Why Geneva will jingle your clients’ bells this Christmas

Over the years, my love for the Yuletide period has wilted, a little like the branches of a Christmas tree past its prime. Yet I’ve longed for that magical, childlike feeling of wonder to return, so the invite to spend three days in Geneva in early December – promising Christmas markets, shopping and festive feasts – felt like Santa Claus himself was giving me a nudge.

Of course, Geneva, Switzerland’s second-biggest city after Zurich – capital city Bern ranks as the fourth largest – is perhaps best known as the world’s watchmaking king. The two titans of luxury watches, Rolex and Patek Philippe, have their headquarters and production facilities here, with the latter opening a four-floor museum in 2001 for those obsessed with all things horological. Geneva is also the seat of the United Nations and home to the international business community, so its Christmas offering is probably not top of mind for many travel agents.

We flew from Gatwick with easyJet and with a flight time of around 1 hour 20 minutes, it felt like we’d barely taken off before we touched down. The stress-free journey (and let’s face it, everyone wants that in the frantic build-up to Christmas) continued by hopping onto a train for a seven-minute transit – Europe’s shortest airport ride – into the heart of Geneva. Our Geneva City Pass made it even easier. Prices start at approximately £25 for a 24-hour pass, with up to 72 hours available, and include free public transport, entrance to museums and other tourist attractions and further discounts at selected venues and activities.

Set on the banks of Lake Geneva’s glistening waters and encircled by the snow-capped Jura mountains, the city is also appealing as a weekend getaway because of its compact size. At just under 16-square-kilometres – roughly one-hundredth the area of London – it is perfect for exploring on foot, and Geneva’s pristine upkeep makes it a further pleasure. (Although I was relieved to have packed trainers to navigate the steeper cobbled streets in the city’s medieval neighbourhood).

After checking into the four-star Hotel Longmalle (see need to know, below), we strolled past the city’s famous landmark, the Jet d’Eau. The water fountain was originally built in 1886 to release excess pressure from a nearby hydraulic plant and was subsequently moved into the centre of the lake to symbolise the strength, vitality and ambition of Geneva and Switzerland as a whole. Today, it makes for a striking sight as one of the world’s highest fountains, spuming to a lofty 140 metres in the air.