In need of a vitamin D fix? SARAH MARSHALL recommends the best summer weekend breaks in Europe . . .

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND

The Swiss may be renowned watch makers, but there’s little need for clock-watching in this lively university city overlooking Lake Geneva.

During the summer, concerts and parades fill the streets, with activities stretching from day to night. Young people gather in the parks surrounding fine art museum Foundation d’Hermitage, or sunbathe on the grassy banks of one of the largest lakes in Western Europe.

In the evenings, the busy bars and clubs of the trendy Flon district are charged with energy.

There are numerous sights to discover, but it’s the city’s natural beauty that really captures imagination. Framed by craggy Alpine ranges, which disappear into a haze, Lake Geneva is as blue as the cloudless sky.

Travelling by paddlewheel steamers across the water, it’s possible to visit the south-facing terraces of the Unesco-protected Lavaux vineyards, used by Benedictine monks in the 11th century.

To sample wines, stop at the Domaine du Daley (visit by appointment), where 20 Grand Crus are produced.

For more information, visit www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en

BARCELO FORMENTOR, MALLORCA, SPAIN

Shrouded by Mediterranean forest in the very northern tip of Mallorca, it’s little wonder Winston Churchill sought solace in this five-star hotel.

A 50-minute drive from Palma airport, along the eye-poppingly high and winding roads of Cap de Formentor, the hotel’s remote location is one of its main draws.

Flanked by palm trees and manicured gardens, the low-rise building, which opened in 1929, oozes old-school glamour. Days can be spent by the pool, on the beach, or sampling excellent seafood in a selection of eateries, some located on the seafront.

Afterwards, take a stool at the small bar that opens out onto a patio, and rest cocktail glasses on the original green and white tiles that lie protected beneath glass.

Finish off an evening with a game of billiards on the table often used by Churchill, before contentedly retiring at a respectable hour. If you're looking for a romantic and peaceful short-haul retreat, you'd be hard pushed to find somewhere as stylish.

Doubles from £170 per night with breakfast (www.barcelo.com). Monarch fly to Mallorca from £85.50 return (www.monarch.co.uk).