Recently in Geneva Category

Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald all graced the stage at the old Montreux Casino in the late 1960s. They were the Montreux Jazz Festival's earliest years, historic three day events that laid the foundation for what has become one of the world's best loved jazz festivals. Forty years later, the event, on the shores of Lake Geneva, has expanded into a cross-genre, musical extravaganza, where jazz still hums at the core. And for those who think jazz festivals are for sitting sophisticatedly in your seat, politely clapping, and occasionally woohooing, trust me, this one is quite the party. In fact, it's wild.

Current jazz stars like Chick Corea, Brad Meldau, Pat Metheny, and George Benson join rock, pop, blues and rap stars like Norah Jones, Seal, the Beastie Boys (seen above), John Legend, Sly & The Family Stone, Wilco, and even the Wu-Tang Clan, at this year's festival. Headlining acts perform in the Miles Davis Hall and the Auditorium Stravinski from July 6 - 21, while hundreds of free concerts occur each day in cafes and open-air venues around town as part of the Off-Festival."

The Montreux Jazz Festival is a great place to completely immerse yourself in music for days at a time, but it's the after hours jams and DJ sessions that make the experience truly extraordinary. The Montreux Jazz Café, with its tapas and wine bar restaurant, concerts that last until midnight, and jam sessions and DJ sets that go until five in the morning, is one very hot spot; another is the MDH Club, where electronic music lovers can dance the night away. This year, the festival introduces a brand new after-hours locale, where cocktails are sipped in the open air, and house music blares through the speakers. It's called Studio 41. Make your way there for sunset cocktails, stay for the dance party, and try to make it back to your bed at the elegant Hotel President Wilson before sunrise, so you can do it all over again tomorrow.

Geneva has a dignified tradition as a world business capital, but, like most of us, it has its wilder side too. As msnbc.com points out, all you have to do is cross the River Arve to the neighborhood of Carouge to get a glimpse of a more relaxed and free-spirited Geneva. As recently as the 1700s, the Arve marked the border between the Italian region of Piedmont and the Calvinist city-state of Geneva. So while Geneva stayed buttoned-up and efficient, Carouge became a place where Catholics, moderate Protestants, and Jewish traders felt comfortable, so they set up shops and studios of various kinds, contributing to its eclectic personality. Today, Carouge is still a place to go and have a good time, and it's easy to take a tram across the river to visit this district's many fine museums, restaurants, and attractions. The Carouge Museum, for example, features a lush courtyard garden typical of the area, as well as art that dates back to the early 19th century. Located on the main market square, the museum is housed in an old Catholic church, complete with belltower. For a Carouge bistro experience, drop by Cafe des Amis, and for live music, don't miss Le Chat Noir. Guests at the Hotel President Wilson (a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection) might enjoy a quick jaunt across the river to see how Switzerland lets its hair down.

[image via AP/msnbc.com]