Getting there Geneva is easy to reach from the UK. Swiss airline Baboo flies up to 13 times a week from London City airport while easyJet has daily flights from Stansted and Luton as well as several regional airports.

Business climate With a dearth of natural resources, Switzerland has developed a knowledge and services-based economy. That's especially true for Geneva where key economic sectors are luxury watch-making, biotech and medtech, microtechnologies, finance and banking, and international relations. Beyond value-added clusters and a multicultural spirit, attractions include a highly skilled workforce, a business-friendly government and good quality of life.

Etiquette Geneva is a relatively small city, but it is truly global
(40 per cent of its population is from overseas) with 35,000 people working in 24 international bodies, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization. The Swiss are punctual and serious; make sure you are on time for meetings. Business is often conducted over lunch or dinner. English is widely spoken, but an attempt at French is appreciated.

Don't miss The view over Lake Geneva, which resembles an inland sea, and its famous Jet d'Eau fountain, an inescapable city icon. Savour the old town and its narrow streets housing myriad art galleries. On the other side of the River Arve, discover the Italian-influenced Carouge neighbourhood and take a tour of the exclusive Cologny district, which offers panoramic views of the lake. For a truly local experience, spend time at the Bains des Pâquis, where Genevois meet and mix for bathing, watching concerts and dining.

Culture Liszt, Voltaire, Rousseau, Byron, Shelley, Borges and Le Corbusier have all been linked with the city. Geneva's strong cultural heritage is reflected in an array of eclectic festivals and museums. Look out for the Patek Philippe Museum, the International Red Cross and Crescent Museum, and Mamco, the biggest Swiss showcase for contemporary art.

Where to stay Geneva offers 130 hotels ranging from efficient business stopovers to luxury boltholes on the Right Bank. In the Latin Quarter, the boutique design hotel La Cour des Augustins merges mid-19th-century buildings with Swiss-American designer Philippe Cramer's vision. Tintin fans should check in at the Cornavin, where Hergé stayed in room 122 and which is also the starting point for Tintin and Haddock in their search for Professor Calculus in one of the Belgian writer's adventure stories.

Eat like a local At Les Armures in the old town, enjoy an excellent moitié-moitié (gruyère/vacherin fondue). Nonolet, opened by private bankers Wegelin & Co, is one of the city's coolest spots while on the lake, La Perle du Lac provides a traditional dining atmosphere.