The Breakers

This 70-room grand estate, designed for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895, is undeniably the crown jewel of the Newport mansion tour circuit. It was modeled on an Italian palazzo by architect Richard Morris Hunt, and everything here is over the top, from the Baccarat crystal chandeliers to a room paneled in platinum, the rarest metal on earth. What makes visiting the mansion truly special are first-rate audio tours filled with stories not only of the wealthy residents, but also of the backstairs staff who served them.