Historic Villas, Gardens and Art

2-hour walking tour of Historic Villas, Gardens and Art, exploring Geneva’s public park system
Duration
2-hours
Group Size
1 – 15 participants
Location
Geneva Secheron Neighborhood

Tour Overview

This leisurely walking tour through Geneva’s right-bank lakeside parks reveals a refined landscape where nature, architecture, and international history converge. From elegant villas to manicured gardens, the route showcases a range of remarkable architecture from the Enlightenment to the Early Modern period.  The tour also includes viewing an array of exotic trees, public artworks, and sweeping views of Lake Geneva and the Alps. These parks tell stories of philanthropy and private generosity, where former estates of entrepreneurs, diplomats and scholars became public green spaces and centers of global dialogue. Together, they reflect Geneva’s unique identity as a city of peace and international cooperation, closely linked to the rise of its international organizations and humanitarian tradition.

Tour Highlights

  • • Chateau Banquet, 17th C.  Castle-style chateau and gardens
  • • Villa Mon Repos, 18th C. French Neo-classic villa and gardens
  • • Villa Moynier, 19th C. Palladian villa and gardens
  • • Villa Bartholdi, 19th C. Palladian villa, gardens, science museum
  • • Villa Barton,19th C.  English-style villa, gardens and yacht port
  • • Geneva’s California Redwood Forest
  • • Villa Rappard, 19th C. Swiss Heimatstil villa and gardens
  • • World Trade Organization HQ (former ILO) exterior, gardens, art
  • • Lakeside Reed Beds and Bed4Bees Conservation Projects
  • • Exotic Trees;  Sequoyas, Cedars, Cork Oak, Virginia Tulip, Indian Lilas, and more

What to Expect

The tour involves walking on paths through Geneva’s right bank public parks visiting outdoor sites. At the end of the tour, you may wish to have a picnic in the park or take a swim in the lake at one of the public beaches.