From rustic Swiss ski chalets to romantic French villas, here are five weekend getaways to relieve stress and rejuvenate your senses:

Note: All travel times are from London, UK. This includes time for airport transfer, security checks, etc. Approximate price includes hotel, round trip flight tickets, and food for one person.

Bruges, Belgium by Wolfgang Staudt

1. Bruges, Belgium

Approximate Travel Time: Less than 3 hours
Approximate Price: £300 per person

Bruges, the fairytale-like medieval town in the Northern part of Belgium, has recently become a major tourist hub, thanks to movies like ‘In Bruges’. And rightfully so, for Bruges seems to have been frozen in time; cobblestone streets, mid-17th century houses, canals and Gothic churches abound everywhere. Sip a glass of authentic Belgian beer, stroll along the banks of the many canals, or watch the snow falling gently from the town’s many bridges for an experience straight from a fairytale. Few cities in the world are as romantic and picture-postcard perfect as Bruges.

You can get to Bruges from the Belgian capital of Brussels, which is just a very short flight away from London. Trains from Brussels to Bruges leave every half hour, the journey being just an hour long.

Morzine, Switzerland by alex.coles

2. Morzine, Switzerland

Approximate Travel Time: 3.5 hours
Approximate Price: £400

Nestled in the Alps, Morzine is the quintessential Swiss ski-town, located just 90kms from Geneva. Getting to Morzine is easy – direct transfer by car can be booked right at the airport. Some travel companies also run direct charter flights from London and Manchester.

Morzine is the kind of Swiss ski town that astounds you with its sheer beauty. Paranormic views of the Alps, snow capped peaks, rolling green hills, and a tree-lined horizon welcome you as soon as you step into the town.

The best way to experience Morzine is from behind the fireplace of an authentic Swiss ski chalet. VIP SKI specialise in luxury chalets and offer a selection of luxurious, romantic ski chalets nestled in the heart of Morzine with prices including a personal chef, flights, transfers and all the added extras.

Morzine is an excellent destination for a touch of skiing and romance, ideally, take a couple of days off work and hit the slopes for a long weekend; if you fly out on Thursday you can ski on Friday and Saturday, and be back home on Sunday. For a weekend getaway, there is no more romantic a destination than a ski lodge in Morzine.

Monte Carlo, Monaco by Herry Lawford

3. Monte Carlo, Monaco

Approximate Travel Time: 3 hours
Approximate Price: £500 per person

As cliche as it may be, Monte Carlo still remains one of the best places for a weekend getaway. Just a 2 hour flight away from London, Monte Carlo, often called the ‘playground of Europe’, has something to offer for everyone: romantic cityscapes for couples, gambling and sports for large groups, and fantastic dining options for gastronomes.

Hire a bike and pedal down the Monaco-Ville, a medieval village nestled in the midst of Monaco’s urban sprawl. Visit one of the many exotic French gardens in the city (such as the Jardin Exotique), or get a taste of history at the Palais Princier and the Monaco Cathedral. Else, hop on board the tourist train, Azur Express to catch all of Monaco’s sights and sounds in one go.

Bath, Somerset, England, UK by Roland Turner

4. Bath, Somerset

Approximate Travel Time: 2.5 hours
Approximate Price: £400 per person

Instead of heading to the continent, why not try an English town teeming with history for your weekend getaway? Bath is an ancient city in Somerset with thousand year old Roman baths, stately Georgian mansions, and massive churches. One of England’s most well known pilgrim shrines, Bath has been one of Britain’s most popular tourist sites for centuries and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Read Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey on the flight, catch a glimpse of ancient churches such as the Bath Abbey, see how life was lived under the Romans at the 2000 year old Roman Baths. Then, cross over into Great Pulteney Street and round up your visit with a trip to the Royal Crescent.

Florence, Italy by Chris Yunker

5. Florence, Italy

Approximate Travel Time: 3.5 hours
Approximate Price: £450 per person

The birthplace of Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli, Florence is one of the world’s cultural capitals, a city richer than any in artistic heritage. Often called the cradle of Renaissance, it is just a short flight away from London.

The best way to see Florence is by bike. Pedal through the city’s many museums, including the Galleria degli Uffizi, which includes several artworks by the city’s first citizens, including Botticelli, da Vinci and Michaelangelo. Stop at Pitti Palacce and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, before halting at Bargello, which is known for its sculpture exhibits.

Next, head to the old town centre and see the Santa Maria del Flore, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Santa Croce church to round up a romantic, beautiful weekend getaway.

This post is brought to you by VIP SKI, the specialists in luxury ski chalets with a collection of luxurious catered chalets throughout the Alps.

The post Top 5 Weekend Getaways for 2013 appeared first on Europe Explored.

Accommodation in Val d’Isere

Val d’Isere offers a great selection of accommodation options, suitable for every budget; self-catering apartments offer a cost effective way to enjoy your trip, although food at the supermarket or eating out can be expensive. For the mid-range budgets the resort is home to more than 30 hotels, many of which are 4 and 5 star rating with a handful of lower spec options too.

But to do Val d’Isere properly luxury chalets are undoubtedly the way to go. This Alpine resort is the undisputed king of ski chalets with hundreds of luxury chalets replete with designer furnishings and mod cons such as LED televisions, first class en-suites, saunas and hot tubs. These chalets also offer breathtaking views and, due to the central locations boasted by many of them, easy access to the ski slopes, restaurants and nightlife.

Skiing in Val d’Isere

Val d’Isere features hundreds of ski trails in the snowfields surrounding the resort. Ninety nine ski lifts capable of moving 135,000 skiers to the top of the slopes each hour also ensure that skiers are able to quickly access the pistes, which cater to every skill level.

Nursery areas with gentle slopes can be found towards the centre of the resort. Here, new skiers can practise and learn the basics of skiing. While experienced skiers can skip past the nursery areas and head straight to the Solaise and Bellevarde areas where leisurely trails can be found with plenty of variation.

Seasoned skiers will want to head to the Olympique area in Bellavarde which features a number of challenging black pistes and fast downhill runs, including the hair-raising downhill runs that were created especially for the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Famous for its high quality snow and reliable snow fall levels Val d’Isere is busiest around Christmas and New Year with thousands of skiers flocking to the area to enjoy the fresh snow. January is a quieter time to visit and the snow quality is arguably better than in December. February sees the slopes fill up with families – French and English (particularly over English schools’ half term week) families. While March quietens down as a result of the declining snow quality, due to the warmer days. April is often the snowiest month of the year and the snow can even keep falling into the month of May although with warmer air temperatures and faster melting snow skiing tends to be somewhat off the cards by this point.

Food and drink in Val d’Isere

Val d’Isere features a number of eateries where a quality meal can be enjoyed. From cafes and delis offering tea, coffee and croissants throughout the resort to gourmet restaurants such as ‘La Table de l’Ours’, Val d’Isere’s only Michelin starred restaurant, serve fine gourmet delights. Mountain restaurants, such as the Bellevarde restaurant located at the top of the Bellevarde Mountain, serve food and wine to weary skiers looking for a relaxing recline over lunch. Featuring stunning views and warm fireplaces, these mountain restaurants are the ideal place to relax before indulging in some afternoon skiing.

Nightlife in Val d’Isere

Val d’Isere is famous for its vibrant nightlife offered among its array of bars, pubs and clubs, with such a large après ski community the partying beings from around 4pm everyday – even earlier on bad visibility days – and shows no signs of stopping until well into the early hours.

Probably most famous place for après ski is La Folie Douce, on the piste with a live DJ every day you won’t want to leave. Located towards the centre of Val d’Isere, Café Face, Le Saloon Bar and La Belle Etoile offer chic and comfortable surroundings to enjoy a drink and meet other skiers after a day on the slopes. Partygoers looking to dance the night away will want to head to Dick’s Tea Bar, Le Graal Nightclub and Doudoune Club. Featuring guest appearances from major DJs from around the world, these clubs offer loud music, huge dance floors and relatively affordable drinks.

It’s easy to see why Val d’Isere is known as the world’s best ski resort. With fantastic skiing, exquisite accommodation, world class restaurants and a vivacious nightlife, Val d’Isere is the ideal location for a holiday – and to enjoy some excellent skiing at the same time.

This post is from VIP SKI, the specislists in luxury ski holidays, providing chalets in Val d’Isere and many other Alpine resorts.

Photos courtesy of VIP SKI: https://www.vip-chalets.com/

The post Why is Val d’Isere Known as The World’s Best Ski Resort? appeared first on Europe Explored.