Hvar, Croatia

Super yachts crowd the harbor and waterside bars hum with wealthy vacationers and young partiers in this posh island getaway with a laid-back Mediterranean vibe. The island of Hvar is famous for its lavender fields, vineyards, year-round sunshine and nonstop nightlife, but it’s also rich in culture and history. Near the harbor stands a Benedictine convent where nuns fashion lace as part of a 150-year-old tradition recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO has also recognized Stari Grad Plain, a cultural landscape that has remained practically unchanged since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks in the 4th century BC. And let us not forget the island’s charming capital, one of the best-preserved historic towns on the Adriatic. It’s worth the climb to the ancient fortress to take in the views.