Highest Quality Of Living In Geneva

Genevra is the second most populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandy. It is situated where Lake Geneva flows into the Rhone River and is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. Widely regarded as a global city, mainly due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations. A 2006 survey found Geneva to have the second highest quality of living in the world.

For the first time visitor to Geneva, the initial reaction is not so much awe at the beautiful scenery, rather a more mundane concern how can I afford it. The chauffeured Bentleys and imposing headquarters, both corporate and inter governmental, can be intimidating, but there you have the key to appreciating the town is dont let the glitter get you down.

Actually, Genevas best features dont even cost a euro. The setting on the shores of Lake Geneva, the yacht packed harbour, the Jet d Eau fountain with its 140 metre high spray of water, and the market stalls selling everything from antiques to flowers on the cobbled streets of the Old Town.

On Saturdays, many of the vineyards in the surrounding countryside offer free wine tasting. For a couple of euros, you can go behind the bureaucratic of the organisations the UN,WTO and the International Red Cross to name but a few, that make this town such an important stage for world politics.

The St Pierre Cathedral, one of the key sites of the Reformation, is to Geneva what Notre Dame is to Paris, so its a must

Last but not least, beware of the traffic. Whether youre walking or driving, one distracted moment and the last thing youll remember of Geneva is a big blue license plate. Diplomats these drivers may be, but it seems like the frustrations of long negotiations are vented on the streets.

The cities many festivals are treasured opportunities for the Genevans to stop being Swiss for a day. The Music Festival in June is by far the wildest, with hundreds of concerts all over town during two intense days.

The Geneva Carnival, with street entertainers and costume parades, takes place in March every year and from July to August you can enjoy open air movie screenings at Cinelac on Port Noir.

An astonishing 38 per cent of Genevas residents are foreigners, with many Americans in the mix. Thus the Independence Day celebrations in Geneva have, over the last 50 years, become the largest taking place outside of the United States.

Summers big event is the Geneva Festival, with an amusement park, concerts, fireworks, and food from every corner of the world.