Annecy, France

A mere hour away from Geneva, Annecy was hard to resist. Reading all about its delicious baked goods, boat rentals, and island castle made me eager to give this town a visit. Sitting in the middle of the River Thiou, the Palais de l’Isle is undoubtedly the main attraction in the old town. Constructed nearly nine centuries ago, it still stands on guard today as a custodian of local history and serves as a museum.

Explore the area on the banks of the Thiou and you’ll be delighted by the selection of glaceries, brasseries, and boulangeries serving delighted tourists on the streets. There’s no way around it, Annecy is really a city for tourists. If you want to avoid tourists, the Jardins de l’Europe has more than enough space for you to pretend not to see other tourists. You could rent a motorboat to cruise the lake, sit under a tree, or steal a kiss on the Pont des Amours.

As relaxed as you are, there’s no avoiding the hike up to the top of the hill if you want to visit the Annecy Castle. The fully restored medieval castle now serves as a museum of art and is open to visitors most days of the year. Down the other side of the hill, you’ll find yourself in a really good spot to admire the terracotta-tiled roofs of local houses and seemingly endless rows of hills stretching beyond the horizon.

Back in the old town, the late-medieval churches of St. François de Sales and St. Maurice are good locations to end in quiet reflection of the busy sights you’ve seen during the day.