Often an overnight stop en route to Cinque Terre, La Spezia offers travellers more than just affordable stays. Beyond a working-class port and naval base, there are maritime and archaeological museums, a hilltop castle, and an old town ideal for exploring and sampling Ligurian cuisine.

Campo dei Miracolo and Pisa's precarious tower are the main reason people visit this Tuscan city that traces its history back to around 1000 B.C. The grand buildings are relics of the former republic of Pisa's maritime might. Visitors can climb the Tower's 300 steps for a tilted view. Other spots in the city where Galileo was born include the National Museum of San Matteo and Camposanto cemetery. Local bus tickets can be bought at tabacs. An excellent rail network links Pisa with other Tuscan cities.

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.

The largest and most famous of Tuscany’s spa towns, Montecatini Terme has been revered for its curative waters since at least the 16th century, when the first baths were built here. Two centuries later, neighborhood royalty began to take note after the opening of the town’s first grand spas, putting Montecatini Terme firmly on the aristocracy's radar. Beyond the array of fine spas featuring treatments old and new, today’s visitors come for the shopping, dining and sporting offerings, as well.

San Gimignano, known as the "city of beautiful towers," had 72 towers in its heyday. Now 14 remain, and, rising above Tuscany's Elsa Valley, they make the town look like a mediaeval dreamscape. Take in the fresco-covered Collegiate Church, the Civic Museum and the views from atop 177-foot Torre Grossa. Daytrippers from Florence tend to fill up the streets during the day, so for a more up-close-and-personal look at the town, spend the night.

From Shoreditch’s swaggering style to Camden’s punky vibe and chic Portobello Road, London is many worlds in one. The city’s energy means that no two days are the same. Explore royal or historic sites, tick off landmarks from your bucket list, eat and drink in exclusive Michelin-starred restaurants, enjoy a pint in a traditional pub, or get lost down winding cobbled streets and see what you stumble across – when it comes to London, the possibilities are endless.

The easternmost town on the island of Fyn or Funen anchors the much traveled Storebaelt Bridge at its western point. This 700-year-old town is often overlooked for neighboring Odense, just 21 miles west. It's worth spending a few hours exploring the 1540 Old Torvet market square, once the site of 16th-century royal games, the ancient 1170 Nyborg Castle, venerable houses and the oldest open air theater in the country, Voldspil Nyborg. The theater hosts musicals and operettas on on the castle ramparts.

You've probably heard that Guinness tastes better in Dublin (fresh from the factory), but what you may not know is that Dublin is a perfect destination for the whole family. No, we're not suggesting you let the kiddies drink a pint. Instead, take them to the Dublin Zoo, to feed the ducks in Stephen's Green or on a picnic in Phoenix Park. Scholars enjoy walking in the literary footsteps of such writers as Yeats and Joyce, while discerning shoppers have their pick of designer boutiques.

Plan to cross many bridges when in Cork. Ireland's third-largest city began life as an island and now spans both banks of the River Lee, with watery channels running beneath some of its main thoroughfares. The best way to experience this hilly southern seaport is on foot, following the signposted walking tour past St. Finn Barre's Cathedral and the riverside quadrangle of University College up the hill to red and white Shandon Church. Along the way, you'll meet plenty of the city's talkative residents.

Belfast has grown into a cosmopolitan city and become a popular weekend-break destination. The city pulses with an irrepressible optimism and energy. The Northern Ireland capital has an increasing number of intriguing bus, taxi, boat and pedestrian tours. Attractions such as Ulster Folk Museum and Belfast Cathedral, award-winning restaurants, lively bars from modern lounges to traditional pubs, hip clubs, great shopping, impressive theatres, galleries and live music make it a vivacious destination.

Don your most comfortable shoes for Killarney, where town trails offer history lessons and country walks traverse Ireland's first national park: 26,000 acres of woodlands, sandstone mountains and low-lying lakes. In the town centre, Killarney House and Gardens provide a break for urban explorers. Renowned Muckross House, with its 15th-century abbey ruins and massive yew tree, is just outside the town. If your feet wear out, take in Killarney National Park's legendary scenery from a boat trip from Ross Castle.

Bordered by the Black Sea, the port city of Batumi is Georgia’s premier holiday destination. A mix of modern and Belle Époque-era hotels spill out from the city’s waterfront promenade, while old town spires and contemporary towers dot the skyline.