DISCOVERING a destination that feels like you’re living a fairytale is always fun, but it is even better when the place has less crowds.
Annecy in France is often overlooked by its busier neighbour – Geneva in Switzerland.
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But according to Holiday Pirates, the destination feels as if it’s been “lifted straight from a fairytale”.
The lakeside town can be found near the Swiss border and to get there, travellers can head to Geneva Airport and drive under an hour across the border to Annecy.
And just like a fairytale, the town has its own castle… in the middle of the water.
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Le Palais de l’Isle dates back to the medieval period and sits in the middle of the Thiou Canal, which stretches around two miles long and is an outlet of Lake Annecy – Europe‘s cleanest lake.
The canal flows through the Old Town and is the reason Annecy got its nickname as the ‘Venice of the Alps’.
And travellers can visit the castle as well, which also used to be a prison but is now a museum where you can see the preserved cells and learn about the architectural history of Annecy.
It costs just £3.46 per person to visit.
It isn’t just the castle that makes the town fairytale-like though; visitors can also explore pastel-coloured houses in the Old Town and bridges covered in flowers that cross the canal.
For a nice walk, you can wander the entire length of the canal from Lake Annecy to the Fier River via a flat trail.
On Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, there’s a market in the Old Town as well.
On Tuesdays, the market sells local produce and then on Fridays and Sundays the market is slightly bigger, with other goods such as locally-made textiles also sold.
You’ll find Musée-Château d’Annecy in the Old Town too, where visitors can browse regional sculptures and paintings.
For those who like seeing nature and wildlife, head to Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne, which is an open-air zoo with free admission.
Across the park visitors can see different types of deer and goats, with one recent visitor commenting: “The hike included a beautiful lookout point over the city”.
At the edge of the park you’ll find Basilique de la Visitation – a 20th- century cathedral with views of the surrounding mountains from its bell tower.
Also at the edge of the park is Plage des Marquisats, which is a small lake-side pebble beach with crystal-clear water and free entry.
For couples visiting, make sure to cross the Pont des Amours bridge near Jardins de l’Europe – a tree-lined lakeside park; kissing on the bridge is supposed to lead to a lifetime together.
From the town you can rent a bike and cycle your way around Lake Annecy on a 26-mile dedicated loop, stopping off at the quaint villages along the way including the medieval village of Duingt, with stone buildings and narrow alleys.
When it comes to eating in Annecy, there are tons of local cafes and restaurants to choose from.
The destination is known for its melted cheese, including Fondue, Raclette and Tartiflette, which includes potatoes, bacon and melted Reblochon cheese.
Thanks to its lakeside location, a lot of restaurants also serve fresh fish.
If you fancy a pint you can even head to a pub, such as Captain Pub, with a wooden bar and tall stools inside.
You can expect to pay around €4.70 (£4.06) for a pint in most places, or for a glass of wine, €6 (£5.18).
There’s a whole host of places to stay in Annecy.
For example, you could stay at Mercure Annecy Sud Hotel from £74 per night.
The hotel features modern interiors, with a restaurant, pool and spa.
Alternatively, right by the lake you could stay at Hôtel Impérial Palace Annecy from £189 per night.
The hotel was built back in 1913 and boasts rooms with balconies overlooking the lake.
The hotel has two restaurants and a bar that faces the lake, as well as a spa.
If you want a bargain holiday, you could head to Annecy for three nights with Holiday Pirates from just £115.50 per person, in early October.
You’d stay at Hotel Les Muses, with flights included too, to Lyon Airport – which is about an hour and 40 minutes from Annecy.
Or you could fly to Lyon Airport from London, costing from £29 return in June and then hop on a Flixbus from just £13.49 per person, per way.
Alternatively, direct flights from London to Geneva cost from £56 return in June.
You could then hop on a 45 minute Flixbus to Annecy from the airport, costing just £5 per person, per way.
You could even tie in a stay in Geneva as part of your trip and explore the city as well as Annecy.