My Tour Guide Journey – Part 4 – “Back to School”
Receiving my acceptance letter from the University of Geneva for the Culture and Tourism program in September felt like a huge win for me. After some time away from academic life, I was genuinely thrilled to get back into the classroom—ready for fresh ideas, new perspectives, and plenty of intellectual stimulation. Honestly, I felt like a kid again on the first day of school.
The program structure was perfect: two weekends per month, blending classroom learning with hands-on fieldwork over the course of a year. For anyone aiming to become a Geneva professional tour guide, this kind of immersive training is what is needed.
Saturday morning September 14th kicked off at Uni Mail, bright and early at 9am. I arrived a little ahead of time (tour guide habit!) and was delighted to find coffee and biscuits waiting—always a good sign. After grabbing a coffee, I introduced myself to the Director of the Culture and Tourism program, Anna Hamilton, and shared how excited I was to be part of the class.
Soon after, I began meeting my fellow students. One of the first people I spoke with was Philippe Ruegg, a Geneva-based architect and urbanist. We instantly connected over our shared professional backgrounds and enthusiasm for the course. Before long, the room filled up, and right on time, Anna officially welcomed us to what would become an unforgettable journey.
Our first lecture was led by Professor Irène Herrmann, a historian from the University of Geneva’s Faculty of Humanities. She introduced a powerful guiding question—the “red thread” of the program:
“Why did a small town, once a Roman outpost, become one of the world’s most important international cities?”
From there, we were taken on a fascinating journey through six key periods in Geneva’s history, from the 11th to the 20th century. It was exactly the kind of storytelling depth that makes Geneva walking tours so captivating.
The day continued with a series of engaging lectures from historians, architects, and local experts. By the end of Saturday, I was already seeing Geneva through a new lens—one that I knew would enrich my future Geneva guided tours.
But Sunday was where things really came to life.
We stepped out of the classroom and into the city itself, joining guided tours led by experienced professionals. Our first was a classic two-hour Geneva city tour with Cyrille Wohlschlag, a seasoned professional Geneva tour guide and historian with over 20 years of experience.
Starting at the Brunswick Monument and ending at the Reformation Wall, we explored some of Geneva’s most iconic landmarks. This was my first time observing a Geneva professional tour guide in action—and it did not disappoint.
Cyrille’s storytelling was clear, engaging, and full of fascinating historical details. His sense of humor and well-placed anecdotes kept everyone hooked from start to finish. The two hours flew by, which is always the sign of a great tour.
By the end of the day, one thing was crystal clear: I didn’t just want to learn about Geneva—I wanted to bring it to life for others through my own Geneva walking tours.
And just like that, the journey continued.
Cyrille Wohlschlag, Geneva Tour Guide/Historian