In Europe, 76 destinations off the beaten path

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Arezzo, ItalySalina, ItalyCrete, GreeceRoquefort, FranceKvarner Islands, CroatiaTaormina, ItalyBonn, GermanyMonschau, GermanyCanterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, EnglandSt. Albans, EnglandCambridge, EnglandBrighton, EnglandCarnac, FranceCotswold Way, EnglandIstanbul, TurkeyGiglio, ItalySpain's Basque CountryAlbaniaAndorraViennaArdennes, BelgiumHay on Wye, BritainGiant's Causeway, Northern IrelandScotland's Tweed ValleyBulgariaZagreb, CroatiaHvar, CroatiaOsijek, CroatiaKladska, Czech RepublicTallinnHelsinki, FinlandBarbizon, FranceVerdun, FranceLourdes, FranceBeaujolais, FranceLyon, FranceChâteau des Milandes, FranceMillau, FranceLacoste, FranceMunich, GermanyIceland's countrysideGalway City, IrelandSkibbereen, IrelandCampania region, ItalySiena, ItalySperlonga, ItalyCinque Terre, ItalyPuglia, ItalyGenoa, ItalyPiedmont, ItalySicily, ItalyLipari, ItalyCastel del Monte, ItalyRiga, LatviaJurmala, LatviaLiechtensteinVilnius, LithuaniaLuxembourgMoldovaMonacoMontenegroOslo, NorwayTransylvania, RomaniaDanube River Delta, RomaniaSt. Petersburg, RussiaSan MarinoBelgrade, SerbiaSloveniaCatalonia, SpainSegovia, SpainIcehotel, Jukkasjarvi, SwedenZurich, SwitzerlandVals Valley, SwitzerlandCappadocia, TurkeyLviv, UkraineVatican City

There are popular beach places closer to Rome, but nothing as nice as Sperlonga, with its pedestrian-only old town (Sperlonga Alta), winding staircases that lead down to the ocean and the Grotto of Tiberius and the nearby archaeological museum.<br>
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Long beaches spread to the north and south, lined by bathing establishments where you can rent a chaise and umbrella for about $20 a day.<br>
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The sand gets so hot you have to run from your chair to the water, but once you get in you know why you came.<br>
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The sea is clear and cool, with little waves. Right away I bought a rubber raft and paddled out past the break, then stayed put for the rest of the afternoon.<br>
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-- Susan Spano<br>
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Read more: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-sperlonga-2008aug12,0,6285706.story">A beach vacation in Sperlonga, Italy</a><br>
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<i>Pictured: Sperlonga's old town area.</i>

Sperlonga, Italy

( Susan Spano / Los Angeles Times )

There are popular beach places closer to Rome, but nothing as nice as Sperlonga, with its pedestrian-only old town (Sperlonga Alta), winding staircases that lead down to the ocean and the Grotto of Tiberius and the nearby archaeological museum.

Long beaches spread to the north and south, lined by bathing establishments where you can rent a chaise and umbrella for about $20 a day.

The sand gets so hot you have to run from your chair to the water, but once you get in you know why you came.

The sea is clear and cool, with little waves. Right away I bought a rubber raft and paddled out past the break, then stayed put for the rest of the afternoon.

-- Susan Spano

Read more: A beach vacation in Sperlonga, Italy

Pictured: Sperlonga's old town area.