Geneva’s fashionable shops centre around the perimeters of the Rues Basses – the chic Rue du Rhône, Rue de la Confédération, Rue de la Croix-d’Or and Rue du Marché. Jewellery and watch shops line these streets quite literally with gold. The main department stores can also be found here – Globus, Rue du Rhône 48, Bon Génie, Rue du Marché 34, and EPA, Rue de la Croix d’Or 4.
General shopping hours are Monday to Friday 0830-1845hrs (Thursday until 1800hrs) and Saturday 0800-1700hrs.
For a lightweight gift, excellent Swiss chocolate is sold at Rhône, Rue de la Confédération 3, and also at Martel, Rue du Marché 8, in Carouge. Meanwhile, for a stroll around the antiques quarter and art galleries, a visit to the Old Town and the Pâquis districts and St-Gervais is in order.
Geneva has several outdoor markets. The flower market on the Place du Molard and clothes and book market on the Place de la Madeleine are open daily. Flea markets are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at the Plaine de Plainpalais (0800-1800). On Tuesday and Friday mornings, the same spot is used for a very colourful fruit and vegetable market (0800-1300). On Thursdays, regional handicrafts are sold at the Place de la Fusterie (0800-1900).
Visitors should ask in the shops for a tax-free shopping cheque and reclaim the 7.5% VAT, for purchases of over SFr500, at Geneva airport. |
