DESTINATIONS LAKES & MOUNTAINS | LAKE BREAKS


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LAKE BRIENZ, SWITZERLAND Switzerland rarely fails to impress, and Lake Brienz, in the Bernese Oberland, is no exception. It’s worth a visit for its historic paddle steamers alone – they’ve been linking its towns together for more than a century and now offer themed trips, from Alpine-style brunches to fondue cruises. But there’s plenty more to lure, from the Brienz Rothorn Railway, whisking passengers up through scenic mountain passes, to Giessbach Falls, a 500m-high cascade crashing into the lake below. For an especially peaceful base, suggest the Strandhotel, set on the lake in the village of Iseltwald


and offering lake-view balconies, a sunny terrace restaurant and e-bikes for exploring the locale. Book it: Tui offers a week’s half-board from £939 per person, including flights and transfers from


Heathrow on June 16. tui.co.uk


rest


BEST OF THE


Lake Annecy, France Set in the heart of the French Alps and


said to be ‘Europe’s cleanest lake’, this is a hotspot for swimming as well as wandering, with the canals and cobbled streets of


old-town Annecy inviting picturesque strolls. Inghams offers a week’s half-board at the family-run beachfront Hotel Les Grillons in Agnon from £889 per person, including flights from Gatwick on August 28.


Lake Wolfgang, Austria


Sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing, kitesurfing – you can do it all here. But for a trip that combines those highlights with daily bike rides and walks, suggest Headwater’s self-guided Austrian Lakes Activities holiday. It takes in the spa town of Bad


Ischl, St Wolfgang, Salzburg and beyond, with prices from £1,569, including bike hire, accommodation, maps and flights.


Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia This national park is nothing short of magical, with 16 curacao-blue lakes


nestled among emerald trees and craggy rocks like something from a Pixar film. Regent Holidays combines the lakes with Zagreb in a seven-day tour, priced from £1,175, including flights.


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LAKE OHRID, NORTH MACEDONIA North Macedonia might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think lake break, but this magical patch of turquoise in the heart of the mountains is something of a hidden secret. It’s flanked by the town of Ohrid – nicknamed the ‘Jerusalem of the Balkans’ for its centuries-old history: all medieval castle ruins, steep cobbled streets and frescoed churches – and offers idyllic beaches, stilted villages and Turkish-inspired cuisine without the crowds you’re


likely to get elsewhere. Book it: For active clients wanting to explore it on two wheels, suggest Exodus Travels’ eight-day Cycle Macedonia and Northern Albania trip, which combines it with other scenic lake spots in these two underrated countries. Prices are from £999, including


accommodation, some meals and a cycling leader. exodus.co.uk


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28 JANUARY 2021


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Shutterstock


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