Venice, Italy (12/20)

The winding canals of Venice have long inspired some of the world’s most celebrated storytellers. The works of writers like Italo Calvino and Thomas Mann often feature the city’s haunting beauty. Venice also plays a key role in works by Shakespeare, whose play The Merchant of Venice is one of his most famous. The city’s carnival, with its masquerades, has been a symbol of mystery and intrigue for centuries.