Brindisi, Italy

Situated on the heel of Italy’s boot overlooking the glittering Adriatic Sea, Brindisi is a natural port carved into a region known for its whitewashed marble and peaceful beaches. There’s much to explore along the picturesque harbor, from the rudder-shaped Monument to Italian Sailors, which you can scale for panoramic views, to the red stone Castello Alfonsino at the tip of a small island overlooking the channel. The Roman columns at the top of Virgil’s Steps, spilling down to the Adriatic, date back to the 13th century, while the superb Archaeological Museum is a great source of ancient relics, from bronze statues to stone tombs. And, of course, a day swimming and sunbathing on the white sand shores of Lido Azzurro is a day well spent.