Must-see in Geneva: a first-timer's guide

A brief history Geneva was a Roman border town that became a self-governing city-state and, under Calvin from 1536, the "Protestant Rome" and a refuge for religious exiles. Watchmaking and banking grew from that refugee skill and capital. Joining Switzerland in 1815 and hosting the Red Cross, the League of Nations and later the UN made it a small lakeside city with outsized international weight. 10 must-see attractions 1. Jet d'Eau — the 140-metre lake fountain that became the city's emblem. 2. Old Town and St. Pierre Cathedral — cobbled heights, Calvin's church and a tower panorama. 3. Palais des Nations — the UN's European headquarters, visitable by guided tour. 4. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum — a powerful museum on humanitarian history. 5. Lake Geneva promenades and the Bains des Paquis — swimming, sauna and fondue on the water. 6. Reformation Wall — monumental statues of Calvin and the reformers in Parc des Bastions. 7. Patek Philippe Museum — five centuries of watchmaking and enamel miniatures. 8. Carouge — a Sardinian-built neighbourhood of artisan workshops and shaded terraces. 9. Mont Saleve — a cable car just over the French border for the Alpine view back over the lake. 10. CERN Science Gateway — free exhibitions on particle physics at the world's largest laboratory. Tip: hotel guests get a free public transport card — ask at check-in.