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Apr 26, 2023 · Pucisca, Croatia. Arguably the most beautiful village in Croatia, Pucisca, is certainly one of the most picturesque places in all of Europe. The gleaming white stone, indigent to the island of Brac, is what makes this small harbor town a truly one-of-a-kind destination, and even an exquisite work of art.
- Manarola, Italy
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
- Portree, Scotland
- Zell Am See, Austria
- Gangi, Sicily
- Bled, Slovenia
- Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber, Germany
- Seydisfjordur, Iceland
- Cadaqués, Spain
- Sozopol, Bulgaria
- Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France
- Otepää, Estonia
- Otranto, Italy
Set between turquoise Lake Zell and the mighty Schmittenhöhe mountain, Zell am See is one of Europe's most beautiful small towns. The alpine village, just a 1.5-hour drive from Salzburg, is famous for its leisure activities: skiing and snowboarding in the winter; swimming, biking, and hiking in the summer; and riding the vintage Pinzgauer Lokalbahn...
Gangi exudes Sicilian small-town magic, with a hilltop castle, medieval and baroque churches, and stone houses with terracotta roofs (some of which have sold for just one euro). Looming high over it all is massive Mount Etna. For a macabre detour from all the warm Mediterranean charm, go down to the underground tomb of Chiesa Madre Gangi, where mum...
Picturesque Bled looks like a mythical scene dreamed up by a Grimm brother. Its most prominent feature is an ethereal 17th-century church perched on a tear-shaped island in the middle of Lake Bled, which you can get to by boat. The town and its surroundings offer outdoor activities year-round, from skiing in the winter to summer tobogganing down St...
Even in southern Germany, the land of ridiculous medieval charm, Rothenburg ob der Tauber stands out. It pulls out all the romantic Bavarian stops, with turrets, stone archways, clock towers, taverns, and timber-framed buildings. (Go figure, it was the inspiration for the village in "Pinocchio.") After ambling through the knot of cobbled alleyways,...
Stationed on the far reaches of eastern Iceland, Seydisfjordur is practically hidden along the banks of a dramatic fjord. Each week, its harbor greets a ferry connecting Iceland to Denmark and the Faroe Islands. (It's a great option for visitors from Europe with sea legs as strong as a Scandinavian raider.) Though its population clocks in at less t...
Nestled on Spain's Costa Brava near the French border, Cadaqués is a network of whitewashed buildings and stone alleys that ramble down to a boat-dotted harbor. Admire the postcard town from one of the many hiking trails, sunbathe on the small and sunny beaches, and hire a barca(boat) for a day of exploring the nearby cobalt bays that feel like a s...
This ancient town on a slender peninsula in southern Bulgaria is a maze of cobblestone streets and pretty red-roofed houses overlooking the Black Sea. Add in excellent sandy beaches, a picturesque fishing port lined with boats, delicious Balkan and Mediterranean cuisine, and a great cultural scene (the late-summer Apollonia Arts Festivalis a showca...
One of the best small towns in France, Saint-Jean-de-Luz retains its Basque Country fishing village feel, with half-timbered buildings in the lovely old quarter, boats bobbing in the sheltered port, and quaint architecture and golden sand framing the scenic beach walk. The beach town swells with visitors in the summer, though surfers flock here any...
Surrounded by forests, lakes, hills, and valleys, this tiny town is renowned for its scenic natural beauty. Otepää has long been a destination for those looking to hike, swim, and camp in the summer. Come winter, the town's population balloons with skiers, snowboarders, and other snow-loving sports enthusiasts — perhaps even Olympic medalists deep ...
For a European small town with Caribbean or South Pacific beach vibes, head to Otranto. This Puglian port town on the sun-soaked outer heel of Italy's boot has miles of glorious beaches with sparkling, shallow water stretching way, way out. Between afternoons of swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing, wander the historic center (dipping inside the to...
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Mar 17, 2022 · Hallstatt, Austria. Population: 779. There’s something special about Hallstatt, easily one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe. This fact is made evident when you pull up by ferry across ...
- Caitlin Morton
- Arles France. I was very impressed with the small city of Arles in Provence on my last visit. I used it as a base to explore the western part of Provence.
- Basel Switzerland. Cosmopolitan Basel is a pretty city on the Rhine River. Basel is located at the juncture of the Swiss, German, and French border. So it has a multi-cultural appeal.
- Bergamo Italy. Bergamo is a beautiful small city in Italy’s Lombardy region, located between Milan and Lake Como. Bergamo outshines Italy’s capital in beauty and graceful architecture.
- Bilbao Spain. Bilbao is a small city beautifully situated amid rolling green hills and mountain ranges. The city is an urban landscape in a country setting in Basque Spain.
Dec 21, 2023 · When visiting Europe, you automatically think of the major tourist cities, like Paris and Rome, but it's really the small charming towns in Europe that make it such a fascinating destination. Once you dig into the smaller gems, you'll start to see the real beauty of Europe. During our many years of traveling throughout Europe, we've visited dozens of cute and charming little towns and cities ...
Apr 8, 2024 · Rovinj. Rovinj, a picturesque town on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, is a visual delight with its pastel-colored houses and charming cobblestone streets. The town is known for its beautiful archipelago of 22 islands, with the St. Catherine and St. Andrew islands being particularly popular among visitors.
Aug 7, 2023 · Getty Images. One of Europe's smallest capital cities (in one of Europe's smallest countries), Luxembourg City is known as the "Gibraltar of the North" for its vast series of medieval ...
