Booking Geneva's Top Attractions
Most of the big names in Geneva are guided-only or timed-entry, so turning up and hoping for the best rarely works. Four are worth locking down.
Palais des Nations, guided or not at all
The UN’s European headquarters at Pregny has zero self-guided access; every visit is a scheduled tour booked at ungeneva.org . The price is CHF 25 for adults, CHF 22 for students, seniors and disabled visitors, CHF 14 for youths 14-17, and CHF 13 for children 6-13. A physical passport or national ID gets checked at the Pregny gate, and the building is mid-renovation, so the route can shift between visits. New slots drop on the 20th of the previous month and go fast, so set a reminder.
CGN on the water
Compagnie Générale de Navigation’s Belle Époque paddle steamers run a one-hour Geneva Tour harbor cruise for CHF 20 per adult between late April and mid-October, plus longer routes out to Nyon, Yvoire, Lausanne and Chillon Castle. Check current sailings on cgn.ch , or book a Lake Geneva cruise on GetYourGuide for a packaged option with pickup.
St. Pierre’s towers and crypt
The nave is free, but the two towers (CHF 7 adult) and the archaeological crypt (CHF 8 adult) are separate tickets, or CHF 12 combined. Climb the 157 steps for a 360-degree view over the Old Town’s rooftops to Mont Blanc on a clear day.
CERN Science Gateway
Entry to the Renzo Piano-designed exhibition halls in Meyrin is free, and booking a slot online up to a month ahead pays off in high season. What you can’t book ahead is the guided lab tour: those release on-site through the CERN app two hours before each start, first-come first-served, and only a slice of daily visitors land one.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Right by the UN in Pregny, the permanent exhibition “The Humanitarian Adventure” runs CHF 15 for adults and CHF 10 reduced, with pay-what-you-want entry on the first Saturday of each month.
The verdict
Book the Palais des Nations first since its slots vanish fastest, then treat the CERN lab tour as a bonus rather than something to build a whole day around. For what else these sit near, see the Geneva day trips guide for what’s reachable beyond the city on the same kind of advance booking.
Before you go
Carry a physical passport or ID card to the UN tour no matter your nationality; digital copies and driving licences get turned away at the gate.