Planning a Swiss vacation and wondering if it's possible to enjoy Geneva on a budget? Here are some suggestions from our experience.
We recently visited Geneva as part of a longer trip hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc. When we initially planned to spend a day or two in Geneva, I had no idea that I’d be visiting one of the most expensive cities in the world.
While this site doesn’t typically focus on budget travel, it’s hard to visit Geneva without considering ways to temper the cost of your visit. (The costs can quickly feel astronomical.)
We’re definitely not finance experts, but here are some of the ways we found to spend a weekend here on a budget and still enjoy our time.
General Tips for Visiting Geneva on a Budget
- Use public transportation. If you’re staying in a hotel, you should get a free transportation pass that includes buses, the lake taxi and more.
- Consider buying a City Pass, which may or may not be worth it depending on how many paid activities you want to do. It gives you access to dozens of attractions for one to three days, and it can include public transportation.
Take a City Tour
Free Walk Geneva is a 2- to 3-hour walking tour with local guides at no charge. (Tips are expected.) We didn't try this one, but it's very highly rated and might be well worth the time!
There are, of course, lots and lots of paid guided tours too.
If you’re looking for a self-guided city tour, here are some options.
See Lake Geneva by Boat
Take the lake taxi (free with city transportation pass from hotel). This is a quick ride across the lake.
You could opt for the longer "Geneva Tour," which is a one-hour boat trip with an audio guide. It was 19 francs per person when we visited. (It's free with a City Pass.)
We loved the lake tour, which allowed you to stand outside on the boat (whereas the free taxi seemed to be indoor seating only). One hour was a generous amount of time on the water.
Do a Self-Guided Sightseeing Tour Using Public Transportation
You can walk around the lake, the Old Town section of Geneva, and landmarks such as the flower clock and broken chair.
Visit CERN
Okay, I actually only recommend this if you’re very into science, engineering and/or physics. My husband loved it, while I thought it was one of the more boring experiences of my entire adult life. (Sorry science.)
That said, if you are interested, it’s totally free: just make a reservation online to visit the Science Gateway, which is CERN's outreach center offering self-guided exhibits.
Tours can only be reserved once you're on site and are in high demand. If you visit early on a Sunday, you might have the best chance at getting into one.
Visit Museums
There are lots of museums in Geneva that are “free” if you buy the City Pass. (So, not strictly free, but you can make it very budget-friendly depending on how many you want to visit.)
Even without the City Pass, some museums in Geneva are actually free (or pay what you wish), including Maison Tavel (urban history and daily life), the Museum of Art and History, the Natural History Museum (although it's closed for renovations until late 2026), and the Ariana (ceramics and glassware).
Some museums also have free admission the first Sunday of the month.
Visit the Botanical Gardens or a Park
The Botanical Gardens in Geneva are free and give you access to multiple greenhouses, organic gardens, and a small animal park with flamingos, ducks, deer, sheep, goats and chickens.
The Jardin Anglais is right next to Lake Geneva and is home to the famous flower clock, as well as a beautiful fountain and lots of old trees.
Another park, the Parc de La Grange, offers free evening concerts all summer long. (And, if your visit is fortunately timed, you can register for a rare free tour of the gorgeously elegant villa within the park.)
Any of these parks could be an idyllic place to explore or relax for free.
Eat and Drink on a Budget in Geneva
The Choco Pass
If you're in Switzerland, chances are you're going to want to sample the chocolate!
We did this with the Choco Pass, which is not free, but 30 francs per person is much, much cheaper than the guided chocolate tours. Plus you can share with a friend if you want. (If you have a City Pass, the Choco Pass is discounted.)
Check Out Boulangeries for Budget-Friendly Sandwiches
We saw reasonably priced sandwiches at Martel, but also saw multiple other boulangeries around the city.
And of course, a supermarket would also be a good place to look for food you don’t need to cook.
Restaurant Recommendations
We only had a short visit in Geneva, but these were the restaurants we enjoyed while we were there.
Le Radar de pOche
We enjoyed incredible budget-friendly pasta and quick friendly service at Le Radar de pOche.
The menu is small, but both meals we tried were incredible. We were very happy with our meals!
Les Brasseurs
At Les Brasseurs, I recommend the fondue for one.
From the moment we arrived in the Geneva and Chamonix area, I’d been looking for a spot that served fondue for one person.
Almost everywhere we found only served fondue for a minimum of two people, but Les Brasseurs did offer it for one person (yay).
In case you’re wondering, the fondue options we saw were around 20-25€ or Swiss francs per person, depending on the location.
While I was interested in tasting fondue again, I couldn’t fathom the idea of eating an entire bowl of cheese and then functioning the next day. I just wanted a bite or two.
Les Brasseurs offered a meal of fondue for one, and so I was able to opt for something lighter. I highly recommend it, especially if only one in your party wants a big bowl of melty cheese.
Although expenses in Geneva can quickly rack up, it should be doable to enjoy a nice visit while also staying on budget. Hope these tips help!
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