Manfredonia, Italy

By Puglian standards, MANFREDONIA is a new town, a mere 600 years old, founded – as the name suggests – by Manfred, illegitimate son of Frederick II. The Austrians struck the first blow of World War I on Italian soil here by bombing the town's station in 1915, but this is really Manfredonia's only claim to fame. For most visitors it's little more than a gateway to the Gargano promontory, and most people pass through quickly. Still, what the town lacks in ambience and historical sights is more than made up for by its sandy beaches, which stretch for miles down the coast.