Santa Margherita Ligure (Portofino), Italy

Set on the Gulf of Tigullio between Rapallo and Portofino, the resort/fishing town of Santa Margherita centers around the lovely harbor, where boating and sunbathing are the orders of the day. The town has some good shopping options, lovely cafes and interesting sights like its 16th-century castle and the 17th-century Basilica di Santa Margherita. A clifftop pathway leads along the corrugated coastline to the postcard enclave of Portofino, one of Italy’s most enchanting towns. Pastel villas are stacked along the hillsides over a gem-like cove spangled with bobbing, brightly painted boats. The UNESCO-cited perched villages of the Cinque Terre are also nearby, and equally as unforgettable.