Words About Things

Geneva is the second largest city in Switzerland after Zürich and sits on the bank of the Rhône near to lake Geneva. The cities inhabitants enjoy a high quality of life and Geneva has a reputation as being peaceful and friendly. It is an important financial centre and many Genevans work in the finance industry. The city is compact and welcoming with picturesque views backed by snow capped mountains.

Geneva boasts a wide range of  museums and galleries to cater for most tastes. It is home to the Red Cross Red Crescent Museum and the Palace of Nations, home of the United Nations. The CERN museum of particle physics is an interesting destination for those interested in what is going on underground at the CERN Large Hadron Collider.

Traveling around the city is easy thanks to the network of Buses, Trams and Trolleybuses. Taxis can be hired although like everything in Switzerland they can be expensive for travelers. Car hire in Geneva is an option although bad weather in winter can make driving difficult for those of us from warmer climes. Geneva has good rails links and trips into France and the Swiss countryside can offer a welcome break from the City.

Lisbon is the westernmost capital in mainland Europe covering only 33 sq miles of Portugal’s west coast. The centre of Lisbon is still contained within the old city boundaries although the greater metropolitan area surrounding it incorporates several other cities such as Amadora and Queluz.

Lisbon’s architecture is one of it’s main attractions, there are grand cathedrals, monasteries and quaint backstreets to explore. Long boulevards cross the city which is overlooked by the Castle of São Jorge on an area of land that has been occupied since the 6th century BC.

The best way to explore Lisbon is to wander around the streets getting lost and discovering new things. The city has an extensive Metro system and several tram line (the trams are often referred to as ‘americanos‘ as they were originally imported from America). There are several companies who offer car hire in Lisbon and bike hire is also an option.