<p>D has been accepted for an internship/semester in Geneva, Switzerland for the fall '09. She went to a info meeting at her U yesterday about this program. She was told that living in the red light district was the cheapest, but was very safe. They pointed out that some students may not want to live there for moral reasons. There is legalized prostitution and sex stores.</p>
<p>Anyone know anything about Geneva or have any input?</p>
<p>I was there once for a business trip and never came across any red light district. I guess I didnt get out enough. Maybe the speaker was trying to be funny?</p>
<p>I was there too, many years ago, and did not encounter this. Did in Amsterdam! That is why I am asking.</p>
<p>I didn’t even know Geneva had a red light district.</p>
<p>Years (and years) ago when I was in Geneva as a student the cheapest and best food and lodging was in the red light district. It did seem odd at first but we had been reassured by the natives that it was fine. The district was safe and clean. The streets were so clean, in fact, I remember thinking you could eat off them. Also walking around after dark was comfortable and fine. Sounds like it is still the same. Hope you get some more recent confirmations.</p>
<p>Anyone please??</p>
<p>I have no knowledge or experience of it. I have found the tripadvisor forums a wonderful resource when researching places for travel. Often local experts will chime in with information. I did a search there and there is some discussion of the Geneva red light district here
[Geneva</a> Forum Search - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/SearchForums?ff=389&geo=188057&scope=2&q=red+light+district&x=23&y=5&returnTo=%2FShowForum-g188057-i389-Geneva.html]Geneva”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/SearchForums?ff=389&geo=188057&scope=2&q=red+light+district&x=23&y=5&returnTo=%2FShowForum-g188057-i389-Geneva.html)</p>
<p>I am not sure if it is ok to post that link (apologies in advance if it is not). If the link is removed then go to tripadvisor.com, search for Geneva, click on the forums, then enter ‘red light district’.</p>
<p>The first few threads I read seemed to concur that it was a safe area.</p>
<p>I don’t know about the district in Geneva but would second that you check TripAdvisor. Also, much like Amerstdam, I believe that they take a very different view point on prostitution. Where it is legalized it is much more viewed as a business transaction. I bought my son a guidebook when he was going to Amsterdam. There was a whole section on the etiquette of using a prostitute including a stern warning that in the case of a dispute between a prostitute and a client the police would almost always take the prostitute’s side.</p>
<p>Yes, I know the red light district. I go to Geneva for business. There are working women standing on streets. It’s only a few blocks, at the same time very close to many private banks. I need to walk through it from one office to another. I tend to walk a bit faster around there, and it’s during the day.</p>
<p>Geneva is very expensive. My expat colleagues could barely afford it.</p>
<p>If it was my D, I’d probably be asking what the next cheapest area was?</p>
<p>That said, we were in Switzerland this summer. It was breath-takingly beautiful and my kids favorite part of our trip.</p>
<p>There’s an irony here that we spend so much time trying to find a school with the right “fit” and then spend tens of thousands of dollars to send them to that “right” school. I suspect that the red-light district is not a very good fit.</p>
<p>She won’t be going there to have dinner, or just walking through. She won’t be staying a few days. She’ll be living there for several months. </p>
<p>Where do female Swiss students who don’t live in university housing stay?</p>
<p>It’s none of my business, but you asked.</p>