Day trip to Montreux and Chillon

Mediterranean magic by Lake Geneva
Word to the wise: One of the easiest ways to get to Montreux from Geneva is by train and Swiss Rail runs frequent services.

Talk of the town: Freddie Mercury was a former resident and his statue overlooks Lake Geneva in Montreux.
Filled with large old-fashioned hotels and palm trees basking in its lake shore's warm micro climate, there's a touch of Cannes to the resort town of Montreux. Almost laughably Mediterranean for a town surrounded by ice-capped peaks, this holiday spot at the other end of Lake Geneva feels plush and cared-for, if not particularly hip. Best known for its summer music festival, the elaborate belle epoque hotels lining Montreux's lake front have a bygone feel to them that can be charming.

Perhaps more alluring, however, is the Chateau de Chillon, a stunning medieval castle just outside Montreux built on a rocky outcrop jutting out into the lake. Made famous by a poem by Byron (who even carved his name on a wall when he visited), it's been a famous beauty spot for centuries now, and remains among Switzerland's most visited monuments.