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The island of Gotland is an unhurried, quiet counterpoint to modern Sweden, home to prehistoric mysteries, Viking treasures and a rich medieval heritage as well as outdoors activities. Visby is the lone town, surrounded by 13^th-century defenses of walls, towers and moats, all easy to explore by foot. Warehouses, guild houses, and merchant homes reflect Visby’s heyday as the center of Hanseatic trade. Flower-bedecked cottages, quaint shops and charming cafes, along with some rose-covered ruins, add to ambience.

Military-maritime heritage, friendly ambiance, and easy access to outdoor adventures are all part of the urban fabric and Karlskrona. Only here, for example, can you paddle around a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve while admiring the well-preserved architecture and fortifications of a 17th-century UNESCO World Heritage City. In 1680, King Karl XI chose Sweden’s most southern archipelago for a new base for his Royal Navy, stretching over 33 islands.

The seaside resort of Travemünde sits at the meeting point of the Trave river and the Baltic. A holiday destination since the early 19^th century, it offers the timeless pleasures of sun, sand and simple fare like fischbrötchen along broad beaches dotted with giant wicker chairs called strandkörbe. Watersports, including a July regatta, are also major draw. The riverfront Vorderreihe, lined with restaurants, cafes and boutiques, is lovely to stroll, as is the charming Old Town.

The smallest of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John was an early pioneer in Caribbean eco-tourism. More than half of its 20 square miles are undeveloped — and will stay that way — as they constitute Virgin Islands National Park, created in 1956 from holdings donated by U.S. philanthropist and conservationist Laurance Rockefeller. Much of St. John’s glorious white-sand beaches, coastline and surrounding seas are also protected, either through the park or the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument.

Dramatic geology, unspoiled landscapes, quiet coves and gorgeous beaches are all part of Virgin Gorda’s appeal. Along the western ridge of the plump middle is Gorda Peak National Park, whose trails deliver stunning panoramic views. At the island’s southernmost tip is its most famous landmark, the Baths. Here massive granite boulders form tidal pools, grottoes and arches, and separate the white sands of Devil’s Bay and Spring Bay beaches. Spanish Town and Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour are laid-back centers of commercial and maritime activity.