Geneva on the (Sort of) Cheap!, Geneva, Switzerland

Tucked away in the corner of Switzerland bordering France, the city of Geneva will always hold a special place in my heart. I ran my first marathon here, one that started in the picturesque Swiss countryside and ended on the lakefront. It was not a cheap trip by any means, but with thorough research, I was able to find different tricks and hacks in order to save money in the city so that we didn’t go completely bankrupt during our 3-days in Geneva.

We knew we’d need a private room in order to get adequate rest the night before our marathon, so we had to pay a bit more, but it was entirely worth it. For dorms, the rooms were about €50/night and splitting a private room we each paid about €45 a night. Expensive for a hostel, but the beds were very comfortable, there was a sink in each room, a full equipped kitchen (with storage lockers IN the fridge) so we could cook. And it included towels AND a transportation pass for the duration of our time in Geneva.

Another key aspect of this hostel that made it possible to survive in this expensive city was its proximity to LIDL! My favorite discount grocery store. There is one literally just down the block, which is where we went to stock up on snacks and pre-marathon fuel. Only eating 1 meal/day out was a huge help for saving money. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).