Lyon, France

Lyon enchanted Julius Caesar himself, who made it the capital of Gaul when the city was still known as Lugdunum, the "Hill of the Crow." By the 16th century, thanks to a legendary silk trade that is still the leader in Europe, Lyon had become the richest city in France. Flush with unprecedented wealth, the elite of this Renaissance boomtown poured their profits into ornate townhouses, decorative public spaces, and grand town buildings that remain impressively preserved. Vieux Lyon - one of the most extensive "Old Towns" in Europe, full of winding cobblestone streets dominated by a grand cathedral - was recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, joining Prague and Venice.

Lyon's lovely squares and traboules (passages through buildings), the peaceful banks of the Rhône and Saône Rivers, its shops, art galleries, craft shops, and markets only get better at night, when the ancient town is illuminated by countless lights, as if the starry sky had descended to earth. Though its silk is still treasured, its cuisine is Lyon's 21st century claim to fame. Celebrity chefs and Michelin stars seems to reproduce spontaneously as gourmands from far and wide pour into the city for a taste of the sumptuous recipes of yore, lightened and sophisticated for the modern palate. In perfect accompaniment, of course, are the wines of neighboring Beaujolais. The best part of this enduring enclave of privilege just may be the prevailing mood of contentment, a blessing that comes from a history free of hard times.