Malta at $697 RT

Malta is everything cool about visiting Europe, squeezed into a single 100-square-mile island.

Natural beauty? Check - rugged cliffs overlooking the bright blue Mediterranean, white-sand beaches tucked away by hidden sea caves, and so much more.

Historic sites? Another check - ancient temples like Ħaġar Qim and Ħal Saflieni predate the Pyramids by millennia, and you can't throw a stone in Malta without hitting a medieval fortification of one kind or another.

Culture? You'd better believe that's a check too - Valletta has cathedrals, Caravaggios, and those classic Mediterranean "is this even real life" vibes, while Mdina has catacombs, narrow medieval streets, and, well, pretty much the exact same astounding vibes.

Oh, and did we mention the village set from that weird live-action Popeye movie is in Malta? It's a must-visit for hardcore Robert Altman fans, naturally.