Day trip to Annecy

Postcard pretty historic lakeside city
Noteworthy for: Calling it the "Venice of Savoy" isn't fooling anyone, but Annecy's medieval streets, pretty canals and lakeside setting are still stunning.

Word to the wise: Make your visit coincide with Annecy's market days of Tuesday, Friday and Sunday morning, or its antiques and crafts market is on the final Saturday of the month.
Bordered by a turquoise coloured lake and high mountains, this charming French town 35km south of Geneva is so pretty that every corner looks like the sort of postcard your granny would love. Annecy is threaded with canals and boasts a densely clustered, flower box-filled old town that is as picturesque as they come. Unsurprisingly, this means it attracts its fair share of tourists, who have been arriving ever since Annecy developed as a mountain resort in the 19th century.

Don't let Annecy's popularity deter you from visiting, however. With both an imposing castle and what must be the world's prettiest former jail in the old town, there's plenty to see here, while Annecy's many market days remind you that it's also a real living, workaday centre for the surrounding mountains as well.