Amboise

The Da Vinci trail ends here in one of the more popular towns along the river. Site of Leonardo's final home, crowned with a royal château, and jammed with bustling markets and plenty of hotels and restaurants, Amboise is one of the major hubs of the Loire. On hot summer days, however, the plethora of tour buses turns the Renaissance town into a carbon monoxide nightmare. So why come? The main château is soaked in history (and blood), while Leonardo's very pretty Clos-Lucé mansion is a must-do on any Val de Loire itinerary.