Italy

Whether it's culture, gastronomy, cutting-edge design, sybaritic pleasures or simply the art of dolce far niente -- doing nothing and just soaking up the atmosphere -- this is a country for lovers of all that is good in life. A visit to Italy is a lesson in living well. Open-air vegetable and fruit markets, neighborhood bakeries and fresh cheeses made daily are fixtures of Italian life. Tradition reigns: Neighbors still meet in the piazza to discuss the day, laundry is still line-dried, even in the largest of cities, and the passeggiata (leisurely stroll) is still made in the evening air -- preferably with a gelato in hand. From the mountains to the coasts, the emphasis is on simple pleasures and high quality.