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Geneva at night time was like a place from a fairytale come to life. Spacious streets, authentic restaurants and sky bars welcomed us upon arrival. It was late spring and the weather was starting to warm up so our evening walk in the city felt carefree. Huge high-end shops guarded the city from one side - Jet d'Eau, the Geneva Water Fountain, was gracing the scenery from the other.

 

We ended up grabbing a quick bite on the go and headed to a sky bar atop one of the bigger hotels where a carefully crafted cocktail menu tempted guests and skillful mixologists executed the recipes to perfection. We tried a classic negroni, the spicy margaritas and their twist to a refreshing caipirinha. Served perfectly chilled, the drinks were a good match to the stunning view. The wide windows displayed the whole city with its twinkling lights and busy food hotspots.

 

The next day we headed out to explore the city on foot. Between the beautiful Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, a walk along Rue Du Rhône and a quick stop by Mont Blanc Bridge, there were plenty of things to see during our short stay. We made a few quick stops by independent cafés to get our caffeine fix. There were so many places to choose from. The Swiss have a strong coffee culture and each place we visited along the way made it on our list of recommended spots. From Utopia Coffee to The Barista Lab and Corde Coffee, the options between milky coffees and filter ones was simply impeccable.

 

Pastries and espressos go hand-in-hand. We just had to try the sweets that the city had to offer. We walked into Du Rhône Chocolatier where we were spoiled for choice and finally decided to pick a selection of their famous chocolate truffles. RENOU Pâtisserie caught our attention with the artisan cheesecakes, gâteaux and croustioche perfectly lined up behind the glass displays.

 

We walked around the peaceful parks and enjoyed a day of exploring. We stumbled upon a street food market where dozens of food halls were aligned in a circle. The smell of fresh dough and steamed vegetables filled the air. The market was a celebration of world foods and so each team had something exciting to offer. Veggie empanadas, fried fish tacos, bao buns and phở - the food was irresistible. People were sitting on benches in the middle where long wooden tables invited tourists and locals to mingle and share their food in the company of strangers.

 

As the evening fell, we opted for a lakeside fondue where we shared a bottle of wine and enjoyed the steaming hot cheese - a food statement for the cuisine of Geneva. Around us ducks were swimming in the water and the crowds kept multiplying.

 

In the morning we rushed to grab breakfast at a café right next to the train station. It ended up being one of the most colourful, beautifully presented and creative brunches we had ever had. We didn't have much time until the train departed. With a one-way ticket to Lyon in hand, we got onboard. Ever since I first watched Before Sunrise, the movie from 1995 where Jesse and Celine meet on a train and end up spending a night together in Vienna, I've always wanted to travel across Europe by train. We planned our adventure in similar fashion and before long we bid farewell to Switzerland. France was next on the itinerary.