Walking in Italy

A walking trip offers the chance to chat against a backdrop of glorious countryside.

ATG Oxford has walks for all abilities. Bags are moved between hotels, a guide meets you on the first morning, and - best of all - if you feel like a lazy day, you can opt out of the walking and hitch a ride with the suitcases.

Pick somewhere such as Umbria and walks can be punctuated by lunch breaks in olive groves, with fresh cheeses, hams, olives and crusty bread all picked up in the local deli.

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And you don't have to be a hearty outdoor type, or particularly fit. A gentle five-day walk across Umbria is manageable by most, particularly when a comfortable hotel, a glass or two of montepulciano and a pasta supper are waiting at the end of the day.

The five-day Umbria and Assisi tour costs £375pp, including B&B, maps, luggage transfers, services of a guide through ATG Oxford (01865 315678, www.atg-oxford.com ). Flights not included, but can be arranged.

Indulge in Belgium

Sometimes the world of diets, the gym, and suddenly realising you're a middle-class binge drinker can get a bit depressing. The best cure is an indulgent weekend away and Brussels, now about two hours away by train, fits the bill. Combine a visit to the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate (9-11 rue de la Tête d'Or, 00 32 2 514 20 48, www.mucc.be), with a coffee-break at the Planete Chocolate (24 rue de Lombard, 00 32 2 511 07 55, www.planetechocolat.be), where chefs work the chocolate in the centre of the café, and stock up on supplies to take home at Jamart (49 Rommelaere Avenue, 00 32 2 478 43 89, www.jamartchocolatier.be).

It's practically illegal not to indulge in moules-frites - or try them cooked one of 69 different ways at Le Zinneke (Place de la Patrie, 26 Vaderlandsplein, 00 33 2 245 03 22, www.lezinneke.be) in Schaarbeek, where in summer you can book a table in the garden.

Belgium may be a country of beer but on a girly weekend surely a cocktail or two is de rigueur? Head for L'Archiduc (6 rue Antoine-Dansaert, 00 32 2 512 06 52, www.archiduc.net), a monument to Art Deco elegance, with high ceilings and lipsmacking caipirinhas.

Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) has return fares to Brussels from £59. A B&B “fashion package” at the Royal Windsor Hotel (00800 4634 4100, www.warwickhotels.com) is from £170 a night for two, including “fashion teatime” and fashion map of Brussels.

Luxurious India

If you feel like treating yourself to a really glamorous girly break, the Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur offers an unbeatable mix of five-star luxury and a touch of healthy living. The spa specialises in yoga and Ayurveda courses, from structured weeks to shorter three-day courses, so that you can mix in a little indulgence.

This sprawling palace of a hotel has a mix of colonial and traditional Indian architecture, with rooms draped in satins and silks. Three restaurants specialise in traditional Indian, Thai or Mediterranean food. The spa has stunning views of Lake Pichola and is the perfect location to get to grips with yoga.

Seven nights' B&B at Oberoi Udaivilas costs from £1,985pp, including flights and transfers, through Seasons in Style (01244 202000, www.seasonsin style.com).

Champagne reunion

You rediscovered each other on Friends Reunited, now where to take a nostalgic break to reminisce? A school reunion away can be a classy affair, particularly if plenty of champagne is involved. So head to France, on a weekend dedicated to all things fizz. On an Arblaster & Clarke weekend you taste 25 different champagnes (starting at breakfast), stay in the picturesque town of Reims, with its stunning 13th-century cathedral, and enjoy an indulgent lunch hosted by one of the champagne houses.

A two-night break costs from £299pp, including B&B, Channel crossing and tastings (01730 263111, www.winetours.co.uk).

Sailing off the British Isles

If funds are low, but you fancy trying something new, a learn-to-sail weekend costs less than £200pp. No experience is necessary, and the weekends mix plenty of learning about equipment and sailing technique with a relaxed atmosphere - think pootling rather than power-racing. The emphasis is on having fun and although the cabins are small, they are well-heated and comfortable. Wet weather gear can be hired; all you need to bring is a pair of trainers, a sleeping bag, and a willing way with a winch.

A two-night weekend costs £195pp, including all meals, accommodation and training through Elite Sailing (01634 890512, www.elitesailing.co.uk).

Flaunt it in Florence

Forget Milan and Paris, fashionistas know that the best place in the whole of Europe for a wardrobe revamp is Florence. Not the city itself, but the nearby outlet stores, which sell designer names at astonishingly reduced prices. The Mall has reductions of up to 60 per cent, and although from the outside it may look like a mini-industrial estate, once inside it's suitably sybaritic, with cream walls, tinted glass and pristine plants.

JK Place, one of Florence's hippest addresses, offers a special shopping package with a day's tour of the outlets included. The hotel eschews Florentine flounce in favour of bedrooms in cool, earthy tones and lounges with roaring log fires, high-backed cream sofas and an elegant roof terrace.

A two-night break at JK Place costs from about £780 for two sharing, including two nights' B&B, a full day's shopping trip, champagne, flowers and fruit in the room and upgrade if available, through Small Luxury Hotels of the World (00 800 525 48000, www.slh.com), but not flights. R Meridiana (0845 355 5588, www.meridiana.com ) flies from Gatwick to Florence from £120 return.

...and don't be left out, lads. There's no need to use a stag do as an excuse

Go clubbing with the boys in Rotterdam - try The Waterfront, Outland and Bootleg DJ Café (www.holland clubbing.com). Transavia (www.transavia.com) flies there from Stansted from £82 return.

For an outdoor activity weekend hire Borenich, a 19th-century farmhouse sleeping six in Pitlochry, Perthshire, on the shores of Loch Tummel. There is a golf course and distillery near by, plenty of walks and fishing opportunities as well as canoeing, white-water rafting and canyoning. From £322 for two nights, Rural Retreats (01386 701177, www.ruralretreats.co.uk).

Think Chepstow, think Zorbing. But just not before the pub. It's an extreme-ish sport in which people roll down steep hills inside a 3.6m (12ft) inflatable ball - scary, but safe. So now you can find out what it's like inside a washing machine on final spin. Details: www.chepstowoutdooractivities.co.uk, from £25pp.

How about some forward planning for a girlfriend-free summer festival? Check out Roskilde in Denmark (www.roskilde-festival.dk), Exit in Serbia (www.exitfest.org) and (less music but a whole load of weirdness) Burning Man in Nevada (www.burningman.com).

Hire a classic racing yacht from Cowes to separate the men from the boys. The Lulworth is a 145ft gaff cutter built in the 1920s. Fully crewed and including all grub and champagne, the yacht costs £625 each per day - if you get 28 mates together. Details: 020-8891 2323, www.h2snow.com.

Definitely one to brag about in the office on Monday - scuba diving in Iceland's Silfra Lake between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates coupled with some partying in Reykjavik. From £999pp, including three nights' B&B in Hotel 101, flights from Heathrow, transfers and activities. Details: Black Tomato (020-7610 9008, www.blacktomato.co.uk).

A four-night long weekend in the Sahara through Explore costs from £599pp, including flights, desert camps and most meals. Details: 0844 4990901, www.explore.co.uk.

If you're a Man-U fan, a night's package at the Novotel City Centre in Manchester can include a trip to Old Trafford for a look at the Theatre of Dreams. From £59.50pp through Superbreak (01904 644455, www.superbreak.com).

A three-night weekend in Finnish Lapland, staying at the YlläsHumina hotel could include activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and, with luck, seeing the Northern Lights. From £635pp half board, including flights, but activities extra. Inntravel (01653 617906, www.inntravel.co.uk).

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