While my Mom took a nap because the big party was coming at The Grand Hotel Dino I took a boat trip…read moredown Lake Maggiore. I took this lovey short two hour trip because I had to get back to the Grand Hotel Dino for the big festivities. Here are the photos. Everything was jam packed so I'm lucky that I decided to take this short excursion.

I usually ain't a big sucker for touristic places and lakes don't really make my heart beat faster…read moreeither, but le Lac d'Annecy is a huge exception. This lake is just the most clear, pretty and awesome I've ever seen, especially with the stunning mountains in the back. There's a super romantic bridge, you can go for a walk or run next to it, sit in the grass or go swim or just read a book in the park while watching people walk by and the lake staying as pretty as it is. - Or you can also bike across the whole lake and visit the other cute villages nearby. But, an absolute recommendation is to rent a small boat (you don't need a license for that!), drive to the middle of the lake and swim. It's not the warmest lake as it's a glacier lake, but just do it.

Despite being a major skiing destination, France isn't really known for its alpine lakes, but Lake…read moreAnnecy is one of my favourite places in France. It's very accessible, and the town of Annecy is delightful: it's touristy, of course, but tourism hasn't spoiled it, and you can still eat and stay here at reasonable cost. Every turn of a street corner seems to open up a vista of the lake. The lake itself is lovely for both lakeside walks and boating (boat hire is available at several locations, as well as larger pleasure boat trips for those who don't want to row themselves) and the scenery is stunning. There are plenty of other lakeside villages to visit if you want somewhere quieter, and there are regular buses around the lakeside road.