Nestled at the westerly tip of Europe's largest lake, and surrounded by rolling countryside, picturesque villages, vineyards, and snow-capped mountains, the City of Geneva is truly a "sight for sore eyes".

Put on the map by Julius Caesar in 58 BC, Geneva has been a focus of travel, trade, and tourism for more than 2,000 years. Situated on major communications routes through central Europe, glorious medieval fairs were an integral part of 14th-century Geneva.

By the middle of the 16^th century, Geneva had become the centre of the Protestant world as a bulwark of the Reformation in Europe and host to John Calvin. The University (then called the Academy) was founded and the best scholars in the world were attracted to the little Republic. The printing industry flourished, the library began to grow.

The 18^th century was witness to rising prosperity, as watch-making, enamelling, textiles and banking all blossomed. Scientific curiosity reached giddy heights of exploration and experimentation –and one of the first scientific conferences was held in Geneva in 1787. Alessandro Volta travelled (by horse and carriage) from Italy to meet with Horace-Benedict de Saussure: "We have begun our conferences which will be frequent and lengthy, lasting for about two weeks and I am going to stay not only with Mr. de Saussure, but with other physicists, chemists and botanists... after that I will make some excursions into the neighbouring towns which are delightful." (letter to his brother written on July 15th, 1787). The man who invented the electrical battery visited the man who invented the lightning rod. They met in Geneva, of course.

In the 19^th century Geneva joined Switzerland (and the rest of the modern world) –but also with a difference. Horrified by the slaughter in a Northern Italian battlefield, Henry Dunant created the Red Cross. There are now over 200 international organisations in Geneva –including the European Headquarters of the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Coss (ICRC). Geneva is often referred to as "the city of peace".

In the 21^st century, Geneva is a small but vibrant city. The countryside is still delightful; the cathedral's tower offers a stupendous view over the Jet d'Eau, Lac Léman, and Mont Blanc; museums and monuments and libraries are a constant reminder of the rich history of the city; and the floral clock ticks its way into the future.

Welcome to Geneva!