This small local town on Italy’s east coast is home to the most eye-watering collection of Byzantine mosaics, set in several sites across the town – eight of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The colours, detail and sheer size of these artworks will take your breath away, especially considering their age.

You can get a ticket to the four most remarkable venues for € 9,50, and though the sights can be seen in a day, we found ourselves wishing we’d stayed longer, to take our time looking at each and every mosaic. Ravenna is also a seaside town (although the centre is a bus ride away), so there’s a fair amount to do here, and it’s quite a bustling place, with plenty of shops and restaurants.

If you’re going out for dinner, I can recommend local favourite Ca ‘de Vèn, a traditional wine bar/restaurant in a historic cellar. The tagliatelle al ragu is incredible – but you’ll need to brush up on your Italian!