Portofino, Italy

There's no denying the beauty of PORTOFINO, tucked into a protected inlet surrounded by lush cypress- and olive-clad slopes, yet it manages to be both attractive and off-putting at the same time. The village has been effortlessly drawing in Europe's jet set since the dolce vita days of Bogart and Bacall, Sophia Loren, Burton and Taylor, and Princess Grace, all of whom holidayed here, though these days there are as many B list as A list celebs booked into its hotels.

The village lies at the end of a narrow and treacherously winding road 5km south from Santa Margherita, but thanks to continuous traffic the bus journey can take longer than the boats that shuttle regularly to and from all nearby ports in summer. Once you've arrived, surveyed the expensive waterfront shops and restaurants and perhaps climbed up to Castello Brown, there's little to do other than watch the day's endless procession of tour groups do the same; bear in mind, though, that a couple of peaceful harbourside beers will leave you little change from € 20.