Travel the inside passage with its coves and islands, and visit the restored city of Skagway as well as Ketchikan, Alaska’s first city and main salmon-fishing port.Alaska Discovery (01494 448901 ) runs eco-tourism tours including sea kayaking, rafting and canoeing.Clare Spurrell. Spectacular scenery, historical hamlets – this can only be Switzerland Oh yes, and France. Oh yes, and France.
Chillon CastleBuilt in the 13th century on Roman foundations, Chillon Castle is the most impressive and most photographed medieval castle in Europe. Saunter along the castle corridors once frequented by emperors, popes and princes and lord it around it around the lavish knights’ halls.

Descend to the vaulted dungeons and see where Fran?s Bonivard, described by Byron in The Prisoner of Chillon, was imprisoned.By car: take the N1, then N9 and follow signs; journey time approx 1 hour. By train: frequent service from Geneva Main Station; journey time 1 hour.Lausanne and the Olympic MuseumWith its low-key elegance and sense of grace, Lausanne has long been a favourite of high society throughout the centuries. No visit is complete without a trip to the Olympic Museum, which is a living tribute to sport, art and culture, retracing the history of the games from ancient Greece to the present day. Don’t miss the Olympic flame, which burns alongside a column that lists the venues where all the games have been held and lunch in the restaurant looking out over the Alps and Lake Geneva.By car: take the N1 motorway and follow signs; journey time approx 45 minutes. Charming hotels, art galleries, craft shops, boutiques and fine restaurants flank the town’s cobbled main street and the namesake cheese made in the surrounding countryside, as demonstrated at the model dairy, accounts for the worldwide fame of the Gruy?s region.By car: take the N1, then N9 and N12 motorways and follow signs; journey time approx 1 hour plus.YvoireFollow the left bank of Lake Geneva (Lac L?n in French) into France and visit the medieval town of Yvoire, one of the most picturesque spots in the area.

Its castle’s former kitchen garden has been renovated to become the Garden of Five Senses, a maze of vegetation inspired by the walled gardens of the Middle Ages.By car: take the D25 main road towards Hermance, following the left bank of Lake Geneva; journey time approx 30 mins. By boat: frequent service from Quay Geneva Mont Blanc; journey time approx 1 hour plus.Mont Sal?The Genevans’ favourite mountain frequently forms the backdrop of many photos of the city, but is, in fact, just across the border in France. This kingdom for nature lovers is full of fresh air, fauna, flora and has a unique panorama over Geneva and the Jura mountains. Stroll to the southern side and you have incomparable views of the Alps and Mont Blanc.