Destination Information - Geneva, Switzerland

Geneva ought to be the place to bring your partner for a romantic break to save a shaky relationship - more conflicts have been solved here than just about anywhere in the world. The headquarters of the Red Cross, it knows a thing or two about patching up problems.

And at first sight it would indeed make a romantic break - it is in a stunning setting, lapped by Lake Geneva and surrounded by mountains. And one of its most famous citizens - Rousseau - was a leading light in the Romantic movement. But then the Romantic movement was more about a way of thinking, not feeling. In truth Geneva is a deeply conservative place and if you were to do anything as crazy as jump in a fountain with your loved one you would attract the wrath of the city's thousands of bankers and diplomats.

No, Geneva's real attraction is that it is a genteel town where you can feel the weight of history and still escape to Switzerland's magnificent countryside. The United Nations has an important base here and there are some excellent museums. The Swiss Riviera starts just up the lake at Lausanne.

Geneva is a beautiful city, ripe for exploration. It's unlikely that you'll wander too far without something catching your eye.