Bordered by the Black Sea, the port city of Batumi is Georgia’s premier holiday destination. A mix of modern and Belle Époque-era hotels spill out from the city’s waterfront promenade, while old town spires and contemporary towers dot the skyline.

A cultural hub where elegant mosques and traditional bazaars dot the palm-lined boulevards and ancient Greek ruins look down from the hilltops, Turkey’s third-largest city, Izmir, has plenty to offer cruise visitors en route to nearby Ephesus.

Lying at Italy’s geographic and historic heart, Lazio (or Latium) was the seat of the Roman Empire, and as such is teeming with ancient attractions, especially in the Eternal City of Rome itself. To the east, Tivoli has Emperor Hadrian’s exquisite and massive Villa Adriana. Civitavecchia, today a major cruise and ferry port, has been Rome’s main harbor since the second century. Many pre-Roman sites dot Lazio too, like the Etruscan necropolis at Cerveteri, dating from the 9th century BC.

It’s nicknamed the Eternal City for a reason. In Rome, you can drink from a street fountain fed by an ancient aqueduct. Or see the same profile on a statue in the Capitoline Museum and the guy making your cappuccino. (Which, of course, you know never to order after 11 am.) Rome is also a city of contrasts—what other place on earth could be home to both the Vatican and La Dolce Vita?

A port city of about 30,000 on Italy’s Ligurian Coast, Rapallo lies on the Tigullio Gulf about 15 miles southeast of Genoa. The 16th-century Castello sul Mare (Castle-on-the-Sea) is Rapallo’s most prominent landmark, sitting as it does smack in the harbor. The sixth-century Basilica of Santi Gervasio e Protasio is also worth a visit. For a real treat, take the bus or the funivia (cable car) to the sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montallegro (Our Lady of Montallegro), which offers stunning views.

About an hour south of Mombasa, the sparkling white sands and lush greenery of Diani invite you to relax under a beach umbrella with a refreshing drink. Try a camel ride for the tourist experience or book a bike tour inland for a glimpse of life in local villages. Diani is also a base for several safari companies.