It's the East Coast's answer to Las Vegas. Atlantic City's casinos draw tourists by the car- and bus-load, but even if your main objective is to play some blackjack, you'll want to save time for sightseeing.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans." That classic advice leads to a wealth of options: Should you follow Augustus and Caesar, whose Rome is filled with spectacular ancient structures? Or Michelangelo and Da Vinci, whose city invites artistic pilgrimage? Maybe you'll discover the Rome that enchants lovers and sightseers alike? Rome encompasses all this and more.

Venice makes you a believer in fairy tales. Cars are banned, so the only way to get around the 1,500-year-old city is by foot or by water.

Coveted by empires and republics throughout its history, Innsbruck was the seat of the imperial court of Maximilian I by the end of the 15th century.