Geneva Shopping Guide
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An Insider’s Guide to Geneva shopping & activities by our colleagues Get the most out of the city With these top tips from our colleagues at Mandarin Oriental, Geneva insider’s guide A word from the team rowse these pages and discover a selection of ideas carefully chosen by our dedicated concierge team to help you experience the best of Geneva and the surrounding area. In love Bwith the region, each member of the team is delighted to share their knowledge and tips about the area and its many treasures. Get under the skin of French-speaking Switzerland and neighbouring France through the expert eyes of passionate locals, and prepare to be amazed. However much free time you have to explore, whatever your interests, read on to discover everything from the city’s best spots for a picnic with a view to the best photo opportunities, the cutest children’s boutique or the region’s most memorable activities for families. Discover the charm, history and glorious sights in our region. We wish you a wonderful visit. Welcome to our Geneva, our beautiful, fascinating city. The team at Mandarin Oriental, Geneva 3 insider’s guide Contents Shops 5 Memorable Moments 13 Activities 21 Our perfect day 27 4 shops Shops 5 shops Summary Best fashion boutiques 7 Best men’s shoes 9 Best for children 10 Best souvenirs 11 Best for art-lovers 12 6 shops Best Fashion Boutiques L’adresse, L’envie Table & Wear de Fraises This unique place combines a fashion Looking for pretty maternity wear? boutique with a contemporary bistro. This shop sells trendy clothes for The vast loft space is a former artist's pregnant women and new mothers, workshop, with a rooftop terrace that’s as well as baby carriers, washable ideal for eating outside in summer. diapers and toys for children. Staff The bistro offers fresh, light Asian are attentive and helpful and it’s a and Mediterranean food, while the pleasant, friendly place to shop. boutique sells brands including Acne, APC and Diane von Furstenberg 2 km · T + 41 22 321 24 61 alongside local designers. enviedefraises.ch 2,5 km · T + 41 22 736 32 32 ladress.ch Le grand magasin 15TER Set up by two friends in the arty Bains district, this boutique This boutique presents a carefully showcases young local and curated selection of French international designers you won’t urban wear labels including find elsewhere in Geneva, including Ash, Crea Concept, Des Petits Momoni, Chie Mihara, Ellen Hauts, Angels and others. A Verbeek and Officine Creative. great place to pick up the latest Clothing, accessories and shoes ‘must haves’ of the season. are beautifully displayed. 2,2 km · T + 41 22 735 70 87 1,1 km · T + 41 22 321 10 21 15ter.ch legrandmagasin.ch 7 shops Best Fashion Boutiques Mamzelle Popeline This place is a real treasure trove, mixing vintage clothing with contemporary designer accessories, jewellery and homeware. With a focus on ethical clothing and high quality craftsmanship, it only offers unique, high quality pieces made with care. 900 m · T + 41 78 793 13 15 mamzellepopeline.blogspot.com 8 shops Best Men’s Shoes Arturo Belli Founded by an Italian in 1909, this shoe shop offers high quality, made-to-measure footwear for men, handmade in Geneva. Customers can pick from the stylish designs and then choose the type of leather, the colour and the decorative features they prefer. Their name is even inscribed under the tongue of each shoe when they are made. 600 m · T + 41 22 310 65 18 arturobelli.com 9 shops Best for Children Figue Bazar Children will be in their element in this kids’ boutique which offers not only clothing, games and toys, but fancy dress costumes, beautiful furniture and knickknacks for a child’s bedroom, plus everything you need to prepare a fantastic birthday party. 2,2 km · T + 41 22 735 86 00 figue.ch Summer Rain This stylish children’s concept store features high quality clothing, toys, books, educational resources and accessories for kids. Designer brands include Stella McCartney Kids, Nununu, How to kiss a frog, Poudre organic, Blossom and Wubby. There’s even a kids’ playroom downstairs. 1,8 km · T + 41 22 400 02 22 summer-rain.ch 10 shops Best Souvenirs Swiss Corner Here you’ll find a large selection of typical Swiss-made souvenirs including Swiss flag t-shirts, bells, knives, watches, music boxes, cuckoo clocks and wooden cows. 800 m · T + 41 22 731 06 84 ALPtitude Beautiful fondue pots, toy Saint-Bernard dogs for kids, Victorinox knives, watches, Swiss-branded stationery, pretty snow globes and fun items from the cow-inspired Mumu range are among the goods on display. A good place to pick up a nice souvenir of your trip to Switzerland. 800 m · T + 41 22 732 16 26 alptitude.ge-ch 11 shops Best for Art-Lovers M.A.D Gallery Percho Anyone who thinks Geneva is boring Head to Carouge to visit the will change their mind here. The workshop of artist Percho, who M.A.D Gallery displays ‘mechanical created the famous cow who keeps art devices’ from around the world. guard at the entrance of our hotel. Moving artworks, mechanical People with a fun, childlike soul sculptures, wacky watches and other will love the malicious characters crazy creations will bring a smile to and imaginary animals that your face, with some pieces for sale. feature in her drawings, paintings, tableware, curiosities and limited 2,3 km · T + 41 22 508 10 38 edition handmade cards. madgallery.net 4 km · T + 41 79 759 48 26 percho.ch Quartier des Bains This area is to Geneva what Chelsea is to New York or Löwenbräu to Zurich. Located in a former semi- industrial zone near Plainpalais, this hip art district is home to ten art galleries and seven cultural institutions and venues, including MAMCO, the museum of modern art. Four times a year they all open their doors late into the evening for Museums Night, a lively and popular event for anyone interested in art. 2 km · quartierdesbains.ch 12 memorable moments Memorable Moments 13 memorable moments Summary Best romantic spots for a kiss 15 Best photo opportunities 18 Best places to picnic with a view 19 14 memorable moments Best Romantic Spots for a Kiss L’ile Rousseau · 700 m Parc des Eaux Vives · 4 km In the middle of the river Rhône in One of Geneva’s largest, oldest central Geneva is this small island and most beautiful parks, named after the famous philosopher this landscaped green space and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau, overlooks Lake Geneva from the who spent part of his life in this city. Rive Gauche (left bank). The Get there via the Pont des Bergues, park offers wide walking paths, a the bridge that connects the island stylish restaurant, a tennis club, to both riverbanks, and snatch a and copious rhododendrons and kiss under the statue of Rousseau. azaleas shaded by trees. The perfect place for a romantic stroll. Share the love: take an inspiring selfie of you and your loved one somewhere in Geneva, post it to Instagram tagging #MandarinOrientalGeneva and show the post to the barman and we will reward you with two complimentary glasses of Champagne at MO Bar. 15 memorable moments Best Romantic Spots for a Kiss Lake Geneva Jet d’eau · 2,3 km Leave the busy city and take a Geneva’s famous water fountain is boat out into the middle of the the most iconic place in the city to lake to enjoy a peaceful moment take your loved one. Get up and with your partner and a different close to the fountain by taking the perspective on Geneva. boardwalk that leads from the Rive Gauche at Quai Gustave Ador and snap a selfie with your loved one. 16 memorable moments 17 memorable moments Best Photo Opportunities The towers of St-Pierre Cathedral 1 km For a fantastic 360-degree view over Geneva and the lake, climb up the long spiral staircase of one of the Mont Salève · 11 km cathedral’s two towers. The south tower is best in good weather, as Just outside the city, Mont Salève is it’s topped with an open-air balcony known as Geneva’s local mountain offering a vast panorama over the and is a popular day trip for anyone lake; but when it’s raining climb the looking for a relaxing escape into north tower instead to peer out the nature. Take the cable car up windows of the room at the top. to the top and photograph far- reaching views of Lake Geneva, the Jura mountains and even Place Pierre Gautier in Cologny Mont Blanc on a clear day. 5 km Cable car: April 9.30am-6pm, Cologny is the most expensive May-Sep 9.30am-7pm (Thu-Sat and exclusive residential area in until 11pm), Oct-Nov 9.30am- Geneva, and it also has one of the 6pm, Dec-Mar 9.30am-5pm, best views of the lake from the closed mid Nov-mid Dec. balcony at the bottom of this square. Soak up the view from a bench, or sit and have lunch on the terrace of the Auberge du Lion d’Or. 18 memorable moments Best Places to Picnic with a View Lakeside: Port Gitana · 6 km At 1,000m altitude: Mont Salève · 19 km A ten-minute drive from Geneva is Bellevue beach at Get out of town and hike the Port Gitana, a lakeside green trails on this nearby mountain space that’s ideal for a picnic.