Avia Masters

Photographing the archeological site of Pompeii takes a bit of planning. The site is large, has almost no shade, and can be hot. Try to arrive first thing in the morning and plan your route. Interesting things to photograph include the ancient frescoes, streets with chariot tracks grooved into the stone, and human remains.

Venice's colorful old buildings sinking into the water, twisting canals, and ornate bridges just beg to be photographed. Getting the right shot can be challenging with the sheer number of tourists in the city during the day. Consider staying overnight to capture the early morning light without people in your pictures. This will also give you a chance to explore Venice more fully.

Europe's first real beach resort developed on this 12-kilometer barrier island that separates the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. Crowned heads of Europe gathered at its grand hotels and Art Nouveau villas, which are still well-kept and glamorous.

What you see at Rimini is what you get-kilometers of white sand washed by mild Adriatic waters and covered with row on row of rented beach umbrellas and lounge chairs. It's Italian beach resort at its most typical, and that's just the way the Italians love their Riviera del Sole.

Once one of the finest of Sardinia's sand beaches, the 300-meter beach of La Pelosa has diminished somewhat due to sea erosion and overuse. But its white sands and shallow cerulean water could make you think you were in the Caribbean. Adding to the scene is an old stone watch tower and the offshore island of Asinara.

Directly beneath the lofty town of Tropea, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea on a stretch known as "La Costa degli Dei-the Coast of the Gods-Marasusa Beach has everything: soft white sand, calm and clear waters, scenic cliffs rising above, and-except in August-few crowds.

Set below a dramatic rock on Sicily's northern coast, Cefalù neatly combines two of Sicily's most appealing features: a beautiful beach and a historic town to explore. A Norman cathedral stands out above the winding stone streets and colorful fishing harbor, all within sight of the long white sands that stretch from right below the old town.

In August, when the streets of Milan, Genoa, and Florence all seem to have emptied onto this 15-kilometer stretch of Mediterranean beach, it may be hard to find the sand for the sea of umbrellas. Whether or not this scene is to your taste, there's no denying that it's an authentic Italian beach experience.

There's a feeling of stepping back into another era in Santa Margherita Ligure. The town recalls a time when ladies and gentlemen spent seaside holidays in the genteel surroundings of candy-colored grand hotels, sipping lemonade on the verandahs or under sedate rows of palm trees, dressing for dinner, and taking an evening stroll along the esplanade above the beach.