When traveling to Italy in summer, deciding whether to spend time seeing all there is to see or letting yourself succumb to the dolce far niente call of the country’s alluring coast can be tough—many visitors want lots of history and beach time, but sometimes can’t have them both in the same day. As temperatures soar, the tug of the seaside often gets stronger, although once you’ve settled into your sun chair at the lido, you’re probably going to want to order up some cultural enrichment along with the acqua minerale.

Artistic and historic treasures are found throughout Italy, of course—it’s hard to find a place without them. Taormina, a famous holiday resort, has an important ancient Greek theater, and even smaller getaways contain gems, like the charming Riviera hamlet of San Michele di Pagana, which is home to a church with a Van Dyck painting.