Geneva, Switzerland

   The International city of Geneva, lies between the Alpine peaks and the hilly terrain of the Jura, the French-speaking city is located in the bay where the Rhone leaves Lake Geneva. With its humanitarian tradition and cosmopolitan flair, the European seat of the UNO and headquarters of the Red Cross is known as the �capital of peace�.

   The symbol of the Geneva is the �Jet d�eau� � a fountain with a 460 foot-high water jet at the edge of Lake Geneva. Most of the large hotels and many restaurants are situated on the right-hand shore of the lake.  The old town, the heart of Geneva with the shopping and business quarter, holds sway over the left-hand shore.  It is dominated by St. Peter�s Cathedral, however the actual centre of the old town is the Place du Bourg-de-Four, which is the oldest square in the city.  Quays, lakeside promenades, countless parks, lively side streets in the old town and elegant shops invite guests to stroll.  One of the best-maintained streets is the Grand-Rue, where Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born.  The  mouettes, a type of water taxi, enable crossings to be made from one lakeshore to the other, larger vessels take visitors on cruises on Lake Geneva.

   Geneva is Switzerland�s most international city, as it is where the European seat of the UNO is based.  Even the International Red Cross directs its humanitarian campaigns from here.  Geneva is also a centre for culture and history, for trade fairs and exhibitions. The Horloge Fleuri, the large flower clock in the �Jardin Anglais� (the English Gardens), is a world-renowned symbol of the Geneva watch industry.

   Culturally, this city on the western most edge of Switzerland, has much to offer. International artists perform in the Grand Theater and Geneva Opera House, and an extremely diverse range of museums such as the �Mus�e international de l'horlogerie�, a watch museum with a collection of jewelry watches and musical clocks, and the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which provides an insight into the work of these humanitarian organizations, invite city guests to visit them.

   A rewarding excursion destination is Mont Sal�ve, which is situated in neighboring France. The cableway lifts visitors to an altitude of 3,600 feet in less than five minutes, giving rise to outstanding vistas across the city of Geneva, Lake Geneva, the chain of Alps, the Jura and Montblanc.