Located near Ravenna, Milano Marittima is a highlight among the tranquil resort towns that line this stretch of the Adriatic Sea. Beyond its beaches, the town’s lush nature park and Casa delle Farfalle (Butterfly House) are some of its star attractions.

Catania has been a prize of many empires over the centuries, from Greeks to Romans to Arabs to Normans to Spaniards (to name a few). But its citizens have a more dangerous enemy right in their backyard—Mount Etna, Europe's largest and most active volcano, which destroyed the city with earthquakes and lava flows in 1693. Look closely at the baroque buildings dating from after the eruption—you'll notice a creative use of lava.