The beautiful Alps and Jura mountain ridges surround a very popular ski destination in the heart of Europe, namely Geneva.

The larger part of the canton's border is with France. Geneva became an important centre only at the close of medieval times. In the early 1500s its sovereignty was threatened, but the city was transformed into a republic after the Reformation in 1535. It was the home of Calvinism in the very next year, achieving the title of 'Protestant Rome'. It was a haven for victimized Protestants after 1550 and gradually developed into an intellectual and cultural stronghold.

The 18th century in Geneva was marked by great industrial prosperity, mainly in the spheres of business and banking. The city is the birthplace of great Enlightenment philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau and was home to Voltaire himself between 1775 and 1778. In 1798 France appropriated Geneva and converted it to an administrative centre. It reacquired freedom in 1813, after the downfall of Napoleon. It then applied for integration in the Swiss Confederation, which was approved in 1815. The effective constitution of Geneva was, interestingly enough, drafted back in 1846 after a revolt against the government.

Geneva is the founding place of the International Red Cross Committee and the location of the League of Nations head office after World War I. This organization was the predecessor of the UN. Geneva is the site of a large number of multinational organizations - the UN and some of its organizations, among which the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the International Telecommunication Union and the World Trade Organization. Additionally, giants like Procter & Gamble have established their European headquarters in this international business center.

Attractions in Geneva include the Flower Clock and the Art and History Museum. You cannot miss the Waterjet (Jet d'Eau) in Lake Geneva - it can be seen from any part of the city, because its water column rises a full 140 meters.