Monaco is not so much a country as it is a family project, passed along from one generation to the next. Since 1297, the Grimaldi dynasty has shaped everything from its borders to its image, and it’s hard to separate the principality from its principals: When was the last time you read an article about Monaco that didn’t fill you in on the latest drama involving the royal family?

There is, of course, more to Monaco than gossip about Princess Caroline’s daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi, and her romance and out-of-wedlock child with French actor Gad Elmaleh, or nostalgia for Princess Grace, but almost everything in the principality seems to have a connection to someone whose name is preceded by the letters H.S.H. (His—or Her—Serene Highness).

Visitors will find that Monaco’s museums display a quirky mix of historical interpretation and family bragging, scientific exhibitions and personal collections. Several of its streets, gardens and buildings bear the names of related rulers, past and present.

It is the presence of a royal family, however, that bestows legitimacy on Monaco’s reputation as a playground for the rich and famous (and it is a pricey destination, even by southern European standards). Yet what the Grimaldis and their subjects have built is not out of reach for travelers of more modest means. In many respects, it’s similar to the rest of the French Riviera, offering a pleasant mix of scenic views, beaches and upscale shopping. And, like much of the Riviera, it also has areas that are overbuilt to the point of distraction that range from ugly to stylish. Take, for example, the Tour Odeon, an ultracontemporary 550-ft/170-m tower with a 300 million-euro penthouse for sale, just one of the many new high-rise additions.

Once you’ve learned a bit about its history, perhaps the most impressive thing about Monaco is that it exists. The Grimaldis have pulled off quite a feat: Generation after generation, spanning a period of more than 700 years, the family has positioned and repositioned its nation to find a role in an ever-evolving Europe. They have managed to maintain a degree of independence by accepting that there are, in fact, degrees of independence, and that some is better than none.

The resort town of Portofino, Italy, is known for its yacht-filled port, beautiful hiking trails and pastel houses that line the harbor and scatter up into the hills. A favorite of Hollywood stars and European royalty since the 1950s, Portofino combines village charm with upscale shopping, sightseeing and fine dining.

Beyond the famous piazzetta, travelers should pay a visit to the 12th-century Church of San Giorgio, which houses the relics of Portofino’s patron saint, brought back by sailors after the Crusades.

If arriving at the harbor, climb a flight of stairs labeled “Salita San Girogio” which leads past the Church of San Giorgio to the town’s castle, Castello Brown. The castle is open to the public (check the times in the tourist office); you can take in the view from the gardens or continue along the path to the lighthouse.

You can also take a 20-minute boat ride to the tiny island of San Fruttuoso to see the Benedictine Abbey and the Christ of the Abyss, a statue of Jesus 55 feet/17 meters below the sea, placed there in 1954 to protect fishermen and scuba divers.

The tourist office at Via Roma 35 offers free trail maps for biking and hiking in Portofino’s park, Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino. http://www.parks.it/parco.portofino.

Located in the northern region of Italy, La Spezia is one of Italy’s biggest military and commerical harbors. Cinque Terre and Portovenere are often accessed by La Spezia.

Rome seems to have its own gravitational pull, attracting not only millions of tourists each year, but also the most creative artists and thinkers of every era. All that surrounds a visitor in Rome—the stunning art and architecture, the terrible traffic, the grandeur of scale and the lively (almost hyper-animated) citizens—guarantees an unforgettable trip.

Known as “The Eternal City,” Rome is a supreme palimpsest. The ruins of pagan temples have become the foundations of Christian churches, ancient theaters have been made into medieval family fortresses, and Corinthian columns support new walls. The ages are layered, one atop the other, but the flow of Roman life is ever forward, with a respect for its glorious past.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect to see it in one. The historic center alone could absorb a week: the Michelangelo-designed Campidoglio, the Pantheon, the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, as well as the nearby Colosseum and Baths of Caracalla. The basilicas take a little longer because they are spread throughout the city.

If it’s Rome’s views you’re after, climb up into the dome of St. Peter’s or admire the panorama from the top of the Spanish Steps (better yet, from the Pincio Gardens above it) at sunset. Or survey the Forum at night from the Capitoline. Bustling, beautiful Rome, sprawling among its seven hills, is fascinating for both its ancient and its modern wonders.

Of course, not everyone immediately loves Rome: Some dislike the city’s untidiness and seeming disorganization. But give la citta eterna a chance to charm, or else risk missing something magnificent.

There are as many stories about Naples, Italy, as there are sides to the city, but there’s one thing almost everyone can agree on: You either love it or hate it.

Unlike other Italian cities, Naples does not offer calm cobblestoned streets or a leisurely passeggiatta. Its streets are painted with graffiti, and to the untrained eye, there is very little leisure to be had.

Although Naples appears dirty and chaotic, luxury is prevalent in some areas. Scratch the surface and you will find spas, designer shopping and fine-dining restaurants with some of the best views in the world. Each Neapolitan neighborhood has its own character.

Naples is located in the beautiful Campania region, and many visitors use the city as a base to explore the surrounding areas, particularly Mount Vesuvius, the amazingly preserved cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri.

Within Naples itself, historic sights are so numerous that you can’t help but come across them. The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best in the world, and the Museo di Capodimonte houses a collection of art that includes the Farnese Collection and rivals the Uffizi in Florence. Strolling along the Gulf of Naples with Mount Vesuvius in the background, you can quickly forget the chaos of the Centro Storico.

Then, of course, there’s the food. Naples has some of the best cuisine in all of Italy. From espresso and biscotti to dishes of pasta overflowing with fresh seafood, Naples does it like no other city. True Neapolitan pizza cannot be found anywhere else, and even the street food is worth sampling, especially when served piping hot from storefronts.

The stress of Naples can be overwhelming, and the city is not for everyone. But if you can pick up the pace, it’s possible that you might just fall in step.

Lying inside the protected Gulf of Olbia in the northeast of Sardinia, the town with the same name sits by the sea. This quaint seaside villiage was originally started as a Greek colony and was the scene of a Roman victory over the Carthaginians in 259 BC. Phoenician and Roman tombs are still in the area and the Pisan Romanesque Church of San Simplicio in the town is a site to behold.

At Sea