Ravenna, Italy

The main reason to visit RAVENNA, a few kilometres inland of the Adriatic coast, is simple – it holds a set of mosaics generally acknowledged to be the crowning achievement of Byzantine art. No fewer than eight of Ravenna's buildings have been designated World Heritage sites by Unesco. They date from a strange interlude in the city's history during the late Roman-early Byzantine period when this otherwise unremarkable provincial centre briefly became one of the most important cities in all of Europe.

It's a pleasant enough place to spend a couple of days and, though it has some excellent bars and restaurants, it's the churches and mosaics that will monopolize your time. Nightlife is sparse, but a number of small coastal resorts, known as the lido towns, a dozen or so kilometres away provide some excitement in summer.