Mountain villages, around the world.

Banyuls-sur-Mer

Banyuls-sur-Mer gives its name to the surrounding wine region and sits on a bay at the southern end of France's Mediterranean coast, making it the country's…

Bezzecca

A compact Alpine village in Trentino's Valle di Ledro, where terracotta-roofed houses cluster around a yellow-façaded church, forested peaks rise on all side…

Imst

Heritage-dense modest town on the River Inn in western Tyrol, Imst sits close to the mountains with scenic viewpoints in the surrounding area and a café and…

Thônes

Modest town in the French Alps of Haute-Savoie known as the capital of Reblochon and Chevrotin cheeses, Thônes sits at a crossroads in the Aravis mountain ar…

Sondrio

Walkable wine-country town at the heart of the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, Sondrio serves as the provincial capital and was named Alpine Town of the Year…

Traunkirchen

This pocket-sized Upper Austrian village sits directly on the Traunsee lake, surrounded by mountain terrain, with several historic churches and a handful of…

Saint-Imier

This pocket-sized Swiss town in the Bernese Jura mountains, Saint-Imier is known as the site of the 1872 Saint-Imier Congress, widely regarded as the foundin…

Pasaia

A working port town on the Bay of Pasaia in Spain's Basque Country, spread across four distinct districts around a natural harbour where the Oyarzun river me…

Porto de Mos

Porto de Mós, a small town in Portugal's Leiria region, sits at the edge of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park, with scenic surroundings, vineyards…

Porthmadog

This pocket-sized coastal town in Gwynedd, Wales, Porthmadog grew in the 19th century as a slate port on the Glaslyn estuary, and its surviving wharves now s…

Pagnona

Pocket-sized Lombardy hamlet in the Alta Valvarrone, north of Lecco, Pagnona is the birthplace of the artist Luigi Tagliaferri and has a handful of historic…

Sesimbra

This fishing town on Portugal's Setúbal coast where the Serra da Arrábida mountains meet the sea, Sesimbra has a walkable centre with a dense food-and-drink…

Bright

This pocket-sized mountain town in northeastern Victoria with an unusually dense café and restaurant scene for its size, Bright sits at the southeastern end…

Pieve Tesino

Birthplace of Alcide De Gasperi — Italy's first post-war prime minister, born here on 3 April 1881 — this small mountain village in Trentino sits at the geog…

Zvornik

Sitting on the Drina River at the foot of Majevica mountain in Republika Srpska, Zvornik offers a compact centre with cafés and restaurants alongside scenic…

Gérardmer

Sitting directly on its own lake in the Vosges mountains of northeastern France, Gérardmer is a compact town with a café and restaurant scene that would suit…

Rosazza

This tiny Piedmontese hamlet in the Valle Cervo sits in mountain terrain along the water, with a striking number of churches for its size and strong scenic a…

Chase

Sitting at the outlet of Little Shuswap Lake where it becomes the South Thompson River, Chase is a compact village in British Columbia's Interior with mounta…

Segura de la Sierra

A photogenic hilltop village in eastern Andalusia, Segura de la Sierra sits within the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park and was admitted…

Castel di Sangro

This compact town in Abruzzo's L'Aquila province, Castel di Sangro sits along the Sangro river with a central core of cafés and restaurants and a photogenic…

Lodève

This small town in the Hérault department of southern France's Occitania region, Lodève sits at the confluence of several rivers and offers a compact central…

Tarouca

A pocket-sized Portuguese city in the Douro region, Tarouca sits directly on the water with scenic surroundings that reward photography, and a compact centra…

Muro Lucano

A pocket-sized Basilicata hill town in southern Italy's Potenza province, Muro Lucano rises dramatically on a rocky spur, its pale stone buildings climbing t…

Corte

Corte served as the capital of independent Corsica under Pascal Paoli between 1755 and 1769, and the town still carries that history at its centre — the cita…

Saint-Maurice

This small Swiss town in the canton of Valais where the Rhône valley narrows to a pass, Saint-Maurice has been a strategic gateway since antiquity — the site…

Pella

Sitting on the western shore of Lake Orta in Piedmont, this compact village in the Province of Novara offers waterfront views, mountain country close by, and…

Catemaco

A town on the shores of Lake Catemaco in southern Veracruz, known across Mexico for a pre-colonial tradition of sorcery and witchcraft — practiced largely by…

Saint-Lary-Soulan

This dual-season mountain resort village in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Saint-Lary-Soulan draws skiers in winter to its slopes at Pla d'Adet and Espiaube, and hiker…

Cossogno

This modest Piedmontese hamlet sits within reach of Val Grande National Park, with scenic viewpoints in the surrounding terrain and an unusually high number…

Annaberg-Buchholz

A mountain town in Saxony's Ore Mountains whose historic old town has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019, alongside the surrounding histori…

Stepantsminda

This small Georgian mountain town in the north of the country, Stepantsminda draws trekkers to the surrounding peaks and offers striking views of Mount Kazbe…

Fiera di Primiero

This little Trentino village in the Dolomites sits on the water and packs an unusual number of cafés, restaurants, and churches into a very compact footprint…

Kranjska Gora

A winter sports hub in northwestern Slovenia's Upper Carniola region, Kranjska Gora sits on the Sava Dolinka River near the point where Austria, Italy, and S…

Campan

This mountain village in the French Pyrenees, Campan sits within the Pyrénées National Park on terrain drained by the Adour river and several tributaries.

Alagna Valsesia

This compact alpine village in Piedmont's Valsesia valley, Alagna Valsesia sits at the foot of Monte Rosa — the second-highest peak in the Alps — and is inte…

Crested Butte

A compact Colorado mountain town spread across a snow-covered valley, with a dramatic peak rising directly behind it, a lively café and dining scene well abo…

Dawson City

Dawson City, at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers in Canada's Yukon territory, is defined by its role in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896–1899, w…

Castiglione di Garfagnana

This medieval walled village in Tuscany's Garfagnana valley, Castiglione di Garfagnana sits above the river Esarulo and holds an unusual number of churches f…

Rochlitz

Since June 2024, Rochlitz in Saxony has carried the official designation "Town of Red Porphyry," a nod to the distinctive volcanic stone that defines the area.

Scuol

This mountain village in Switzerland's Lower Engadin valley serves as the main tourist hub for the region, sitting alongside the water with scenic surrounds…

Ulassai

Colorful multi-story houses crowd a steep hillside beneath dramatic limestone crags in this little Sardinian village, surrounded by forested upland country w…

Ménerbes

This walled hilltop village in the Luberon mountains of Provence, Ménerbes holds membership in the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association and sits in…

Bischofshofen

A little Austrian town in the Salzburg state's St.

Argegno

This tiny Lake Como village on the western shore sits where the River Telo meets the lake, and the waters just offshore mark the deepest point of any lake in…

Meyrueis

A compact mountain village in southern Lozère where the Jonte river runs through the centre, Meyrueis sits within the Cévennes and is flanked by the gorges o…

Ardales

This small Andalusian village in the mountains of Málaga province, Ardales sits beside the Guadalhorce reservoirs and offers striking views across the surrou…

Ormea

Little village in the Ligurian Alps near the Piedmont-Liguria border, Ormea sits on the Tanaro river with mountain terrain close on all sides and a concentra…

Fiesch

A pocket-sized Swiss village in the canton of Valais, Fiesch sits in mountain terrain with scenic viewpoints over the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area, a UNES…

Wattens

Wattens, a little market town in Tyrol's Innsbruck-Land district, is best known as the home of Swarovski, the Austrian crystal glass company.

Pennabilli

A modest village in the Montefeltro area of Emilia-Romagna, Pennabilli holds an unusually dense cluster of churches for its size, a handful of cafés and rest…

Margaretville

This small village on the edge of Catskill Park in upstate New York, Margaretville sits on the water in mountain terrain and supports a modest but real café…

Stazzona

This compact cluster of grey-stone houses rises through dense forest on a Corsican hillside, with layered mountain ridges behind and the wooded Castagniccia…

Contigliano

A small village in Lazio's wine-growing Rieti province, Contigliano sits close to the mountains and near water, with scenic surroundings and a strong photogr…

Oberndorf bei Salzburg

"Silent Night" was first performed in Oberndorf bei Salzburg in 1818, at the Nikolauskirche, making this tiny Austrian town on the River Salzach a draw for a…

Lamanère

The southernmost hamlet in continental France, Lamanère sits in the Pyrénées-Orientales amid mountain terrain drained by several small rivers and streams.

Seravezza

This compact Tuscan town sits where the Apuan Alps meet the Versilia plain, offering mountain scenery, scenic viewpoints, and a compact centre with cafés and…

Llanes

Little coastal town on Asturias's eastern Costa Verde, Llanes sits between the Cantabrian Sea and the limestone ridge of the Sierra del Cuera, with the Picos…

Sachseln

A white-towered baroque church with an onion dome anchors this compact Swiss lakeside town, where calm water reflections, traditional timber-framed buildings…

Villadossola

This compact town in Piedmont's Val d'Ossola, Villadossola sits at the mouth of the Valle Antrona and alongside the Toce river, with mountains close on sever…

Tende

Mountain village in the Alpes-Maritimes with an unusual number of churches for its size, Tende sits alongside a river in high alpine terrain near the French-…

Giornico

A tiny Swiss village in the mountain terrain of Ticino's Leventina district, Giornico sits on the water and holds a striking number of churches for its size,…

Castelsantangelo sul Nera

This pocket-sized mountain hamlet in the Marche region of Italy sits at the headwaters of the Nera River, where the Valnerina valley begins.

Ax-les-Thermes

Thermal spa village in the Ariège Pyrenees with more than sixty hot springs, Ax-les-Thermes also operates a winter ski area — Ax 3 Domaines, established in D…

Saranac Lake

The largest community within New York's Adirondack Park, Saranac Lake sits on Lake Flower — a wide stretch of the Saranac River — with mountain terrain on al…

Castel San Pietro Romano

Small hilltop village east of Rome recognised among Italy's most beautiful villages and, since 2019, named the most beautiful village in the Mediterranean —…

Morbier

Morbier, a village in the Jura mountains of eastern France, lent its name to the cheese produced across the wider Jura region and was, alongside Morez, the c…

Sevnica

A little town on the left bank of the Sava River in central Slovenia, Sevnica sits in wine country with a café-and-restaurant core and mountain terrain close…

Liezen

A modest district capital on the River Enns in Styria, Liezen serves as the economic and administrative hub of Austria's largest district by area.

Rodes

This compact stone village in southern France's Pyrénées-Orientales, where red-tile rooftops and a brick clock tower rise toward dramatic rocky outcrops topp…

Montemezzo

A tiny lakeside hamlet in Lombardy's Province of Como, Montemezzo sits at the northern end of Lake Como with mountain terrain close by and vineyards in the s…

Corning

This small city on the Chemung River in upstate New York, Corning is best known as the headquarters of Corning Incorporated, the Fortune 500 glass and cerami…

Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Spa town in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, Bagnères-de-Bigorre sits in the valley of the Adour river and offers a café and restaurant scene that holds…

Triora

This modest mountain village in Liguria near the French border, Triora is listed among Italy's most beautiful villages and draws visitors with its dramatic h…

Děčín

Sitting at the confluence of the Elbe and Ploučnice rivers in North Bohemia, Děčín is a photogenic Czech town with a walkable centre, a castle, and a zoo, ri…

Murat

Compact mountain town in the Cantal department of south-central France, Murat sits in volcanic highland terrain with scenic surrounds and a concentration of…

Sun Peaks

Built around a ski resort established in 1961 and formerly known as Tod Mountain, Sun Peaks is a compact village in the mountains of British Columbia, northe…

Jesenik

Home to the Priessnitz Medical Spa, founded in 1822 as the world's first hydrotherapy institute, Jeseník is a spa town in the Olomouc Region of Czechia, set…

Nonza

Small Corsican hillside village of stone and pastel houses, crowned by a watchtower, with dramatic mountain ridges behind and the sea close below.

Góis

This tiny mountain village in central Portugal's Coimbra region, set right on the water and surrounded by scenic highland terrain.

Vilafamés

This small village in Castellón's Plana Alta comarca, Vilafamés has been listed among Spain's most beautiful villages since 2015, a designation that reflects…

Aussois

A pocket-sized ski and mountain village on the edge of the Vanoise National Park — France's first — in the Savoie department of the Alps, Aussois draws winte…

Pignola

Known locally as "il paese dei portali" — the town of doorways — Pignola is a small mountain town in Basilicata's Potenza province, where the historic centre…

Ciudad Real

Ciudad Real is the capital of La Mancha — the Castilian plain made famous by Cervantes, whose fictional knight Don Quixote wanders its landscapes tilting at…

Zell am See

Sitting directly on the shores of a deep alpine lake in the Austrian state of Salzburg, Zell am See pairs year-round mountain sports — anchored by the Zell a…

Château-Verdun

A hamlet in the upper Ariège valley of southwestern France, Château-Verdun sits beside the Aston river in mountain country and holds a nationally listed monu…

Svolvær

This little town on the island of Austvågøya serves as the main hub of the Lofoten archipelago, where abrupt mountain peaks rise directly from the ocean alon…

Sillian

This tiny market town in Austria's East Tyrol sits in the upper Pustertal valley near the western edge of the region, at over a thousand metres elevation, an…

Rivello

A compact hillside village in Basilicata, Rivello stacks white and stone houses with terracotta roofs up a forested ridge, with a church tower crowning the u…

Milea

This modest hamlet in the Ioannina regional unit of Epirus sits right on the water with mountain terrain close by, and carries a surprisingly active café and…

Spiez

This small Swiss town on the shore of Lake Thun sits in the Bernese Oberland, with vineyards on its slopes, mountain views in every direction, and a café and…

Garzeno

A pocket-sized Lake Como-area village in Lombardy with a striking number of churches for its size, vineyards in the immediate surroundings, and scenic viewpo…

Škofja Loka

A medieval town in northwestern Slovenia, Škofja Loka sits at the confluence of two rivers against a mountain backdrop, with a well-preserved historic core d…

New Denver

This small village on the east shore of Slocan Lake in British Columbia's West Kootenay region sits where Carpenter Creek meets the lake, with mountain backd…

Masuleh

A mountain village in Iran's Alborz range, Masuleh sits high above the southern Caspian coast in Gilan province, known for its dramatic stepped layout — wher…

Brentonico

A snow-dusted Trentino village in the uplands above Lake Garda, where a tall stone bell tower rises above compact Alpine houses backed by forested slopes, wi…

Greymouth

This small South Island town sits where the Grey River meets the Tasman Sea, making it a natural base for exploring the West Coast region of New Zealand.

Yachats

Modest Oregon coastal village with a disproportionately strong café and restaurant scene and a photogenic shoreline right on the Pacific, Yachats sits at the…

Solofra

Solofra, a little town in Campania's Avellino province, is one of Italy's four main centres for leather tanning and processing, set in the valley of the Irno…

Tolaga Bay

This small East Coast village on New Zealand's North Island, Tolaga Bay sits directly on the water and is known for its long 1920s wharf — the second longest…

Marvejols

This little town in the Lozère department of southern France, Marvejols sits on the Colagne river in mountain terrain and served as a royal town and capital…

Morano Calabro

A particularly photogenic hill town in Calabria's Pollino National Park, Morano Calabro is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia — Italy's most beautiful…

Telegraph Cove

A tiny former fishing and cannery village on northern Vancouver Island, Telegraph Cove is now a base for kayaking and whale-watching in Johnstone Strait, whe…

Esterre

A small hamlet in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Esterre sits alongside the Bastan river within the Pyrénées National Park, surrounded by mountain scenery and scenic v…

Opi

This tiny hamlet in the Abruzzo region of central Italy sits within the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, offering mountain scenery and multiple scen…

Busteni

A popular year-round mountain resort in Romania's Prahova Valley, Bușteni sits at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains and serves as the main gateway into that r…

Cluses

Sitting on the Arve river in the Alps of Haute-Savoie, Cluses is a town with a walkable centre, a café scene, and steep mountain slopes rising on either side.

Ceres

A compact Italian mountain town in the forested valleys northwest of Turin, where red-tile buildings cluster among dense green hillsides, a church tower rise…

Ybbsitz

Village in Lower Austria's Amstetten district, Ybbsitz sits along the Niederösterreichische Eisenstraße — the historic Iron Road — and carries a long traditi…

Sagunto

The ruins of ancient Saguntum, the Iberian and Roman city whose siege in 219 BC triggered the Second Punic War, are the defining reason to visit this Mediter…

Bardonecchia

This small mountain town in Piedmont's upper Susa Valley, Bardonecchia is a winter sports base with two ski areas — Colomion-Les Arnauds-Melezet and Jafferau…

Rattenberg

Austria's smallest city sits on the Inn River in Tyrol, and its compact historic centre — dense with listed buildings, churches, and cafés — punches well abo…

La Alberca

La Alberca, a village in Salamanca's Sierra de Francia, was the first place in Spain to be declared a historic-artistic ensemble, in 1940, and has since been…

Llangattock

Sitting on the western bank of the River Usk in the Brecon Beacons National Park, this small Welsh village faces the town of Crickhowell across the water, wi…

Becov nad Teplou

A small Czech town in mountain terrain along the Teplá river, Bečov nad Teplou has a well-preserved historic centre protected as an urban monument zone, scen…

Stadt Wehlen

This small village on the right bank of the Elbe in Saxon Switzerland, Stadt Wehlen sits in the sandstone mountain terrain of the Elbsandsteingebirge and ser…

Beniardà

Compact cluster of white and terracotta-roofed houses sits in a forested mountain valley in Alicante's interior, backed by dramatic bare limestone ridges and…

Mende

Mende is the little prefecture of France's Lozère department in Occitania, set along the River Lot amid mountain terrain and offering a café and restaurant s…

Duszniki-Zdroj

A spa town in the Kłodzko Valley of southwestern Poland, Duszniki-Zdrój sits on the Bystrzyca River between the Orlickie and Bystrzyckie mountain ranges on t…

Civitanova del Sannio

This compact hillside village in Molise's upland interior, its terracotta-roofed stone houses climbing toward a central church tower, backed by forested lime…

Leukerbad

Mountain spa and ski resort in the Swiss canton of Valais, Leukerbad is best known for its thermal springs, which reach temperatures of up to 51°C, and the m…

Kiryū

Kiryū, in Gunma Prefecture, is a textile city long defined by Kiryū-ori, a traditional silk-weaving craft that has left the city with a dense concentration o…

Santa Maria Maggiore

This modest mountain village in Valle Vigezzo, Piedmont, Santa Maria Maggiore sits on the narrow-gauge Vigezzina railway that runs through the Italian Alps b…

Perast

A tiny village on the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, Perast sits between mountain peaks and open water, with an unusual number of churches and cafés for its size.

Coniston

Sitting between Coniston Water and the fell of Coniston Old Man in the southern Lake District, this small Cumbrian village offers mountain terrain and direct…

Nantua

Sitting directly on the glacial Lac de Nantua in the southern foothills of the Jura Mountains, this small French town in the Ain département is known for its…

Frauenstein

A pocket-sized town in the eastern Ore Mountains of Saxony, Frauenstein sits in mountain terrain with scenic viewpoints and a castle northeast of the town ce…

Kolašin

Tiny mountain town in northern Montenegro that serves as a base for skiing in winter and hiking in summer, with the ranges of Bjelasica, Sinjajevina, and Kom…

Antey-Saint-André

This compact Alpine village in Italy's Aosta Valley, seen here spread across a green mountain valley floor with forested slopes rising on all sides, offering…

Trautenfels

A tiny Austrian hamlet in Styria's upland country, with flower-draped timber houses, a white church steeple rising against cloud-wrapped peaks, and access to…

Bala

Sitting at the northern tip of Llyn Tegid — the largest natural lake in Wales — this modest Welsh-speaking town in Gwynedd's Snowdonia foothills offers mount…

Scanno

A modest Abruzzo village with a strong photographic reputation, Scanno sits beside a lake in the mountains of the L'Aquila province, partly within the bounda…

Ross

Photogenic Tasmanian hamlet on the Macquarie River, Ross is known for its historic sandstone bridge, original sandstone buildings, and convict history, all l…

Landeck

Small Tyrolean city at the confluence of mountain rivers in Austria's Upper Inn Valley, Landeck sits at the gateway to one of the country's most tourism-inte…

Averara

This small mountain hamlet in Lombardy's Val Averara, a side valley of the Val Brembana, with a striking number of churches for its size and the Mora stream…

San Juan La Laguna

A tiny Tz'utujil Maya town on the southwest shore of Lago de Atitlán in Guatemala's highlands, San Juan La Laguna has a café and restaurant scene that outpac…

Oetz

Modest Tyrolean village at the foot of Acherkogel mountain in Austria's Ötztal valley, Oetz sits alongside the Ötztaler Ache river and offers scenic viewpoin…

Vila Verde

Small town in the Minho region of northern Portugal with a notably dense café and restaurant scene for its size, set alongside water and within reach of moun…

Cagli

Small town in the Marche region of central Italy, Cagli sits alongside the Burano river with an unusually dense concentration of churches for its size and a…

Arrien-en-Bethmale

This small hamlet in the Ariège department of south-western France, Arrien-en-Bethmale sits within the Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées ariégeoises, draine…

Scharnitz

This Tyrolean village on the German border that serves as the western gateway to the Hinterau valley, where the river Isar has its source.

Republic

A tiny waterside village in Ferry County, Washington, Republic was once the largest mining camp in the Republic Mining District and home to the "Hot Air Line…

Le Malzieu-Ville

This member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France since 2021, this compact village in the Lozère department of southern France sits along the river Truyère in…

Virgen

A mountain village in the Virgen valley of east Tyrol, set within the High Tauern National Park and repeatedly recognised as the most beautiful municipality…

Zgornje Gorje

This little Slovenian village in the Upper Carniola region serves as the administrative centre of the Municipality of Gorje and sits close to Bled, with the…

Fischen

This Bavarian mountain village in the Allgäu region holds recognized status as a health-climate spa resort (heilklimatischer Kurort), set in alpine terrain w…

Dornbirn

Vorarlberg's largest city, Dornbirn sits in Austria's westernmost state with a walkable centre dense with listed historic buildings, cafés, and churches.

Kremnica

Home to the oldest continuously operating mint in the world, Kremnica is a modest medieval town in central Slovakia where gold and silver have been mined sin…

Herisau

This walkable Swiss town serves as the seat of government and parliament for the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, with a centre that includes a Protestant c…

St. Gilgen

This lakeside village on Lake Wolfgang in Austria's Salzkammergut region draws visitors with mountain views, a strong café and restaurant scene for its size,…

Baiersbronn

Baiersbronn, a town in Germany's Black Forest, holds an outsized reputation for haute cuisine — accumulating eight Michelin stars across its restaurants, a c…

Cividale del Friuli

Founded by Julius Caesar as Forum Iulii — the name that eventually gave the entire Friuli region its identity — Cividale del Friuli later became the capital…

Zell am Ziller

A little Tyrolean village in Austria's Zillertal with a notably dense café and restaurant scene for its size, several churches, and a strong visual profile a…

Graus

A small Aragonese town at the confluence of the Esera and Isabena rivers in the Pyrenees, Graus is home to the Basilica de Santa Maria de la Peña and a nearb…

Tyros

This pocket-sized coastal village in the Peloponnese where the Parnon mountains meet the Myrtoan Sea, Tyros is one of the older naval settlements in the regi…

Nauders

High-altitude village in the Austrian Tyrol where mountain terrain, scenic viewpoints, and a notable cluster of churches make it a compact but rewarding dest…

Ascain

A modest Basque town in the French Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Ascain sits on the Nivelle river at the foot of La Rhune — the last peak of the Pyrenees before the…

Vila Nova de Cerveira

This modest riverside town in the Alto Minho region of northern Portugal, Vila Nova de Cerveira sits along the water with mountain terrain rising behind it a…

Siatista

Mountain town in Western Macedonia that flourished as a prosperous Greek commercial centre during the Ottoman period, Siatista retains a dense concentration…

Chamrousse

Chamrousse, a ski resort village in the Belledonne range above Grenoble, holds a particular place in French skiing history: the sport was first practised her…

Ambrolauri

This compact Georgian city serves as the administrative centre of the Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti region, set close to mountains and within reach of se…

Arcidosso

This small Tuscan village on the slopes of Monte Amiata, Arcidosso draws visitors year-round with access to skiing in winter and mountain trails in summer, a…

Saint-Florent

A former fishing port on the Gulf of Saint-Florent in Haute-Corse, this small Corsican village now fills its harbour with pleasure boats and its waterfront w…

Otsu

Enryaku-ji, the ancient headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist sect on Mount Hiei, draws visitors to this lakeside prefectural capital in Shiga, Japan.

Almonaster la Real

A small Andalusian village in the mountains of Huelva province, Almonaster la Real is known for its 10th-century mosque and has held a place in the Los Puebl…

Olette

A pocket-sized commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales whose village of Évol holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Olette sits along the Têt rive…

Altdorf

Altdorf, the cantonal capital of Uri in the Swiss Alps, is best known as the setting of the William Tell legend — the compact town where Tell is said to have…

Matrei am Brenner

This pocket-sized Tyrolean village on the Sill river, south of Innsbruck, with a striking number of churches for its size and scenic mountain surrounds.

Ostana

This compact hamlet in Piedmont's Valle Po, Ostana sits on the south-facing slopes of the valley beneath the dramatic mass of the Monviso mountain group.

Benesov nad Ploucnici

Tiny Czech town on the Ploučnice river in the Děčín District, Benešov nad Ploučnicí is built around a Renaissance castle complex whose well-preserved histori…

Andermatt

High-Alpine village in the canton of Uri, Andermatt sits at the historic crossroads of Switzerland's north-south and east-west mountain routes through the Sa…

Ellmau

This year-round resort village in the Wilder Kaiser mountains of Tyrol, Ellmau sits within the Ski Welt skiing area and offers hiking, mountain biking, and c…

Zacapoaxtla

A lively central plaza in Mexico's Sierra Norte de Puebla region anchors this upland town, where two ornate colonial-era churches face a monument column agai…

Honningsvåg

The main gateway village for North Cape — the northernmost point in Europe reachable by car — Honningsvåg sits on the water along the southeastern shore of M…

Tamsweg

At over 1,000 metres elevation, Tamsweg is the highest-situated district administrative centre in Austria — a little market town in the Salzburg Lungau regio…

Zonza

A compact Corsican village of granite-stone houses and terracotta rooftops, dominated by a Gothic-arched church and tall clock tower, set against densely for…

Campodolcino

Mountain village in Lombardy's Val San Giacomo, Campodolcino sits on the road linking Chiavenna to the Spluga Pass and the Swiss border.

Gmunden

Lakeside town in Upper Austria's Salzkammergut region, Gmunden sits on the northern shore of the Traunsee with mountain views, a walkable centre dense with l…

Jausiers

Compact Alpine village in the Ubaye valley, Jausiers clusters stone and rendered houses beside a river, with two church towers rising against forested mounta…

Stenico

This pocket-sized Trentino village set in a broad Alpine valley of terraced orchards and forested ridges, with several historic churches, nearby scenic viewp…

Cilaos

Mountain town on the French island of Réunion, Cilaos sits inside a volcanic caldera — known locally as the Cirque de Cilaos — high above sea level in the is…

Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt

This small Aveyron hamlet on the Lot river holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and carries two protected historic monuments: the church of…

Genoni

This tiny Sardinian village in the Sarcidano subregion, dominated by the plateau hill of Santu Antine, with natural, landscape, and archaeological points of…

Krippen

A little fishing hamlet on the Elbe in Saxony's Saxon Switzerland region, Krippen holds official spa-resort status as a Kneipp health resort and sits in moun…

Stokmarknes

Stokmarknes, a small town on the northern coast of Hadseløya island in Norway's Vesterålen archipelago, is the headquarters of the Hurtigruten coastal expres…

Jenbach

A compact Tyrolean market town of red-tile rooftops and a prominent church spire, Jenbach sits in a broad Alpine valley with upland country close at hand and…

Trbovlje

A Slovenian mining town in the Central Sava Valley known as the birthplace of Laibach, the industrial music group, Trbovlje sits along the Sava River in moun…

Port Angeles

A waterfront town on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, Port Angeles sits on the Strait of Juan de Fuca with ferry service to Victoria, British Columbia, and mo…

Mariazell

Austria's most significant Catholic pilgrimage site, Mariazell is a small Styrian mountain village whose Basilica of the Nativity of Mary houses a lime-wood…

Flims

A mountain village in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, Flims sits at elevation on the main road through the Imboden region, with the rocky face of the Flimser…

Buñol

Every August, tens of thousands of people descend on this modest Valencian town to hurl over 100,000 kilograms of tomatoes at each other in La Tomatina — a f…

Le Tech

A small hamlet in the mountains of southern France's Pyrénées-Orientales, Le Tech sits alongside the Tech river in the Vallespir, a valley historically attac…

Sauris

High in the mountains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sauris is a small Italian village that doubles as one of the region's German-speaking linguistic islands — a…

Eildon

A little Victorian village on the edge of Lake Eildon, set in mountain terrain that gives it a strong visual character.

Bonneville

This flower-filled stone fountain anchors Bonneville's cobbled main square, backed by a salmon-pink town hall and Alpine ridgelines, making this Haute-Savoie…

Wenns

A village in Austria's Pitztal valley, Wenns sits along the Pitze river and is home to the oldest farmhouse in Tyrol — the Stamserhaus, around 700 years old.

Boothbay Harbor

A photogenic coastal village in Lincoln County, Maine, with a waterfront setting and a café and restaurant scene that is unusually rich for its size.

Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry

This little Basque village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques sitting on the Nive des Aldudes river, Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry is the main gateway to the Aldudes va…

Abersoch

Small sailing village on the south coast of Wales's Llŷn Peninsula, Abersoch sits where the River Soch meets the sea and has grown into one of Britain's more…

Sarnen

This small Swiss town sits directly on the shore of Lake Sarnen, the cantonal capital of Obwalden, with vineyards and mountain scenery in the surrounding cou…

Arrens-Marsous

This mountain village in the Hautes-Pyrénées, formed in 1973 from the merger of Arrens and Marsous, sitting alongside the Gave d'Azun river within the Pyréné…

Kennelbach

This small village on the water in Vorarlberg's Bregenz district, Kennelbach sits close to mountains and scenic viewpoints, with vineyards nearby and a handf…

Mata-Utu

This compact waterfront capital of Wallis and Futuna — a French overseas collectivity in the Pacific — sits on the island of Uvéa with mountains as a backdro…

Champagnole

This small town in the Jura department of eastern France, Champagnole sits on the right bank of the Ain river at the heart of the Jura massif's second platea…

Râşnov

Râșnov's medieval citadel, Cetatea Râșnov, rises above this compact Transylvanian town in Brașov County, a short distance from both Brașov and Bran.

St. Gallen

The Abbey of Saint Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose library holds manuscripts dating to the 9th century, is the centrepiece of this eastern Swiss city.

Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste

Walled medieval village in the French Pyrenees, Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste sits on the Tech river close to the Spanish border and belongs to the Les Plus Beaux…

Kudowa-Zdrój

One of Europe's oldest spa towns, Kudowa-Zdrój sits in the foothills of the Table Mountains on Poland's southwestern border with the Czech Republic, where it…

Log pod Mangartom

A tiny Alpine hamlet in Slovenia's Julian Alps, where a domed church tower and a handful of white-walled houses sit directly beneath a dramatic snow-capped p…

Gavarnie

This small Pyrenean hamlet in the Hautes-Pyrénées is the gateway to the Cirque de Gavarnie, a massive glacial cirque and UNESCO World Heritage Site that also…

Fulpmes

Small market town in Austria's Stubaital valley, Fulpmes has served as the iron-working centre of the valley for generations and sits at the base of the Schl…

Trondheim

Founded in 997 as a trading post, Trondheim served as Norway's capital through the Viking Age and remains the site of Nidaros Cathedral, the country's great…

Bonifacio

Modest commune at the southern tip of Corsica with an unusual concentration of cafés, restaurants, and churches for its size, and scenic viewpoints that make…

Schruns

This little Austrian market town in the Montafon valley of Vorarlberg sits alongside water with mountain scenery on all sides, including the Zimba peak to th…

Pontelandolfo

A compact hilltop village in Campania's Sannio Hills, Pontelandolfo offers cobbled streets climbing toward a medieval round tower, colorful stone-built house…

Tolmin

This tiny town in northwestern Slovenia where the Soča and Tolminka rivers meet, Tolmin sits at the junction of three valleys in mountain country, with sceni…

Bad Aussee

This spa town at the confluence of the three source streams of the Traun River, Bad Aussee sits at the heart of the Styrian Salzkammergut in the Austrian Alp…

Pescasseroli

Mountain village in Abruzzo and the main base for the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, Pescasseroli draws visitors year-round as both a summer and wi…

Cheb

This walkable Czech town on the Ohře River with a well-preserved historic centre protected as an urban monument reservation, Cheb sits in the Karlovy Vary Re…

Tucepi

A small Dalmatian village on the Makarska Riviera in Croatia, Tučepi has an unusually dense café and restaurant scene for its size, several historic churches…

San Severino Marche

This little town in the Marche region of central Italy carries an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size, set within a heritage-dense street…

Vivario

A small Corsican village at the foot of the Col de Vizzavona, Vivario sits where the mountain climb begins and the surrounding terrain opens into scenic high…

Naters

This small Swiss town in the canton of Valais, Naters sits in mountain terrain near Brig with vineyards in the surrounding area and scenic viewpoints within…

Piuro

On 4 September 1618, a catastrophic landslide completely buried the village of Piuro — then part of the Three Leagues — killing between 1,000 and 2,500 peopl…

Tonaya

Agave distilling has given Tonaya its regional and national reputation, with around a dozen producers operating in this little Jalisco town in the Sierra de…

Aitoliko

Built on a modest island rooted in the middle of the Aitoliko-Messolonghi lagoon, this modest Greek town connects to the mainland on both sides by stone arch…

Fara in Sabina

A compact stone village crowning a green hillside in Lazio's Sabina uplands, with a church tower rising above terracotta rooftops and layered mountain ridges…

Wiscasset

This tiny waterfront village on Maine's Mid Coast, Wiscasset is known for its early architecture, an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size,…

Albarracín

Declared a Monumento Nacional in 1961 and proposed for UNESCO World Heritage status, Albarracín is a small Aragonese village in the province of Teruel whose…

Diamante

This pocket-sized coastal town on Calabria's Tyrrhenian shore, Diamante lends its name to the Diamante citron, a variety still grown in the region.

Deshaies

A compact coastal town on the northwest shore of Basse-Terre Island in Guadeloupe, Deshaies sits where mountain terrain meets the Caribbean, with a café and…

Loriga

A pocket-sized village in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park in central Portugal, Loriga sits alongside a mountain stream with scenic viewpoints in the surrou…

Sassello

Tiny village in the northern Ligurian Apennines with an unusual number of churches for its size and a handful of cafés and restaurants, Sassello sits within…

Mesocco

This compact stone-and-plaster village spread across a forested Alpine valley in Graubünden, Mesocco sits beneath dramatic rocky peaks with several historic…

Cadéac

A small hamlet in the Hautes-Pyrénées of south-western France, Cadéac sits on the Neste river in the Pays d'Aure, a mountain valley region in Occitanie.

Valle Mosso

A compact Piedmontese town of terracotta rooftops and a prominent clock tower, set against forested mountain ridges with a tall viaduct visible beyond, offer…

Levuka

Levuka, on the eastern coast of Ovalau island in Fiji, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 for its exceptional record of late colonial Pacific port t…

Pfunds

Tiny Tyrolean village in Austria's Landeck district, Pfunds sits at the water's edge close to the Swiss border and the tripoint with Italy, with scenic mount…

Buccheri

This little Sicilian village in the Iblean Mountains is the highest settlement in the Syracuse area, with several historic churches and a handful of cafés an…

Yreka

The county seat of Siskiyou County in northern California, Yreka sits near the Shasta River in mountain terrain and holds the Klamath National Forest Interpr…

Wörgl

Known internationally for the "Miracle of Wörgl" — a 1930s local currency experiment credited with reviving the town's economy during the Great Depression —…

Premia

This tiny thermal spa village in the mountains of Piedmont's Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province, Premia sits in the Valle Antigorio, a branch of the Val d'Ossola,…

Mezica

Little Slovenian town in the Carinthian mountains near the Austrian border, Mežica grew up around a lead and zinc mine beneath Mount Peca that operated from…

Errezil

This small Basque mountain town in Gipuzkoa holds a distinction unusual even within the Basque Country: as of a 2016 survey, it had the highest proportion of…

Fobello

Fobello, a small village in Piedmont's Valsesia valley, is the birthplace of both Vincenzo Lancia (1881–1937) and his son Gianni Lancia (1924–2014), the auto…

Mittenwald

Violin-making has defined Mittenwald for centuries, and this small Bavarian Alpine town near the Austrian border carries that tradition alongside dramatic mo…

Schwaz

A heritage-dense little town in Tyrol's lower Inn valley, Schwaz was Austria's second-largest city after Vienna during the Middle Ages, when silver mining dr…

Sargans

Sargans, a small town in Switzerland's canton of St.

Neustadt an der Weinstraße

One of Germany's central wine towns, Neustadt an der Weinstraße sits along the Deutsche Weinstraße in Rhineland-Palatinate and hosts the annual Deutsche Wein…

Garsten

This small Upper Austrian market village on the water is best known for the former Garsten Abbey, a heritage landmark that now serves as a prison — an unusua…

Ascona

A modest Swiss town on the shore of Lake Maggiore in Ticino, Ascona pairs a dense café and restaurant scene with vineyard surroundings, mountain views, and a…

Llanidloes

This modest Welsh town in Powys sits at the first point on the River Severn, counting from the source, and makes a reasonable base for the surrounding mounta…

Spittal an der Drau

A modest Carinthian town in western Austria where several alpine valleys converge — the Drau, Lieser, and Möll among them — Spittal an der Drau has a café an…

Riva San Vitale

Little Swiss-Ticinese village on the shore of a lake ringed by densely forested mountains, with several historic churches, nearby wine country, and high-alti…

Grand Forks

A small British Columbia town where the Granby and Kettle Rivers meet, Grand Forks sits in mountain terrain just north of the Canada–United States border in…

Póvoa de Lanhoso

A modest town in the mountains of northern Portugal's Braga district, Póvoa de Lanhoso sits on the water and offers a café and restaurant scene, a concentrat…

Ushguli

Cluster of ancient stone defensive towers rises from green alpine meadows against steep Caucasus slopes, making this tiny Georgian highland hamlet one of the…

Algodonales

Compact Andalusian town on the northern edge of the Sierra de Grazalema natural park, Algodonales sits on the slopes of the Sierra de Líjar between two river…

Sisteron

Wedged into a narrow gap between two long mountain ridges where the Durance, Buëch, and Sasse rivers converge, Sisteron has served as the gateway between Pro…

Sauðarkrokur

This waterfront town on Skagafjörður in northern Iceland is the largest settlement in Northwest Iceland, with mountains rising nearby and a fjord setting tha…

Schoppernau

A modest winter-sports village in the Bregenzerwald region of Vorarlberg, Austria, set along the Bregenzer Ach river in the upper reaches of the valley.

Die

Clairette de Die, a sparkling wine produced in the surrounding Diois region, is the calling card of this little subprefecture in southeastern France's Drôme…

Olginate

A pocket-sized Lombardy town on the water south of Lecco, Olginate sits within the Parco dell'Adda Nord and the Lario Orientale – Valle San Martino mountain…

Floro

Norway's westernmost town, Florø sits on the island of Florelandet in Vestland, founded by royal decree in 1860.

Palalda

This compact hillside village in the French Pyrenees, its terracotta-roofed stone houses stacking up a forested slope above a river valley, with a handful of…

Modrej

A small settlement on the left bank of the Soča River in Slovenia's Littoral region, Modrej sits in mountain country where vineyards line the surrounding slo…

Sorano

Built on a tuff outcrop above the Lente River, this medieval hill village in southern Tuscany sits in mountain wine country with scenic views across the surr…

Le Rozier

A small hamlet in the Lozère department of southern France where the Tarn and Jonte rivers meet, Le Rozier sits at the entrance to the Gorges du Tarn and Gor…

Pouso Alegre

Mid-sized industrial city in southern Minas Gerais, Pouso Alegre sits in the Sapucaí River valley at moderate elevation, with mountain terrain in the surroun…

Tsepelovo

High in the Tymfi mountain range within the Vikos–Aoös National Park, Tsepelovo is the largest of the 45 villages of the Zagori region in Epirus, and carries…

Villefranche-de-Conflent

Enclosed within intact medieval walls in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Villefranche-de-Conflent is a tiny Catalan village in southern France where the Têt and Cad…

Ribeira Quente

A compact coastal village on São Miguel island in the Azores, Ribeira Quente sits where a river meets the Atlantic, with a fishing harbour and a compact beac…

Logan

This small West Virginia city sits along the Guyandotte River in the mountains of Logan County, serving as the county seat.

Samarina

A compact Greek mountain village in Western Macedonia, its red-roofed houses spread across a high valley floor backed by dense pine forests and snow-dusted p…

Aldrans

A compact Tyrolean village set on a green plateau above Innsbruck, with a white-spired church, traditional Alpine houses, and a dramatic wall of bare limesto…

Ilhet

This small hamlet in the eastern Hautes-Pyrénées sits along the Neste river in the Pays d'Aure, a highland area shaped by the valleys of Aure and Louron.

Seiffen

Seiffen, a small village in Saxony's Ore Mountains, is Germany's centre of wooden toy and Christmas decoration making — a tradition that grew from the region…

Balmaseda

Founded in 1199 by Lope Sánchez de Mena, Balmaseda holds the distinction of being the first town to receive a municipal charter in what is now Biscay, making…

Cuveglio

A compact Lombardy valley town spread across a green basin beneath densely forested mountains, Cuveglio offers a relaxed base for exploring the Varese upland…

Rottenmann

Rottenmann is a small Styrian town in the Rottenmanner Tauern mountains with a historic old town core, several castles and manor houses, and a church tower t…

Rajcza

This tiny village in the Beskid Żywiecki mountains of southern Poland, Rajcza sits along the upper Soła river and serves as a base for both summer hiking and…

Demonte

The 15th-century fresco artist Giovanni Baleison was born in this modest Piedmontese village in the Valle Stura di Demonte, southwest of Cuneo.

Skyros

This small island capital in the Aegean sits right on the water, with an unusual density of cafés, restaurants, and churches for a village its size.

Eus

This tiny village in the Pyrénées-Orientales that holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Eus sits in the Conflent country of southern France,…

Lanusei

This compact Sardinian hill town serves as co-capital of the Province of Ogliastra alongside Tortolì, sitting in mountain terrain with scenic surroundings an…

Arinsal

This tiny Andorran ski village high in the Pyrenees, Arinsal draws winter visitors with slopes suited to beginners and intermediates, and is particularly pop…

St Huberts Island

This small canal estate suburb on the Central Coast of New South Wales, St Huberts Island is connected to the mainland at Daleys Point and sits within walkin…

Novalesa

Novalesa Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in 726 and strategically positioned to control the Via Francigena, anchors this modest Piedmontese hamlet nea…

Ispoure

A small Basque village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Ispoure sits in mountain terrain in the former province of Lower Navarre, with scenic viewpoints in the s…

Stemnitsa

A tiny mountain village in Arcadia, on the Peloponnese, Stemnitsa sits high on the western edge of the Mainalo mountains above the Lousios river gorge, with…

Capracotta

One of the highest-elevation villages in central Italy, Capracotta sits in the mountains of Molise and holds several historic churches for a settlement of it…

Radstadt

A heritage-dense modest town in Austria's Salzburg state, Radstadt sits close to the mountains and carries an unusual concentration of cafés, restaurants, an…

Ceska Kamenice

This tiny Czech town in northern Bohemia where three protected landscape areas meet — the Lusatian Mountains, the Elbe Sandstone region, and the Bohemian Cen…

Alamos

Designated a Pueblo Mágico for its colonial architecture — and the first town in Sonora to receive that title — Álamos is a small city in the foothills of th…

Knittelfeld

A small Styrian town on the Mur river with a café and restaurant scene that is unusually rich for its size, Knittelfeld also carries a place in Austrian poli…

Stolberg

This tiny historic town in the southern Harz mountains of Saxony-Anhalt, Stolberg holds several churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants for a settlem…

Dravograd

A little town in northern Slovenia where the Drava, Meža, and Mislinja rivers meet, Dravograd sits close to the Austrian border in the Koroška region, with m…

Mosset

Small rural hamlet in the Conflent country of the Pyrénées-Orientales, Mosset sits within the Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées catalanes and is drained by…

Mieders

Tiny Tyrolean village in the Stubaital valley south of Innsbruck, Mieders sits alongside the river with mountain scenery in the surrounds and scenic viewpoin…

Nova Kasaba

Nova Kasaba is a little Bosniak-majority town in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, set in mountain terrain along the Jadar river on the main route between Belg…

Céret

Known for its modern art museum, cherry harvests, and bullfighting tradition, Céret is a tiny Catalan town in southern France's Pyrénées-Orientales, sitting…

Pljevlja

Mountain town in northern Montenegro, Pljevlja sits along the Ćehotina river with a walkable centre of cafés and restaurants.

Schladming

Well-equipped winter sports town in Styria's Enns valley, Schladming has twice hosted the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships — in 1982 and 2013 — and also he…

Chaudes-Aigues

A spa village in the Cantal department of south-central France, Chaudes-Aigues — whose name translates as "Hot Waters" — has been known for its thermal sprin…

Te Kuiti

A small town in New Zealand's King Country region that bills itself as the sheep shearing capital of the world, hosting the annual New Zealand National Shear…

Newtown

Newtown (Y Drenewydd in Welsh), the largest town in Powys and Mid Wales, sits on the River Severn in mountain terrain and is best known as the 1771 birthplac…

Konitsa

This pocket-sized mountain town in Epirus built on a slope of the Pindos range, Konitsa overlooks the valley where the Aoos and Voidomatis rivers meet and se…

Ferlach

Austria's southernmost town, Ferlach sits on the water in Carinthia's Rosental valley, with a small café-filled centre and scenic mountain surrounds.

Norris Point

This pocket-sized waterfront village on Bonne Bay in western Newfoundland, Norris Point sits at the edge of Gros Morne National Park amid mountain terrain.

Kalavryta

This small mountain town in the Achaea region of Greece, Kalavryta sits on the bank of the Vouraikos river at the foot of the Aroania (Chelmos) range and ser…

Victoria

Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, sits on the north-eastern coast of Mahé, the archipelago's main island, with mountain terrain rising sharply behind the…

Ripatransone

This small hilltop village in the Marche region of central Italy holds an unusual number of churches for its size, alongside a real café and restaurant scene.

Lordat

The ruins of Lordat's castle, a classified historic monument since 1923, sit on a rocky spur above the upper Ariège valley in southwestern France, with wide…

Şebinkarahisar

A highland town in northeastern Turkey's Giresun Province, Şebinkarahisar sits at elevation in the Black Sea region's mountain terrain.

Stans

This little Swiss mountain town on the water in Central Switzerland, Stans serves as the capital of the canton of Nidwalden and supports a café and restauran…

Remiremont

A modest town in the Vosges where the Moselle and Moselotte rivers meet, Remiremont has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, and sits at…

Steinkjer

Sitting where the Steinkjerelva river meets the Trondheimsfjorden in Trøndelag, Steinkjer is a little Norwegian county seat with a compact centre of cafés an…

Padula

The Certosa di San Lorenzo, one of Italy's largest monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the main draw in this compact Campanian village in the Va…

Cerbère

Pocket-sized French village where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean, Cerbère sits at the southernmost seaside point of mainland France and serves as a key…

Bezau

This compact village in the Bregenz Forest region of Vorarlberg, Austria, Bezau sits among mountain terrain and draws visitors year-round for skiing and hiking.

Vallerano

This small Lazio village in the Province of Viterbo holds several historic churches for its size, including the 17th-century Sanctuary of the Madonna del Rus…

Borsa

This compact Romanian mountain town in the Maramureș uplands, where colourful houses and green meadows spread across a broad valley floor backed by forested…

Covadonga

The site of the 722 Battle of Covadonga — the first Christian victory over Arab forces in the Iberian Peninsula and the traditional starting point of the Rec…

Caiazzo

A compact Campanian town on the right bank of the Volturno river, Caiazzo has a compact central core with cafés and restaurants alongside scenic views of the…

Haugesund

This coastal town on the Karmsundet strait in southwest Norway, Haugesund has a compact centre with a concentration of cafés and restaurants within walking d…

Absam

This little Austrian town in Tyrol with an unusual concentration of churches for its size, Absam is a pilgrimage stop on the Camino de Santiago (Jakobsweg) w…

Crodo

A small village in Piedmont's Valle Antigorio with a disproportionate number of churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants for its size, Crodo sits alon…

Zschopau

Motorcycle production has defined Zschopau since 1922, when the Zschopauer Motorenwerke began building bikes under the DKW brand — the world's first motorcyc…

Hanmer Springs

Hot-springs village in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, Hanmer Springs sits at the base of Conical Hill with mountain terrain on all side…

Bovec

This little mountain village in northwestern Slovenia, Bovec sits on the Soča river at the base of a bowl of peaks including Rombon, Polovnik, and the Kanin…

Glarus

Sitting on the river Linth between the Glärnisch and Schilt mountain ranges, Glarus is the modest cantonal capital of the Swiss canton of Glarus, with a café…

Olafsvik

Little fishing village on the north coast of Iceland's Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Ólafsvík sits where mountains meet the water and offers a handful of cafés and…

Guadalupe

Founded on 4 January 1716 and formally named in 1756 as the Pueblo de la Nueva Tlaxcala de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Horcasitas, this large city in Nuev…

Quié

This small hamlet in the Ariège Pyrénées of southwestern France, sitting on the Vicdessos river within the Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées ariégeoises.

Marion

Founded in 1844 and named for Revolutionary War general Francis Marion — the "Swamp Fox" of guerrilla warfare — this pocket-sized North Carolina county seat…

Neapoli

This compact coastal town at the southern tip of the Malea peninsula in Laconia, Neapoli has a lively café and restaurant scene and a striking number of chur…

Warburton

A modest mountain village in Victoria's Yarra Ranges, east of Melbourne, where the Yarra River runs through the centre and an unusually strong café and resta…

Formazza

A little mountain village on the Swiss border in Piedmont's far north, Formazza was founded by the Walser people and retains a Walser German-speaking communi…

Thames

Sitting at the foot of the Coromandel ranges on the Firth of Thames, this tiny New Zealand town offers mountain terrain, waterfront access, and a café and re…

Vila Praia de Âncora

This pocket-sized coastal town in Alto Minho, Portugal, with a café and restaurant scene that punches well above its size, set directly on the water with mou…

Pieve di Teco

Small Ligurian village in the mountains of the Province of Imperia, Pieve di Teco earned a place in the official register of Italy's most beautiful villages…

Ganllwyd

Gold-mining history gives this small Snowdonia hamlet an unexpected industrial past: remains of the former workings are visible behind the village hall, and…

Lagrasse

This compact village in the Corbières massif of southern France's Aude department, Lagrasse sits on the Orbieu river in wine and mountain country and holds m…

Real de Catorce

Once a booming silver-mining settlement high in the Sierra de Catorce of northern San Luis Potosí, Real de Catorce has reinvented itself as a destination aft…

Sogndal

Compact town on the Sogndalsfjorden — a branch of the great Sognefjord — Sogndal sits where a river meets the water, with mountain terrain rising around it a…

Privas

Privas is the birthplace of Clément Faugier, who in the late 19th century built the enterprise that made Ardèche chestnuts — and the marron glacé and crème d…

Quinta Grande

Cabo Girão, considered the highest promontory in Europe at 580 metres, sits above this modest Atlantic-facing parish in Madeira's Câmara de Lobos municipalit…

Soldeu

A ski and snowboard village in the Pyrenees mountains of Andorra, Soldeu is among the country's best-known areas for winter sports, with modern facilities an…

Argelès-Gazost

This tiny town in the Hautes-Pyrénées with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, Argelès-Gazost sits on the Gave de Pau river in the footh…

Taounate

Town in Morocco's Rif Mountains with a walkable centre well supplied with cafés and restaurants, Taounate serves as the provincial capital of its surrounding…

Ladysmith

A small harbour town on the east coast of Vancouver Island, Ladysmith sits right on the water at the 49th parallel, with a café and restaurant scene that pun…

Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort

A compact town in the Gard department of southern France's Occitanie region, Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort sits on the Vidourle river in mountain terrain, with a s…

Abastumani

This mountain village in Georgia's Samtsikhe-Javakheti region, set in the Otskhe river valley on the southern slopes of the Meskheti Range, is home to an ast…

Poco do Canto

A small parish in Portugal's Mêda municipality, set in wine-growing country with vineyards nearby and close to mountains.

Les Baux-de-Provence

Atop a rocky spur in the Alpilles mountains of southern France, Les Baux-de-Provence is a tiny medieval village built around a ruined castle overlooking the…

Althofen

One of the oldest continuously inhabited mountain settlements in Austria, Althofen is a compact spa town in Carinthia's Sankt Veit an der Glan district, with…

Ansiao

This compact Portuguese municipality in the Leiria district with water access, several historic churches for its size, and a modest but real café and restaur…

Andechs

Andechs Abbey, a Benedictine monastery that has brewed beer since 1455, is the main draw to this small Bavarian town in the Starnberg district.

Villetta Barrea

A small mountain village in Abruzzo's province of L'Aquila, Villetta Barrea sits on Lake Barrea within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, with the…

Pyli

Compact mountain village in the Trikala regional unit of Thessaly, Pyli sits directly on the water and has a handful of cafés, restaurants, and historic chur…

Seyðisfjörður

A small fjord-side village in East Iceland known for its arts scene — anchored by the LungA Art Festival and LungA School — and as Iceland's only ferry port…

Osilo

This modest Sardinian village near Sassari holds an unusual number of churches for its size, alongside a castle and a modest but real café and restaurant scene.

Aubonne

Sloping vineyards above a wooded valley give way to a compact village of church spires and tiled rooftops, with a broad lake and Alpine horizon stretching be…

Višegrad

The Ottoman-era Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage site made famous by Ivo Andrić's novel The Bridge on the Drina, stands at the heart of…

Senones

Tiny village in the Vosges mountains of northeastern France, Senones was the capital of the Principality of Salm-Salm — a territory of the Holy Roman Empire…

Marigot

Marigot is the capital of the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, a small waterfront town in mountain terrain with a café and restaurant scene that punches…

Lousã

This small town in central Portugal's Coimbra district with a notably dense café and restaurant scene for its size, set close to mountains with scenic viewpo…

Saint-Véran

Claimed to be the highest permanent settlement in the French Alps, this pocket-sized hamlet in the Hautes-Alpes sits at high elevation within the Queyras Reg…

Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard

This lake-country municipality in Quebec's Laurentian Mountains, Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard sits on the shores of Lake Saint-Joseph and counts close to seventy l…

Moratalla

A small town in the Murcia region of southeastern Spain, Moratalla sits alongside water and close to mountain terrain, with a café and restaurant scene that…

Red Bluff

This compact California city on the upper Sacramento River, Red Bluff served as the last steamboat stop — the so-called Head of Navigation — during the Gold…

Al Mahwit

A small highland town in northern Yemen, Al Mahwit sits high in the mountains as the capital of Al Mahwit Governorate, a region with deep roots in ancient Ye…

Geisa

This small town in the Rhön Mountains of Thuringia, Geisa sits at what was once the inner German border between East and West — the westernmost municipality…

San Marco d'Alunzio

A small Sicilian hill village on the north coast of Sicily, San Marco d'Alunzio holds a striking number of churches for its size and is listed among I Borghi…

Amfilochia

This modest town on the Ambracian Gulf in northwestern Greece, Amfilochia sits on the site of ancient Amfilochia and retains traces of two ancient cities — A…

Szczyrk

A winter sports resort town in the Beskid Śląski mountains of southern Poland, Szczyrk sits in the valley of the Żylica river with the peak of Skrzyczne risi…

Dalton

This modest wine-producing moshav in the mountains of northern Israel near Safed, Dalton was founded in 1950 by immigrants from Tripoli and sits beside the r…

Finestret

This tiny hamlet in the Pyrénées-Orientales sits in the Conflent country of southern France, a Pyrenean valley region drained by the Lentillà and several oth…

Vestmanna

Boat excursions to the sea cliffs of Vestmannabjørgini are the main draw of this small village on the west coast of Streymoy, the largest of the Faroe Islands.

Figueiro dos Vinhos

This small Portuguese village in the Leiria district sits alongside the water and carries an unusually dense cluster of churches and cafés for its size, maki…

Orşova

Modest Danube port town in southwestern Romania's Mehedinți County, where the Cerna River meets the river at the edge of the Iron Gates gorge, with vineyards…

Kentron District

Yerevan's downtown core, Kentron is the commercial and cultural heart of the Armenian capital, with an exceptionally dense café and restaurant scene spread a…

Trofaiach

A compact Styrian town where red-tile rooftops and a white baroque church tower spread across a valley floor, with snow-capped Alpine peaks rising dramatical…

Poppi

Poppi Castle, dating to the 12th century, anchors this small Tuscan hill town in the Province of Arezzo, listed among Italy's most beautiful villages.

El Barco de Ávila

Pocket-sized town on the Tormes River in Ávila province, Castile and León, with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.

Feldkirchen in Kärnten

Tiny Carinthian town in mountain terrain with vineyards nearby and water close at hand, Feldkirchen in Kärnten has an unusually lively café and restaurant sc…

Foca

A compact town on the Drina River in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Foča sits at the edge of mountain terrain near the oldest national park in the coun…

Yeghegnadzor

A little mountain town in southern Armenia's Vayots Dzor Province, Yeghegnadzor sits on the Srkghonk River at elevation and serves as a base for hiking and c…

Morteau

Morteau, a small town in the Doubs department of eastern France's Jura massif, is known nationally for its smoked sausage, the saucisse de Morteau, and has a…

Kastoria

Built on a peninsula that juts into Lake Orestiada in the mountains of northern Greece, Kastoria is a little town with an unusual concentration of Byzantine…

Bolu

A city in northern Turkey on the main corridor between Istanbul and Ankara, Bolu sits at the edge of forested mountains dotted with lakes, ski resorts, and v…

San-Martino-di-Lota

A stone-built Corsican village spread across terraced hillsides above dense maquis, with a prominent church tower, sweeping mountain backdrops, and coastal p…

Serra de Agua

Highland parish in Madeira's interior, Serra de Água sits at elevation along the road connecting the island's north and south coasts, with scenic viewpoints,…

Caraz

Founded as San Ildefonso de Caraz in 1573, this little Peruvian town sits along the Santa River in the Callejón de Huaylas valley, with the Andes close on al…

Limni

A small coastal village on the North Euboean Gulf in northwestern Euboea, Limni sits at the foot of a mountain slope and offers a café and restaurant scene t…

Santo-Pietro-di-Tenda

This pocket-sized Corsican hamlet of stone and terracotta-roofed houses spread across a densely wooded hillside, dominated by a substantial church and backed…

Lofer

A small mountain village in Austria's Salzburg state, Lofer sits along the Saalach river in the Pinzgau valley with scenic viewpoints in the surrounding peak…

Skopelos

This little port town serves as the capital of Skopelos island in the Sporades, with an unusual density of cafés, restaurants, and churches for a settlement…

Hildburghausen

Hildburghausen, a small town in the southern, Franconian-influenced part of Thuringia, served as the residence capital of the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen fr…

Pago Pago

Pago Pago sits at one of the deepest and most sheltered natural harbors in the South Pacific, a geography that made it strategically valuable enough to shape…

Trinidad

A compact Colorado city on the historic Santa Fe Trail, Trinidad sits in mountain terrain at the edge of Las Animas County and is home to Trinidad State Coll…

Kotlje

This compact Slovenian Carinthian village of white-walled, red-roofed houses set against a densely forested mountain, with a church spire marking its centre…

Nassereith

A pocket-sized mountain village in the Tyrolean district of Imst, Nassereith sits alongside the Gurgl brook and offers a modest café and restaurant scene alo…

Garessio

This pocket-sized Piedmontese village in the Ligurian Alps known for its mineral water, Aqua San Bernardo, which drew spa visitors at the turn of the twentie…

Ely

Founded as a stagecoach station on the Pony Express and Central Overland Route, Ely is a little county seat in the mountains of White Pine County, Nevada, th…

Machynlleth

Machynlleth, a compact market town in the Dyfi Valley in Powys, Wales, claims the title of "ancient capital of Wales" as the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Pa…

Shimabara

Waterfront town in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu, with a compact centre holding a concentration of historic churches and a café and restaurant scene within eas…

Stamsund

A fishing village on the southern shore of Vestvågøya in Norway's Lofoten archipelago, Stamsund sits where mountain terrain meets the Vestfjorden.

Abanilla

A compact Murcian town of white-rendered rooftops and church domes set against a broad mountain backdrop, with a pocket-sized café scene and easy access to u…

Galéria

A small Corsican hamlet on the water, with mountain terrain close behind and a handful of cafés and restaurants that punch above its size.

Wawona

This little community situated entirely within Yosemite National Park, Wawona sits alongside the South Fork of the Merced River with mountain scenery in ever…

Mondim de Basto

A pocket-sized town in northern Portugal's Vila Real district with a café and restaurant scene that is unusually rich for its size, vineyards in the surround…

Fenouillet

This compact rural hamlet in the Fenouillèdes, a long depression between the Corbières hills and the Pyrenean massifs in northern Pyrénées-Orientales, Fenoui…

Sumiswald

This small Swiss town in the Emmental district of canton Bern is best known as the manufacturing home of the Swiss railway clock, a design recognised worldwide.

Arco de Sao Jorge

Small wine-growing hamlet on Madeira's north coast, Arco de São Jorge sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains to the south.

Rogliano

This modest Corsican village at the northern tip of Cap Corse sits close to the water and mountain terrain, with an unusual concentration of churches for its…

Koroni

This little Peloponnese town on the Gulf of Messinia, Koroni is known for its Venetian castle rising above the waterfront, the olive oil variety Koroneiki, a…

Buckhannon

A little West Virginia city on the Buckhannon River, known for the West Virginia Strawberry Festival held each May and home to West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Luri

This compact Corsican village on the Cap Corse peninsula holds an unusual number of churches for its size, with the mountains close behind and the sea at its…

Volda

A modest Norwegian town on the northeastern shore of the Voldsfjorden, with mountain terrain rising around it and scenic viewpoints in the surrounds.

Zunil

This highland town in Guatemala's Quetzaltenango department, Zunil sits on the bank of the Salamá River and is known for its volcanic thermal baths, includin…

Oloron-Sainte-Marie

This modest town in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques with a notably dense café and restaurant scene, several historic churches, and a position right on the water wit…

Lilienfeld

Lilienfeld Abbey anchors this little Lower Austrian town in the Traisen River valley, south of St.

Mendrisio

A compact Swiss-Italian town in Ticino's wine country, Mendrisio has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, alongside an unusual concentrat…

Gap

France's highest prefecture sits in a mountain valley in the southern Alps, with a walkable centre that supports a dense food-and-drink scene and access to s…

Žirovnica

A small village on the southern slopes of the Karawanks in northwestern Slovenia, Žirovnica sits where the Ljubljana Basin meets the Upper Sava Valley, with…

Patersberg

A tiny hamlet in the Loreley district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Patersberg sits in the Rhine wine country with scenic mountain views and is officially recogni…

Bélesta

Little wine-country hamlet in the Fenouillèdes — a valley corridor between the Corbières hills and the Pyrenean massifs in southern France's Pyrénées-Orienta…

Belp

This compact Swiss town in the canton of Bern, seen here from forested autumn hillsides above open farmland, with a walkable central core and broad valley vi…

Karpenisi

Karpenisi is the highest-elevation regional capital in Greece, a small town in the southern Pindus Mountains set along the Karpenisiotis river with Mount Tym…

Suzaka

Suzaka, a city in northern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, is known as a town of traditional storehouses — the clay-walled merchant buildings and earthen-floored k…

Castelnou

A compact village in the Aspres region of Pyrénées-Orientales, Castelnou sits among vineyards and Mediterranean terrain between the Têt and Tech river valleys.

Dili

Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste on the north coast of the island of Timor, has a walkable centre with a real café and restaurant scene and a concentration o…

Lierna

This small village on the eastern shore of Lake Como in Lombardy, Lierna sits directly at the water with scenic views across the lake and a handful of cafés…

Tsaghkadzor

Armenia's main ski resort sits on the eastern slopes of Mount Teghenis, a short drive northeast of Yerevan, and draws visitors year-round with forested mount…

Sant'Antonino

This small Corsican hill village in the Balagne region is considered the oldest, highest, and most scenic settlement in that area, and holds membership in Le…

Reichenau an der Rax

A small Austrian market village at the foot of the Rax mountains on the Schwarza river, Reichenau an der Rax is recognised as a health-climate spa resort.

Gornji Grad

A mountain village in Slovenia's Upper Savinja Valley, Gornji Grad is home to the Church of Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus — the largest church in Slovenia…

Corbère

A rural village in the Aspres region of Pyrénées-Orientales, southern France, set between the Têt and Tech river valleys in Mediterranean mountain terrain, w…

Unterseen

Sitting on the eastern shore of Lake Thun in the Swiss canton of Bern, Unterseen looks directly toward the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau — three of the Alps' mo…

Bistrica pri Tržiču

This village in Slovenia's Upper Carniola region, sitting above the right bank of the Tržiška Bistrica river on the road toward the Ljubelj pass, with mounta…

Mont-Louis

A tiny fortified village in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Mont-Louis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008 as one of twelve Vauban fortifications recog…

Oiartzun

A Basque town in Gipuzkoa at the foot of the Aiako Harria massif, Oiartzun sits in mountain terrain with vineyards nearby and a café and restaurant scene tha…

Rezzago

This tiny Lombardy hamlet in mountain country northeast of Como, Rezzago holds a disproportionate number of churches and cafés for its size, with scenic view…

Maentwrog

This tiny village in the Vale of Ffestiniog within Snowdonia National Park, Maentwrog sits alongside the River Dwyryd with the Moelwyn Bach mountains to the…

Gloggnitz

Gloggnitz is a small Austrian mountain town in Lower Austria, sitting at the foot of the Semmering and flanked by two of the region's highest peaks, Mount Ra…

Šibenik

Two UNESCO World Heritage sites anchor Šibenik's historic centre on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia: the Cathedral of St.

Welshpool

Welshpool, a modest market town in Powys, Wales, is home to what is claimed to be the largest sheep market in Europe, held every Monday.

Prievidza

Walkable town in western Slovakia with a food-and-drink scene concentrated in its centre and a number of historic churches nearby, Prievidza sits on the wate…

Castellane

A compact, photogenic subprefecture in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Castellane sits on the water with mountain scenery close at hand and carries the French g…

Rejstejn

This small Czech hamlet in the mountains of the Plzeň Region sits directly on the water and holds several historic churches for a settlement of its size — an…

Toledo

A pocket-sized Oregon town on the Yaquina River with a walkable central core of cafés and restaurants, Toledo sits a short drive from the beaches of the Cent…

Samoëns

Alpine village in the Vallée du Giffre near the Swiss border, Samoëns holds a "ville fleurie" designation for the quality of its gardens and public greenery,…

Podbrdo

A compact Slovenian village filling a deep, snow-dusted mountain valley, where a white-towered church anchors dense rooftops, forested peaks close in on all…

Penafiel

Modest town in northern Portugal's Tâmega e Sousa region, Penafiel sits in mountain terrain at the edge of the water, deep in wine country, with a compact ce…

Borbona

This tiny village in Lazio's Rieti province sits along the upper valley of the Velino river, close to the Abruzzo border and the mountain ridges that mark th…

Termes

A little hamlet in the Corbières massif of southern France's Aude department, Termes sits among limestone hills that form the transition between the Massif C…

Theth

This mountain village in the Albanian Alps, Theth sits at the centre of Theth National Park, a protected area of high valleys, dense forests, clear springs,…

Glenville

This compact county seat in the West Virginia mountains sits along the Little Kanawha River and holds an unusual concentration of churches for a village its…

Nobeoka

A coastal city in northern Miyazaki Prefecture, Nobeoka sits where rivers meet the sea with mountain terrain close by.

Log Čezsoški

This pocket-sized hamlet on the left bank of the Soča River in Slovenia's Bovec municipality, Log Čezsoški sits at the foot of Mount Polovnik with the Boka w…

Pollau

This pocket-sized Styrian town in Austria serves as the main centre of the Pöllauer Tal nature park, set among vineyards and close to the mountains, with a c…

Engelberg

A mountain resort in Central Switzerland, popular for both skiing and summer Alpine tourism, with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.

Tirschenreuth

This pocket-sized Bavarian town near the Czech border, first documented in 1134, Tirschenreuth sits among a landscape of fish ponds — the Tirschenreuther Tei…

Esino Lario

A mountain village in the Grigna mountains above Lake Como, Esino Lario sits within the Regional Northern Grigna Park at high elevation in a sunny basin know…

Leutasch

A Tyrolean village in the mountains northwest of Innsbruck, Leutasch is known for its extensive cross-country ski trails in winter.

Reit im Winkl

This Bavarian village on the German-Austrian border known for reliable snowfall and a ski resort that earned Germany's first-ever Premium Winter Trails Certi…

Aielli

A compact village on the plain of the former Lake Fucino in Abruzzo's Marsica area, Aielli sits in mountain terrain and traces its recorded history to 1280.

Fraxern

A tiny forested village in the mountains of Vorarlberg, Austria, Fraxern sits at elevation above the town of Feldkirch, with meadows and woodland covering mo…

Red River

This small resort town in New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Red River sits along the river that shares its name and offers a café and restaurant scene…

Ascoli Satriano

This little Apulian town in the province of Foggia with an unusual concentration of churches for its size and a café and restaurant scene in its compact centre.

Tetovo

A town in northwestern North Macedonia at the foot of the Šar Mountains, Tetovo is known for two of the country's most significant Ottoman-era landmarks: the…

Radlje ob Dravi

A pocket-sized town on the left bank of the Drava River in northeastern Slovenia, Radlje ob Dravi sits between the Kozjak and Pohorje hill ranges with mounta…

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