Chances are that you are already aware of Geneva as the heart of the diplomatic hub in Europe, the city being host to 26 different UN agencies and permanent missions of 150+ member states.
Yet, ironically enough, despite the fact that the town (not a city I would argue) is teeming with internal civil servants in various agencies, they tend to stay in their expat bubble since they mostly stay here on a short stint and not care much about learning the local language – leading to a lack of interaction of Geneva locals and these expats that make the city so vibrant and international.
There is a catch though: you can’t come here on your own – only staff affiliated to UN bodies/country representatives can invite non-UN staff. I am sure you’d manage to find some UN staff easily in Geneva.
They have many events happening throughout the summer, from BBQ to live music, although I must admit their lack of vegan options does bother me a bit. But the cheap prices of cocktails more than make up for what it lacks.
The icing on the cake is the paddleboards – you can borrow them for free on a not-so-busy day (you have to give your ID card for borrowing the paddles) – they have built a new floating dock from where you can begin your paddleboarding journey on Lac Leman! Or you can simply take their leaning chair and enjoy some sun while reading a book – it’s up to you!
