2. Find feminist rocks in the Alps

It was an uphill struggle for 19th-century mountaineers, who sweated twice as much to gain a foothold in the hall of fame of the great explorers. In 1871, Liverpudlian Lucy Walker became the first woman to successfully climb the Matterhorn, and her pioneering efforts were recognized with a new walking tour to the Hotel Monte Rosa, where she began her ascent. To mark the 150th anniversary of the event, the two women owners of the hotel have designed walks to discover Zermatt from a female perspective. Meanwhile, spa sessions and cooking classes give 20th century men an equal chance to excel at challenging stereotypes.

Hotel Monte Rosa (00 382 69 300 600; monteosazermatt.ch) from £ 932 for two, excluding flights. To book with the security offered by a tour operator, try Tui (0871 971 0577; tui.co.uk), which offers a seven-night stay (without the above extras) starting at £ 1,416 per person including flights.

3. Blitz against the blues in Gozo

The underwater world is a never-ending fantasy. In a matter of minutes, it is possible to come back down from reality, moving peacefully and listening to the sound of your heart. A playground of caverns, caves and tunnels, Malta’s sister island Gozo has some of the best diving in Europe. Float through the pools of shimmering light in Xlendi Cave and disappear into the Blue Hole, descending rock tubes and meandering through limestone formations. Battleship wreck dives and a scuttled tourist ferry add to the adventure.

Original Diving runs a four-day Dive Weekend from £ 1,040 per person including flights (020 7978 0505; originaldiving.com).