Soaring mountains, jewel-coloured lakes and pristine wilderness await you in Canada’s first National Park. The irresistible beauty of the landscape invites travellers to immerse themselves in the outdoors all year round — whether hiking through untouched forests and paddling the turquoise lakes in summertime, or skiing the slopes and soaking in the steamy hot springs during the winter. Travellers also enjoy the warm hospitality of Banff or Lake Louise, the region’s charming mountain townships.

The shores of Lake Geneva have attracted visitors and invaders for millennia. The cheerful city of Geneva sits on the lake's western shore, lofty snowcapped peaks creating a gorgeous backdrop on all sides. The city is perfect for exploring on foot; hire a bike to venture further. At the top of any itinerary should be visits to Geneva's lakefront and its famous fountain, the Flower Clock in the English Garden, St Peter's Cathedral, Reformation Wall, Place Neuve and the birthplace of the UN.

Lausanne was once an intellectual capital, attracting such great thinkers as Rousseau and Voltaire. Today it is a haven for lovers of water skiing, swimming and sailing. The International Olympic Committee even has its headquarters here. The town's history is evident, though, in its medieval cathedral, the museums of the Palais de Rumine, and Ouchy, the port where Lord Byron wrote "The Prisoner of Chillon" and the Treaty of Lausanne was ratified. For great views, hike up to the Signal de Sauvabelin.

If you’re after a winter sports holiday, you can’t find a more gorgeous place to do it than Interlaken, the popular Swiss resort town. There’s superlative skiing, toboggan rides, miles of sledding tracks (which, like the ski slopes, vary in difficulty), snowboarding… all with amazing views of the mountains. In summer, hike among the ibex at nearby Neiderhorn, or shop for watches in the town’s boutiques.

The largest city in Switzerland is a major contemporary art and shopping destination. Important artworks are displayed in the Kunsthaus and the Rietberg Museum. Those who consider shopping an art can hone their skills along Bahnhofstrasse and Niederdorf. Chagall's stained-glass windows in the Fraumünster amaze. Zurich's 500 clubs and bars, including several in swimming pools, pulse with life till the early hours. This city on Lake Zurich has excellent public transport and a free bike-hire system.

Lucerne is an ancient town with strikingly modern sensibilities. One of Europe’s oldest covered bridges serves as its centrepiece, and fresco-adorned historic houses line the streets, but it’s also home to the cutting-edge KKL, a concert hall and art gallery. Take the cableways up the Pilatus, Stanserhorn or Rigi mountains for breathtaking views, or see Lake Lucerne on a steamship cruise.

A magnet for skiers and hikers, these dramatic peaks – including the iconic Matterhorn – range from 3,000 to 15,000 feet and spread across three-fifths of the country. Abundant glaciers, scenic valleys and gorgeous alpine lakes add to the region's visual appeal. The Glacier Express train travels the 7.5-hour route through the Swiss Alps from Zermatt to St. Moritz, passing through fairy-tale villages and over 291 bridges along the way.

The majestic Austrian Alps stretch across the country, an awe-striking area of Ice Age valleys, verdant heaths and alluvial cones within Europe's largest national park, 700-square-mile Hohe Tauern. Taking in the dramatic cities of Salzburg and Innsbruck and the beautiful province of Tirol, home to spectacular skiing and hiking, as well as Gross Glockner, Austria's highest peak, and some of the world's best winter and summer sports playgrounds, the Austrian Alps are an outdoor lover's paradise.