Travel Postcard: 48 Hours in Geneva

GENEVA - Cosmopolitan and diverse. Got 48 hours to spare in the city of diplomacy, luxury and money? The United Nations, humanitarian organizations, the watchmaking industry and a major financial center all live alongside one other in the Swiss city of Geneva.

FRIDAY

Here one can experience the legendary past of the Red Cross in the city where it started, located across from the visitors' entrance to the European head- quarters of the United Nations.

1 p.m. Jump on the bus to the Palais des Nations for a guided visit of the U.N.'s European headquarters. Visits are organized in more than 15 languages (www.unog.ch). Go next door afterwards to the International Red Cross and Crescent museum, which offers permanent and temporary exhibitions. You will see photos, films, objects and documents on the history of the Red Cross and on their previous and current activities around the world(www.micr.ch/index_e.html).

5 p.m. Walk back to the city center along Rue de Lausanne, pass by the building of the well known humanitarian organization Medecins sans Frontieres (www.msf.org) and next door see the prestigious Ferrari and Maserati car dealership. If you do not feel like walking take the tram to the train station.

Rue de Lausanne is one of the main roads which takes out from the city centre.

5.30 p.m. Stroll around from the train station to the Leman Lake through streets with windows full of Cuckoo Clocks, Swiss knives, watches and souvenir shops. One of Switzerland's biggest department stores is located in this neighborhood. Manor on 6 rue Cornavin is chock full of gifts, fashion, homeware, beauty and food (www.manor.ch)

7 p.m. Start Friday evening in the Paquis neighborhood, lively at night and full of bars and restaurants of all sorts of ethnic origins. Facing Lake Geneva, the quarter also has some of the city's most expensive and elegant hotels.

Cuckoo clocks are designed with carved wood cases, painted wood dials, gable roofs and rear flaps for access to their clock movements.

For a traditional Swiss dinner with traditional Swiss music and entertainment go to the Edelweiss restaurant. Book a table before going though (www.manotel.com/en/restaurants/edelweiss.php). If cheese-based dishes are not for you, Paquis also has a wide range of restaurants offering all sorts of international cuisines.

10 p.m. Continue your night at the Palais Mascot on 43 rue de Bern for live music in their cabaret and stay on for clubbing in their Zazou club (www.palaismascotte.ch).