10. Chissay-en-Touraine, France

Smaller barge cruises, which can navigate the shallow Loire River, can call on this charming town for excursions to the most impressive Loire Valley Châteaux and gardens, among them Château de Chenonceau, Château de la Bourdaisière, Château et Jardins de Villandry, and Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire.

In Bloom: The gardens of the Loire are best seen from May to July, when you’ll spot everything from vegetable gardens in Villandry to dahlias at la Bourdaisière.