60 days in Europe Itinerary

On the Mediterranean Sea coast, the French Riviera-Côte d'Azur has the glitz and glamour rivaled by few places on earth. It is a modern resort area with luxury shopping, seaside cafés for people watching, and several marinas for yachts and super-yachts along its coast. Although the Riviera is famous for the glamour of St. Tropez, Monaco, and the Cannes Film Festival, there are many other lesser known attractions and places to visit, such as the perched villages of Gourdon and Eze, the perfumeries in Grasse, the potters of Vallauris, and the glassblowers of Biot.The Riviera has been the inspiration for many works by artists, such as Picasso and Renoir, which are on display in local museums. Sea-front hotels and holiday resorts are the most expensive options, with smaller, modest, more affordable accommodations available as you move away from major cities or further inland. Cafés, bars, and restaurants are diverse enough to respect your vacation budget and tastes, with the vast majority of eateries serving food local to the area--Provençal cuisine with Italian influences, and Cassis and Bandol regional wines.The small independent state of Monaco is surrounded on three sides by France, and the fourth by the Mediterranean. It has been ruled by the Grimaldi family since the 13th century and is a major center for tourism on the Mediterranean. The glamor of Monaco has been replaced by Monte Carlo for its opulence, designer and luxury shopping, and its casino.The busiest travel season is in July and August, when crowds and prices both skyrocket. But, with 300 days of sunshine per year, 115 km (71 mi) of warm blue coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts, and 3,000 restaurants, you're sure to have a wonderful time and find plenty of things to do whenever you plan to stay.

The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily is a ruggedly attractive land. The island has a long history of foreign domination and has been controlled by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans. The result is a distinct culture blending elements from all of those areas and featuring an intriguing dialect. This is a huge island with plenty of small villages to tour, each with its own treasures. Beyond the popular coastal areas, Sicily's inland attractions include an unspoiled landscape of mountains, hills, and villages that sometimes seem frozen in time. While the natural environment is its biggest draw, Sicily's greatest asset may be its people. They are proud of their traditions and incredibly hospitable to visitors.

Renowned for its beautiful landscape and medieval fishing villages that cling precariously to the Mediterranean cliffs, the Amalfi Coast is one of Italy's top vacation destinations. This World Heritage Site stretches for about 50 km (30 mi) on the southern side of the Sorrentine peninsula and offers numerous places to visit, from terraced lemon gardens and whitewashed villas to cliff-top views of the sea. Explore the coastline's towns, bays, and resorts. During the peak tourist season, the Amalfi Coast's single seaside road is often jammed with dozens of buses. For that reason, the ubiquitous scooter may be the best way to get around and sightsee. You can also access quite a bit by bicycle.

Once situated on the edge of empires between the Balkans and Central Europe, Croatia represents a land of great natural diversity and rich cultural heritage. Croatian cultural tourism relies on the charming juxtaposition of contrasts. Venetian palaces sit next to Napoleonic forts, Viennese mansions face Socialist Realist sculpture, and early Slavic churches built on the sites of ancient Roman settlements offer countless sightseeing opportunities. Croatia's museums present the main stages of the history of Europe. The country's sapphire seawater and long coastline speckled with islands draws visitors, as do numerous nature reserves, marinas, ancient fortified towns, and sandy and rocky beaches. In recent years, Croatia's shoreline has become a famed center for nautical tourism and naturism, and is a promising diving destination. Hikers explore outdoor landscapes of canyons, underground grottoes, dramatic waterfalls, stony peaks, and scenic lakes of the Dinaric Alps, which hug the coastline. Inland areas showcase mountain resorts, national parks, pine forests, vineyards, and spas.