domingo, 24 de julho de 2011

Allez à Genève


    Among a thousand reasons that could make me visit this city. I must confess that this choice came by chance. I wanted to spend a four day’s weekend, somewhere with two friends (Teresa and Raquel). Then I checked on easyjet website which the cheapest direct flight from Lisbon! I found Geneva! Sounds good! 
    Geneva is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situated where the Rhone exits Lake Geneva, it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. 
    Geneva is a global city, a financial centre, and a worldwide centre for diplomacy and the most important UN international co-operation centre with New York thanks to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross. It is also the place where the Geneva Conventions were signed, which chiefly concern the treatment of wartime non-combatants and prisoners of war. Geneva has been described as the third European financial centre after London and Zurich, and the world's eighth most important financial centre by the Global Financial Centres Index. 
     Geneva has the third-highest quality of life of any city in the world. The city has been referred to as the world's most compact metropolis and the "Peace Capital.”
      I have to say that this city is a bit expensive for who didn’t want to spend much money. Actually, Geneva was ranked as the fourth most expensive city in the world. Even the food is expensive, but we always have supermarkets where you can buy and cook for ourselves if we want to make it cheaper. 
      On the other hand, this city is very welcoming to tourists. Normally, your accommodation place offers a free card for public transport during the time you’re staying in the city (nice, isn’t it?). Even if you don’t have this card, you can always rent a bike for free and walk around the city which is well prepared for bike drivers.
     My first propose of this trip was to relax, so I spend my days walking around quietly, enjoying the boating on the lake and listening the street musicians playing in public pianos scattered throughout the city.
 








Cities I've visited