Romantic Naples, two hours south of Rome, is the largest city in southern Italy. It has some of the world's best opera and theatre houses and is often called an open-air museum, due to its many historic statues and monuments. Join families on the promenade as the sun sets on the Bay of Naples. View finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale or revel in the art and architecture of Museo Cappella Sansevero, built in the late 1500s.

Most visitors to Fiumicino arrive by plane and immediately continue on to Rome, but—in addition to being home to Italy’s busiest airport—the coastal town doubles as a beach resort during the summer months. There’s also Ostia Antica archaeological site, which is just a short drive away.

Corsica is a laid-back French island, with a breezy vibe that’s part European weekend and part tropical honeymoon. The port city of Bastia flings its arms wide open to weary travelers disembarking from a long ferry trip. For a truly charming Corsican experience, catch a train through the mountains to the beach, passing by rustic villages and grazing cows along the way. Take a few hours or even a few weeks to explore the island’s famous walking trails, including the varsity-level GR 20.

The Costa del Sol juxtaposes gorgeous Mediterranean old towns and inland national parks with developed beach resorts. Famed for being the birthplace of Picasso, Malaga serves as a gateway to family-favourite stops such as Benidorm and Fuengirola.

Southwest of Seville, Jerez is a well-heeled place. It’s the home of the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and its famous dancing horses; if you’re on a budget or can’t be there for a formal performance, it’s worth dropping in to catch a morning training session. The other major reason to visit Jerez is to sample its most famous product—sherry. You can do this at a number of bodegas associated with the world’s best-known brands, including Bodegas Tio Pepe, The House of Sandeman, Jerez, and Pedro Domecq. They’ll soon have you knowing your amontillado from your oloroso. There’s also an Alcázar, dating back to the time of the Almohads, which features a small mosque, now the chapel of Santa María Real.

While most visitors to Livorno arrive by cruise ship and press on to nearby Florence and Siena, those who linger in this bustling port town are treated to some of Tuscany’s freshest seafood and the quirky charm of a canal-lined quarter known as the New Venice.