’s European headquarters, is CHF 25 adult, CHF 22 student, senior or disabled, CHF 14 for ages 14-17, CHF 13 for ages 6-13, booked exclusively at ungeneva.org with a physical passport or ID required at the gate.
Free, but book ahead
CERN’s Science Gateway in Meyrin, reachable on Tram 18 from Cornavin, charges nothing to enter; book a timed slot online up to a month ahead. The guided lab tours are a separate matter: those release on-site through the CERN app two hours before each start, first-come first-served.
The stay-over discount
Anyone staying at a registered Geneva hotel, hostel or campsite gets a Geneva Transport Card by email automatically, free, covering trams, buses and the mouette boats for the whole stay. Day-trippers not staying over need an ordinary Unireso ticket instead. Search Geneva sightseeing and museum tickets on GetYourGuide or compare Geneva hotels on Booking.com if a free transport card is worth basing your stay around.
The verdict
Spend the free morning on the cathedral and lakeshore, then put your one paid booking toward the UN tour or CERN, since both need advance planning and neither is a walk-in. For a day-by-day version of this list, see the Geneva sightseeing guide .
Before you go
Book the UN tour as early as you can; slots release on the 20th of the prior month and go quickly.