The caves of Ponza are steeped in mystical mythology—legend has it that Ponza was Homer’s inspiration for the sorceress Circe’s island in The Odyssey. The whole island has a magical feel to it, from the grottoes to the botanical gardens to the underground labyrinth of Roman tunnels. Schedule a boat tour so that you can explore the entire island by sea—a truly spectacular experience.

Founded by Dutch Calvinists in 1847, the city of Holland, Michigan, is an outpost of Dutch culture and tradition in the midst of the American Midwest, home to dikes, canals and even an authentic Dutch windmill. Proud of its heritage, the city purchased 100,000 tulip bulbs from the Netherlands back in 1927, and these colorful flowers still fill the city's gardens and parks with color annually, just in time for the famous Tulip Time Festival, attended by over half a million people every year.