Geneva is one of Switzerland’s most exciting, international, and lively cities. It’s also the most populous city in the French-speaking part of the country and home to international organizations like the UN and the Red Cross. Furthermore, it’s a major financial center, ranking fifth in Europe behind London, Zurich, Frankfurt, and Luxembourg.
Although Geneva has a lot to offer, in this article, we’re going to focus on the nearby towns. Around Geneva are some cute towns you shouldn’t miss.
Let’s take a look at 9 nice towns and villages around Geneva, Switzerland.
1. Nyon
On the banks of Lake Geneva, near the border with France, is a charming town with a relaxed vibe called Nyon. This lovely lakeside town is about 25 kilometers northeast of Geneva; it’s actually part of the bigger Geneva metro area. The whole old town of Nyon is on the Swiss Heritage Inventory.
A notable Swiss heritage site of national significance is Nyon Castle. Also worth checking out are the following: the Museum of the History of Porcelain, the Roman Colonia Iulia Equestris, the Roman Museum, and the Swiss Reformed Church of Notre Dame.
Nyon is also the headquarters of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Headquarters.
How do you get from Geneva to Nyon? From Geneva, take the direct train to Nyon. The train journey from Geneva to Nyon takes 15 minutes. Nyon is accessible from Geneva in 26 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Nyon |
| * Nyon Castle * Museum of the History of Porcelain * Colonia Iulia Equestris * Swiss Reformed Church of Notre-Dame * Manoir at Rue Maupertuis 2 & 4 * Nyon Roman Museum * Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Headquarters |
2. Prangins
The town of Prangins is on the shores of Lake Geneva, next to Nyon. Prangins can be a quick stop before or after you visit Nyon. You can get there in less than half an hour from Geneva.
A majestic château built in the 1730s in the classical French style, Prangins Castle (Château de Prangins) houses the Swiss National Museum. In collaboration with the Swiss National Museums in Zurich, Schwyz, and Affoltern am Albis, Château de Prangins is part of the Swiss National Museums.
Château de Prangins is also a great place to learn about the history of the country and its heritage. It shows historical places in Western Switzerland and a trip back to the past with the Baron of Prangins, Voltaire, and Napoleon. On the ground floor, the reception rooms have been lavishly decorated, and have been restored to their former glory.
As a reward for preserving and treasuring its architectural heritage, Prangins received the Wakker Prize in 2020.
How do you get from Geneva to Prangins? From Geneva, take the train to Nyon. In Nyon, change to the connecting train to Prangins, gare. The train journey from Geneva to Prangins, gare takes 24 minutes. Prangins is accessible from Geneva in 28 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Prangins |
| * Prangins Castle and the National Museum * Entire Village of Prangins |
3. Vevey
The town of Vevey is in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Geneva is about an hour away from Vevey, on the north side of Lake Geneva. Despite being smaller than Lausanne and Geneva, there are lots of beautiful buildings and interesting museums to explore in this town.
It has the world headquarters of Nestlé, an international food and beverage company founded in 1867. From 1952 to 1977, Charlie Chaplin lived in Vevey.
How do you get from Geneva to Vevey? From Geneva, take the direct train to Vevey. The train journey from Geneva to Vevey takes 52 minutes. Vevey is accessible from Geneva in 63 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Vevey |
| * Alimentarium * Fork of Vevey * Chaplin’s World * Musée Jenisch (Museum of Fine Arts and Prints) * Vevey Photography Museum * Swiss Museum of Games * Vevey History Museum * Eastern Orthodox Church * Swiss Reformed Church of Saint-Martin * City Hall * Place du Marché * Saint-Jean Tower and Fountain |
4. Aigle
Aigle is a town in the canton of Vaud in the Rhone Valley an hour away from Geneva. The town is known for its castle, wine, and scenery. Aigle is a great town if you’re looking for a relaxing spot close to Geneva.
Find out what makes Aigle Castle so special. With a Vine and Wine Museum, Château d’Aigle is surrounded by vineyards. It used to be home to famous people like the Barons of Aigle and the Lords of Compa. These days, it’s a wine museum you can visit whenever you want.
Listed under the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites are the Church of Saint-Maurice, Dela Dîme House, and the entire town of Aigle.
How do you get from Geneva to Aigle? From Geneva, take the direct train to Aigle. The train journey from Geneva to Aigle takes 70 to 83 minutes. Aigle is accessible from Geneva in 73 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Aigle |
| * Château d’Aigle * Vineyards * Church of Saint-Maurice * De la Dîme House |
5. Montreux
Located in Vaud, Switzerland, Montreux is a charming town on the northeastern shore of Lake Geneva. Montreux is famous for its spa facilities, mild climate, and Montreux Jazz Festival. A stretch of eight kilometers runs from Clarens to Chillon Castle and up to Villeneuve. You can get to Montreux in about an hour from Geneva.
How do you get from Geneva to Montreux? From Geneva, take the direct train to Montreux. The train journey from Geneva to Montreux takes 1 hour. Montreux is accessible from Geneva in 67 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Montreux |
| * Chillon Castle * Queen Studio Experience * Freddie Mercury Statue * Rochers de Naye * Golden Pass Railway |
If you would like to read more about Montreux, check out our article Montreux: The Most Popular Spa Town in Lake Geneva.
6. Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains is a beautiful town about an hour from Geneva. Yverdon-les-Bains has a rich history that includes the Alemanni, the Romans, and the Savoys. It’s also known for its thermal springs, which have been used as mineral baths since the Roman era.
Castellans of the Savoy dynasty used to live in Yverdon-les-Bains Castle (Château d’Yverdon). This Swiss heritage site has four towers and is considered a national treasure.
How do you get from Geneva to Yverdon-les-Bains? From Geneva, take the direct train to Yverdon-les-Bains. The train journey from Geneva to Yverdon-les-Bains takes 50 minutes. Yverdon-les-Bains is accessible from Geneva in 1 hour by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Yverdon-les-Bains |
| * Thermal Center at Yverdon-les-Bains * Yverdon-les-Bains Castle (Château d’Yverdon) * Museum of Yverdon * Musée Suisse de la Mode * Yverdon-les-Bains Beach |
7. Lutry
Switzerland’s Lutry is in the district of Lavaux-Oron, canton of Vaud. Aside from wine, the town also has beautiful architecture and historical sites. Lutry is around 50 to 60 minutes away from Geneva.
Swiss heritage sites include Lutry Castle or Rôdeurs Castle, the Roman Catholic Church of Saint-Martin, the Swiss Reformed Church of Saint-Martin, and a Gothic-style house. The vineyard terraces of Lavaux are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
How do you get from Geneva to Lutry? From Geneva, take the train to Lausanne. In Lausanne, change to the connecting train to Lutry. The train journey from Geneva to Lutry via Lausanne takes 53 to 55 minutes. Lutry is accessible from Geneva in 51 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Lutry |
| * Lavaux Vineyard Terraces – UNESCO World Heritage Site * Lutry Castle * Catholic Church of Saint-Martin * Reformed Church of Saint-Martin * Gothic Facade House * Entire Town of Lutry |
If you would like to read more about the different wine regions in Switzerland, check out our article 7 Best Idyllic Swiss Wine Regions Explained.
8. Estavayer-le-lac
Estavayer-le-Lac is a pretty Swiss town on Lake Neuchâtel in the canton Fribourg. Geneva is a little over an hour away from Estavayer-le-Lac.
Estavayer-le-Lac has a rich history, as evidenced by the 12th-century Savoy castle, the Gothic abbey church, and the cobbled streets. The whole town of Estavayer-le-Lac is also on Switzerland’s Inventory of World Heritage Sites.
Located on top of the hills that overlook Lake Neuchâtel, the Château de Chenaux castle is a pretty medieval landmark. It’s free to go. Other places to visit in Estavayer-le-lac include the De Rivaz Chapel, the Sacré-Coeur Chapel, the Collegiate church of Saint-Laurent, the fortifications, and more.
How do you get from Geneva to Estavayer-le-Lac? From Geneva, take the train to Yverdon-les-Bains. In Yverdon-les-Bains, change to the connecting train to Estavayer-le-lac. The train journey from Geneva to Estavayer-le-Lac takes 1 hour and 19 minutes. Estavayer-le-Lac is accessible from Geneva in 73 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Estavayer-le-Lac |
| * Chenaux Castle (Château de Chenaux) * De Rivaz Chapel * Sacré-Cour Chapel * Church of Saint-Laurent * Convent of the Dominican * Fortifications * House de la Dîme * Font Beach (Plage de Font) |
9. Romont
The hilltop town of Romont in Fribourg has a lot of historic sites. It is an hour away by train from Geneva and definitely worth checking out.
Romont Castle is the site of the Stained Glass Museum of Switzerland, a castle that belonged to Peter II of Savoy in the 13th century. This museum has both medieval glass paintings and reverse glass paintings. In fact, Romont has the world’s biggest collection of reverse glass paintings.
The town of Romont itself is included in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. Along with the fortifications, there’s also a collegiate church.
How do you get from Geneva to Romont? From Geneva, take the direct train to Romont FR. The train journey from Geneva to Romont FR takes 1 hour and 16 minutes. Romont is accessible from Geneva in 77 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Romont |
| * Abbaye de la Fille-Dieu – Cistercian Monastery * Romont Castle * Swiss Stained Glass Museum – in Romont Castle * Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption * Town fortifications |
If you would like to learn more about some of Switzerland’s best medieval places like Romont, check out our article 10 Beautiful Medieval Towns in Switzerland.
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