Geneva's Landmarks and What They Cost
Geneva’s landmarks cluster within a short walk of each other, but each carries its own price tier and its own detail worth knowing before you go.
Jet d’Eau
Visible free from any harbor quay, shooting 500 liters a second to 140 meters at 200 km/h. It shuts down automatically in strong wind, the local bise, or freezing temperatures, so check before a special trip out to the Jetée des Eaux-Vives pier.
St. Pierre Cathedral
Construction began around 1160; the Reformation that made it Calvin’s home church came centuries after it was built, in the 16th century. The nave is free. The north and south towers, 157 steps, cost CHF 7 adult, CHF 5 reduced, CHF 4 youth; the archaeological crypt is a separate CHF 8 adult, CHF 4 reduced; combined towers and crypt run CHF 12 adult, CHF 8 reduced.
United Nations Office (Palais des Nations)
Guided tour only, no self-guided access, booked exclusively at ungeneva.org : CHF 25 adult, CHF 22 student, senior or disabled, CHF 14 ages 14-17, CHF 13 ages 6-13. A physical passport or national ID is checked at the Pregny gate; the building is under renovation, so the exact route can vary between visits.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Next to the UN, the permanent exhibition costs CHF 15 adult, CHF 10 reduced, free under 12, with pay-what-you-want admission on the first Saturday of each month.
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire
A monumental 1910 Beaux-Arts building at Rue Charles-Galland, with a free permanent collection spanning roughly 4,000 years of art and history.
Old Town (Vieille Ville)
Cobblestone lanes lead from Place du Bourg-de-Four, Geneva’s oldest square built over a former Roman forum, up to the cathedral. Maison Tavel, rebuilt in 1334, is Geneva’s oldest private house and holds the Magnin Relief, a large-scale model of the pre-1850 fortified city, free to view.
Lake Geneva
Walk or bike either shoreline for free, or take a one-hour CGN Belle Époque paddle-steamer cruise, CHF 20 adult, between late April and mid-October. Search Lake Geneva boat tours on Viator .
The verdict
Free covers the Jet d’Eau, the cathedral nave, the MAH’s permanent collection, and both lakeshores; budget separately, in CHF, for the towers, the UN tour and a cruise. Compare Geneva hotels near the Old Town on Booking.com . See the Geneva walking tours guide for a route linking several of these on foot.
Before you go
Bring a passport or national ID if the UN tour is on the list; a driving licence won’t get you past the Pregny gate.