Bordering the waters of Lac Leman, Geneva is the cultural and economic focus of French-speaking Switzerland. It is also an urbane, international city, and the home of many global institutions such as the Red Cross,  World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, UN to name a few.
Geneva has also established a reputation as a centre for art and culture. The city has over 30 museums, as well as many art galleries, theatres and an opera house where an impressive number of famous artists have appeared. Fashionable hotels, chic restaurants and elegant shops jostle for position along the flower-decked lakefront that encircles the famous Jet d’Eau fountain. It spouts 140 meters (460 ft) over Lake Geneva shooting 500 litres of water per second. The history of this picturesque column of water dates back to the XIXth century when the turbine house on the Rhone River produced too much water on days when water was not taken up by industrial work. To remedy the situation, an engineer by the name of Butticaz developed a way to pump a 30-meter (98 feet) high stream of water into the air outside the building. The first purely decorative jet was created in 1891. The Fountain has come to symbolise Geneva around the world and traditionally signals the coming of spring each year. For more information on Geneva please visit the following links: http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch / http://www.geneva.ch

Site

The Rhone river flows out of Lac Leman and runs through the centre of Geneva under several bridges, including the pretty Pont de l’Isle. The Rive Gauche, south of the river, is a fascinating part of Geneva, with a grid of waterfront streets comprising the main shopping and business districts. Behind, clambering up the hillside, are the narrow, cobbled lanes of the old town, whose principal thoroughfare, Grand Rue, leads to the seventeenth Hotel de Ville (town hall) and the arcaded armoury, which is backed by a lovely terrace. The streets around the Hotel de Ville, with their laid-back cafes, second-hand bookshops and art galleries, make for a pleasant walk. Nearby is the late Romanesque cathedral, a monumental edifice whose plain, soaring interior contains the beautiful, fifteenth century frescoes of the Chapelle des Maccabes.

Getting Around

Located in the centre of Europe, Geneva is easily accessible by air from all major European cities, and there are interesting low-cost connections from several of them. The international airport is only 15 minutes from downtown. Geneva’s centre is small enough to walk around, but for the suburbs you’ll need to take a tram or bus. The prices of the Geneva Transportation network are linked to the distance travelled. A zone pass, covering the whole city, costs CHF 3.- per hour and CHF 7.– per day (9 hours). Registered participants of GSF 2007 are granted free transportation by showing their badge.

Food

With more than a thousand cafés and restaurants in the city, no one could possibly say Geneva lacks gastronomic choice. From popular Rues-Basses cafés with a variety of seafood to the traditional stone floored Old Town restaurants with the full range from Swiss dishes to authentic Thai restaurants, Geneva is definitely worth a culinary tour.

Customs

There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency you can bring to Switzerland. Travellers over 18 years old may import: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 2 litres of alcoholic drinks (up to 15%) or 1 litre of strong alcoholic drinks (over 15%).

Useful Information

Banks
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:30-16:30, closed on Saturday and Sunday. At other times, money can be changed at the central station, the airport and in most hotels. ATM’s can be found throughout Geneva. There is an ATM in the Congress Centre.

Climate
Between the Alps and the Jura, Geneva enjoys a temperate climate. The average temperature in June is 20° to 25° with occasional peaks of 30°C. Do not forget to bring adequate clothing for fresh evenings.

Credit Cards
All major credit cards are accepted in the majority of hotels, restaurants and shops.

Dress Code
The dress code for the Champagne Welcome Reception is business casual.

Electricity
Voltage: the wall sockets (for 2 or 3 pole plugs) supply 230-volt alternating current. In most hotels, sockets for North-American 110 volt electric shavers have been installed. For other appliances, transformers and adapters are necessary.

Shops
Opening Hours: Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 08:30-18:30. Thursday until 20:00; Saturday until 18:00,
closed on Sunday. Shops at the airport and railwaystation are open on Saturday and Sunday from 08:30 – 20:00.

Time
Central European (Greenwich GMT+1). Summertime: +1 April to end of October).

Tipping
Prices in hotels and restaurants and taxi fares are calculated to include taxes and service. Tipping, therefore, is at the client’s discretion.

Travel Insurance
A travel insurance policy to cover theft, loss and medical problems is recommended. The Organising Secretariat will not be held liable for illness, accidents or thefts suffered by participants or accompanying persons during the Congress or their stay in Switzerland before or after the Congress.