Two large urban centres and two canton capitals, Lausanne and Geneva, are situated on the shores of the sickle-shaped Lake Geneva. Visitors are also drawn to other charming towns and villages along the shore such as Montreux and Vevey, Morges and Nyon.

The symbol of Geneva is the “Jet d’eau”, a 140 metre high jet of water in the basin of the lake, where the Rhone leaves the lake. Geneva, European headquarters of the United Nations and the home of the Red Cross, is sometimes called the “Capital of Peace”. Lakeside promenades and quays, parks, lively alleyways in the Old Town, elegant shops and an international airport – these all give Geneva the style and glamour of a city on the world stage.

In Lausanne, it is worth visiting the Old Town and the Olympic Museum: Lausanne has been the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee since 1914. The vineyards of the Lavaux region and the towns of Vevey and Montreux with their beautiful facades from the Belle Epoque era are also special features of this region.

The best way to get to know the varied lakeside region is on board one of the regular service boats on Lake Geneva. The shipping company has a fleet of 16 boats. Eight of them are historic paddle steamers, some of them still powered by steam, and making up the largest fleet of paddle-steamers in Europe. In addition to the regular service there are special trips including gourmet, party and musical boat rides.

Music is also popular on land, with a number of top events taking place in the Lake Geneva region, such as the famous Montreux Jazz Festival and the largest open-air festival in Switzerland, the Paléo Festival in Nyon. The city of Lausanne is home to one of the world’s most prestigious ballet companies, the Béjart Ballet.

One popular boat trip is to the famous Château de Chillon at the eastern end of the lake. The sturdy medieval fortress was built on a rocky island between the lake and the former trading route to Italy, and today attracts countless visitors with its regular guided tours and special events.