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Interlaken
Switzerland
This Swiss mountain town - beautifully sandwiched by Lake Thun and Lake Brienz - really came into its own back in the 19th century, when city-weary business types would visit for a breather. Today, the charming Victorian-era spa hotels that were built in their interests remain standing proudly on the lakeside, glamour still intact. The biggest pulls are the lakes (both are magnets for paddleboarders) and the inimitable Jungfrau mountains whose epic peaks reportedly inspired J. R. R. Tolkien's Mordor. Catch the Harderbahn funicular up to Harder Kulm or trek to the postcard-perfect village of Wengen to judge for yourself. Bread? Cheese? Juicy, ripe vegetables? Switzerland provides quality sustenance for a packed lunch, so we're making like a local during the day, before indulging in an evening dinner at La Terrasse, Interlaken's almost-but-not-quite-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant.
Stay: Maison Bergdorf