/ Enchanting, charming Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre, Italy, that stretch of five wonderful villages along the Ligurian shores. Here too you see that familiar pattern -- the houses tumbling down the cliffs to the water's edge and a main pedestrian street rising up from the tiny cove, surrounded by terraced homes covering the hillside, rising high.
It's a surprising mix of urban high density in the midst of a tranquil, rural setting. It is very quiet when you walk down the little side streets, especially in the off-season, which is highly recommended.