MO Magazine Tips created by Condé Nast
As the home of fine chocolate, this is the place to indulge in the ultimate naughty-but-nice experience: a chocolate bath. Retreat to the After the Rain day spa (4 Passage de Lions; +41 (22) 819 01 50) for a 45-minute soak in a bath of milk, chocolate flecks and cocoa oil.
On the northern edge of the city, close to the United Nations is the Botanical Garden, with its collection of 16,000 species from around the globe. Highlights include a vastpublic library housed in the conservatory, and one of the largest herbariums in the world.
On a warm summer evening, take a sundowner trip by cruiseboat on Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). With a cocktail in hand, watch the shore-lights twinkle on as the sun sets.
Visit Zermatt, (left) the beautiful Alpine village dominated by the Matterhorn and ringed by 4,000m peaks and glaciers. In winter and spring, the village boasts some of the most challenging skiing in Europe. Gruyères, home to the famous cheese, also boasts a 15th-century castle and a charming collection of cafés. Views from the castle ramparts across the Bernese Alps are gorgeous, and the village is the best place in Switzerland to try a traditional cheese fondue.
Lake Annecy, across the French border, is another location of Alpine splendour. In the shadow of Mont Blanc, it's a popular year-round destination for swimming, wind-surfing, water-skiing and sailing. The nearby peaks are perfect territory for mountain-biking and hiking. For the less energetic, there's always the beach, a relaxing cruise, or a meal in one of the lake- side restaurants, with their unrivalled views.
A visit to the Patek Philippe Museum (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 7; +41 (22) 807 0910) seems highly appropriate while in Geneva. Featuring a marvellous selection of watches designed and created by Patek Philippe since 1839, the museum also houses an important collection of European horology and enamels, dating from the 16th century.
The Bodmeriana Library (Route du Guignard 19-21, Cologny; +41 (22) 707 4433) in the village of Cologny is ranked among the most important private libraries in the world. With an astonishing 160,000 documents in 80 languages, the collection includes rare manuscripts, incunabula, cuneiform tablets and even a copy of the Gutenberg Bible.
A unique combination of chic international fashion boutiques and speciality shops carrying typically Swiss merchandise are located in the Rue Basses, Rue du Rhône and Rue du Marché, as well as the Rue de la Confederation. Geneva's largest brocante is on the Plaine de Plainpalais, and is transformed from a fruit and vegetable market (every Tuesday and Friday morning) to a flea market (every Wednesday and Saturday), selling books, antiques, decorative objects and clothing. The Place du Molard flower market and the book market on Place de la Madeleine are open daily.
For Indian gastronomic delights featuring deliciously “evolved” cooking by the award-winning London-based Chef Vineet Bhatia, look no further than Rasoi by Vineet at Mandarin Oriental .
For a light lunch, try the relaxed Sixième Heure (+41 (22) 320 73 69), a 'free-market' café with the biggest choice of salads in town and the ultimate takeaway – you can purchase the chair you are sitting on, the table you are sitting at, or anything at all you see inside.
The summer terrace of the Café du Soleil (+41 (22) 733 3417) in the international organisations quarter is the place to sample traditional raclette; melted cheese with air-dried beef (a speciality from the Grisons canton) and potatoes.
A stroll around the cobbled streets of the Vieille Ville (Old Town) on the south of the Rhône takes in the impressive, but ever-so-slightly incongruous St Peter's Cathedral, the site of ongoing archeological digs excavating the remains of 1,000 years of Christian worship. Scale the north tower for a panorama of the city and Lac Léman.