Romantic getaways, around the world.
Small, photogenic, old enough to feel inevitable.
Castelmezzano
Above the jagged rock formations of the Dolomiti Lucane, Castelmezzano is a particularly photogenic village in Basilicata's Potenza province, recognised in I…
New Quay
A modest seaside resort on Cardigan Bay in Ceredigion, Wales, with a harbour, sandy beaches, and a coastline on both the Ceredigion Coast Path and the Wales…
Conques
This tiny village in Aveyron whose Romanesque abbey church and its treasury — including a gold statue of Sainte Foy — earned UNESCO World Heritage status in…
Brienno
This tiny hamlet sits directly on the western shore of Lake Como in Lombardy, with a concentration of churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants that ou…
Kaslo
Photogenic village on the west shore of Kootenay Lake in southeastern British Columbia, Kaslo has a small but real café and restaurant scene for its size.
Conwy
Conwy Castle and the medieval town walls — both on the UNESCO World Heritage List — anchor this small walled town on the River Conwy in North Wales, where mo…
Clusone
Particularly photogenic small town in Lombardy's Val Seriana, Clusone sits along the River Serio in mountain country with scenic viewpoints and a compact his…
Lerma
A pocket-sized Castilian village above the Arlanza river valley, Lerma is the headquarters of the Arlanza DOP wine denomination and holds a historic centre —…
Aberdyfi
A photogenic Welsh village on the Dyfi estuary, Aberdyfi sits within Snowdonia National Park and draws golfers, sailors, and watersports enthusiasts to its w…
Vogogna
This photogenic village in the Val d'Ossola, Piedmont, sits at the water's edge with mountain terrain rising behind it, partly within the Val Grande National…
Rocamadour
Medieval pilgrimage village in the Lot département of southwestern France, Rocamadour clings to a cliff face rising steeply above the Alzou valley, with a co…
Friesach
Claimed as the oldest town in Carinthia, Friesach dates to at least 860 and retains a well-preserved medieval centre — including a town wall and a water-fill…
Pacentro
This particularly photogenic medieval village in Abruzzo's Maiella National Park, Pacentro sits a short distance from Sulmona and holds a concentration of hi…
Cremieu
A little medieval town in Isère, southeastern France, Crémieu has preserved its historic centre largely intact and hosts an annual September festival, Les Mé…
Miltenberg
Particularly photogenic small town on the Main river in Bavaria's Lower Franconia region, Miltenberg sits in wine-growing country with vineyards nearby and s…
Saint-Pierre
A medieval castle rises dramatically above this compact Alpine valley village in Italy's Aosta Valley, where snow-dusted terraced hillsides, a lively café sc…
Estaing
Estaing, a modest village on the Lot river in Aveyron, is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and carries an unusual concentration of protected his…
Zahara de la Sierra
A white-walled Andalusian village in the Sierra de Grazalema natural park, Zahara de la Sierra sits above the Embalse de Zahara reservoir with panoramic view…
Bevagna
A flat Umbrian town in the Topino river plain — unusual among the hill towns of the region — Bevagna is listed among Italy's most beautiful borghi and carrie…
Forcalquier
Once the capital of a flourishing county in medieval Haute-Provence, Forcalquier is a tiny town in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence sitting between the Lure and L…
Murau
Compact Austrian town where a Gothic church and a hilltop manor anchor a dense cluster of orange-roofed buildings along a fast-flowing river, backed by fores…
Bagnara Calabra
This small Tyrrhenian coast town in Calabria's southernmost stretch, Bagnara Calabra sits directly on the water with vineyards in the surrounding hills and v…
Espalion
A little town in the Aveyron department of southern France, Espalion sits directly on the Lot river, with a café and restaurant scene in its compact centre a…
Pastrana
Declared a historic-artistic ensemble in 1966, Pastrana is a small village in Guadalajara's La Alcarria region whose medieval and Renaissance character remai…
Anghiari
A particularly photogenic hill village in Tuscany's Arezzo province, Anghiari has an unusual concentration of churches and cafés for its size, along with sce…
Collioure
A Mediterranean fishing village on the French Catalan coast where the last ridges of the Pyrenees meet the sea, Collioure has long drawn artists to its water…
Morcote
This photogenic village on the shore of Lake Lugano in Switzerland's Ticino canton, Morcote pairs its waterfront arcades and Renaissance church with a monume…
Lovere
At the northwest tip of Lake Iseo in Lombardy, Lovere is a particularly photogenic small town whose streetscape blends overhanging wooden roofs with heavy st…
Foix
The castle of the Counts of Foix, classified as a historic monument since 1840, rises on a rock above this modest medieval town at the foot of the Pyrenees i…
Gruyères
This medieval Swiss village on a hill above the Saane Valley and the Lake of Gruyère lends its name to Gruyère cheese and is anchored by a castle that draws…
Kastelruth
Photogenic village in the South Tyrolean Dolomites, Kastelruth sits at around 1,000 metres elevation near the Seiser Alm alpine meadow and is a recognised me…
Clermont-l'Hérault
A modest wine-country town in the Hérault department of southern France, Clermont-l'Hérault sits alongside the Lergue and Salagou rivers and carries a café a…
Tywyn
Home to the Talyllyn Railway and the Cadfan Stone — an early medieval cross bearing the oldest known written Welsh — this small seaside town sits on the Card…
Città della Pieve
This photogenic hilltop town in Umbria, Città della Pieve sits on a ridge overlooking the Val di Chiana near the Umbria-Tuscany border, built largely from ex…
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…
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…
Montefalco
Wine country defines this small Umbrian hill town, which anchors the production zone for Sagrantino di Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso — both built around th…
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Village in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence with an unusual density of cafés and restaurants for its size, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie sits against a rocky escarpment…
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.
Vietri sul Mare
Polychrome ceramics have been made in Vietri sul Mare since at least the 15th century, and the tradition remains central to this little Campanian town at the…
Sainte-Enimie
This photogenic village in the Gorges du Tarn in southern France's Lozère, Sainte-Enimie sits directly on the river and holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Vi…
Kazimierz Dolny
Photogenic little town on the Vistula river in eastern Poland, Kazimierz Dolny owes its Renaissance streetscape to a grain-trade boom in the 16th and early 1…
Bertinoro
A hilltop wine-country village in Emilia-Romagna with an unusually lively café and restaurant scene for its size, Bertinoro sits atop Monte Cesubeo with view…
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…
Sachseln
A white-towered baroque church with an onion dome anchors this compact Swiss lakeside town, where calm water reflections, traditional timber-framed buildings…
Trevi
Commanding views across the Umbrian plain — said to extend over much of the valley in westerly directions — this medieval hill town on the lower flank of Mou…
Saint-Céré
This compact town in the Lot department of southern France, Saint-Céré sits on the River Bave with vineyards in the surrounding countryside and scenic views…
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,…
Cortona
A photogenic hilltop town in Tuscany's Val di Chiana, Cortona sits high enough to offer panoramic views in every direction and holds an unusual concentration…
Chenonceaux
Château de Chenonceau, built across the River Cher and the most visited château in France after Versailles, sits at the edge of this little hamlet in the Ind…
Lienz
A heritage-dense medieval town in East Tyrol, Austria, Lienz sits at the confluence of the Isel and Drau rivers with a well-preserved historic centre, an unu…
Maratea
Basilicata's only town on the Tyrrhenian coast, Maratea is a particularly photogenic pocket-sized town with an unusual concentration of churches and chapels…
La Roque-Gageac
Sitting directly on the Dordogne river in southwestern France, this tiny village carries membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and a strong reputat…
Tarazona
Tarazona, on the river Queiles in Aragon, packs an unusual concentration of historic churches and medieval architecture into a modest centre shaped by centur…
Arrone
Small Umbrian village on the Nera river in the Valnerina, Arrone holds several historic churches and scenic viewpoints for its size, along with a handful of…
Decize
This stone arched bridge crosses a wide river into this compact Burgundian town, where a Romanesque church tower and slate-roofed buildings rise above a live…
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…
Pergola
This small town in the Marche region of Italy, Pergola holds a museum displaying the Gilt Bronzes of Cartoceto di Pergola, a set of ancient gilded bronze fig…
Joigny
A tiny wine-country town on the river Yonne in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Joigny has a medieval old town that has earned the Pays d'art et d'histoire designati…
Banská Štiavnica
This UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, Banská Štiavnica is a modest medieval mining town in central Slovakia set within the caldera of an ancient volcan…
Pitigliano
Known as "the little Jerusalem" for its historic Jewish community and working synagogue, Pitigliano is a small Tuscan hill town in the province of Grosseto s…
Josselin
A multi-turreted medieval castle rises directly from the riverbank in this tiny Breton village, its grey stone towers reflected in the calm water below, with…
Laufenburg
Sitting on the Swiss bank of the Rhine directly across from its German twin, Laufenburg (Baden), this small Aargau town was once a single city until Napoleon…
Varenna
Sitting directly on the eastern shore of Lake Como in Lombardy, Varenna is a modest lakeside village with a heritage-dense centre of medieval churches, histo…
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…
Almodóvar del Río
A well-preserved medieval castle crowns a rocky outcrop above this Andalusian town of whitewashed houses along the Guadalquivir River, offering dramatic elev…
Massa Marittima
Small Tuscan hill town in the Metalliferous Hills of Grosseto, Massa Marittima sits at the centre of a mining region historically rich in iron, mercury, copp…
Cordes-sur-Ciel
Built in 1222 by Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse, on a ridge high enough above the Cérou valley to earn the name "sur-Ciel" (above the sky), this medieval for…
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…
Fénis
Fénis Castle, a well-preserved medieval fortress in the Aosta Valley of north-western Italy, is the main draw to this small village, which also sits in wine…
Cassel
Perched on a prominent hill above French Flanders, Cassel is a modest commune in the Nord department with panoramic views from the summit of Mont Cassel and…
Peñafiel
Peñafiel Castle, visible from miles around and now housing the Wine Museum of Valladolid, crowns this pocket-sized Castilian town at the heart of the Ribera…
Bosa
Sitting on the north bank of the Temo River — the only river-built town on Sardinia — Bosa is a little Sardinian settlement with a strong café and restaurant…
Sancerre
Sancerre is a medieval hilltop village in the Cher département of Centre-Val de Loire, overlooking the Loire river and recognized as one of France's most bea…
Ilwaco
A small waterfront city on Baker Bay where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, Ilwaco sits at the southern tip of Washington's Long Beach Peninsula w…
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…
Cluny
Founded in 910 by Duke William I of Aquitaine, the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny shaped this little Burgundian town into one of medieval Europe's great centres…
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.
Alassio
A sandy-beached resort town on the Italian Riviera in Liguria, Alassio draws visitors year-round — as a bathing destination in summer and a health resort in…
Salins-les-Bains
Salt has shaped Salins-les-Bains since the fifth millennium BC, and the town's historic saltworks — added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009 as an ext…
Opatija
Historic seaside resort on Croatia's Kvarner Gulf, Opatija sits right on the water with a café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its size.
Susa
This little town in the Susa Valley west of Turin, at the foot of the Cottian Alps, with a concentration of Roman and medieval monuments that reflects its an…
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…
Moritzburg
The Baroque hunting castle Schloss Moritzburg is the centrepiece of this tiny Saxon town between Meissen and Dresden, set on a lake and reached by a narrow-g…
Barga
A medieval hill town in the Serchio valley of Tuscany, Barga holds an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size, a small central core with café…
Peníscola
This small Mediterranean coastal town in Castellón, Peníscola sits on a rocky promontory jutting into the sea, giving it strong photographic appeal and sceni…
Vecrīga
Vecrīga (Old Riga) is the medieval historic core of Latvia's capital, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 and awarded the European Heritage Lab…
Sutri
Sutri's ancient remains — a Roman amphitheatre carved directly into tuff rock, an Etruscan necropolis of rock-cut tombs, and a Mithraeum embedded in the cryp…
Nant
This little village in eastern Aveyron sits alongside a river with mountain views in the distance, and carries an unusually dense architectural record for it…
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…
Santa Lucia del Mela
This densely built hilltop town in Sicily's Messina province, its stone houses climbing toward a medieval fortress above tree-covered slopes, with surroundin…
Aiguèze
Sitting on the Ardèche river in southern France's Gard department, this modest village has been a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France since 2005 — th…
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…
Orvinio
This small hilltop village in the Rieti province of Lazio, northeast of Rome, is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia — Italy's register of its most beau…
Brugg
Sitting where the Aare, Reuss, and Limmat rivers meet — a confluence known in German as the Wasserschloss der Schweiz — Brugg is a little Swiss town in canto…
Coxen Hole
Coxen Hole is the main town and administrative capital of Roatán, Honduras's largest Bay Island, set on an ancient coral reef rising well above sea level in…
Tenno
A small Trentino village a few kilometres from Riva del Garda, Tenno sits on the slopes above Lake Garda and is home to Lake Tenno, known for its vivid blue-…
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…
Rovies
This compact seaside village on the western coast of Euboea, Greece, Rovies sits directly on the water with mountains close behind, giving it a strong visual…
Militello in Val di Catania
One of eight Sicilian towns granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2002 for their late Baroque architecture, Militello in Val di Catania sits on the lower s…
Pérouges
This medieval walled village in the Ain department, northeast of Lyon, Pérouges is listed among the Plus Beaux Villages de France and carries one of the most…
Oliver
Billed as the Wine Capital of Canada by Tourism British Columbia, Oliver is a small town near the south end of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, sitting al…
Bobbio
Founded around the Abbey of San Colombano in 614, Bobbio is a medieval village in the Trebbia River valley in Piacenza province, with a historic centre that…
Salers
Salers, a tiny village in the Cantal department of south-central France, is the origin of both the Salers breed of cattle and the AOC-protected Salers cheese…
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein sits on the Rhine where Lower Lake Constance meets the river, and its medieval centre — pedestrianised, lined with half-timbered houses, and c…
Castiglion Fiorentino
A walled Tuscan hill town in the province of Arezzo, Castiglion Fiorentino sits between Arezzo and Cortona in wine-growing country, with an Etruscan archaeol…
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
Clinging to a steep cliff above the Lot river in south-western France, this small Quercy village draws visitors with dramatic viewpoints, a strong café and r…
Zofingen
Walled medieval town in the Swiss canton of Aargau, Zofingen has a well-preserved historic core with a medieval monastic settlement, a good spread of cafés a…
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 —…
Ornans
Birthplace of the painter Gustave Courbet, this little town in the Doubs department sits along the Loue river in the Jura massif, its house facades rising di…
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…
Sperlonga
This photogenic coastal town on the Tyrrhenian Sea, roughly midway between Rome and Naples, Sperlonga is best known for the ancient Roman sea grotto found wi…
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…
Mahone Bay
A small waterfront town on Nova Scotia's South Shore, Mahone Bay is known for its photogenic streetscape of historic churches and sits near a UNESCO World He…
Apricale
A small hilltop village in Liguria's Imperia province, Apricale sits in mountain country with scenic viewpoints, surrounding vineyards, and a striking number…
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…
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…
Numana
This compact Adriatic village on the Conero Riviera in the Marche region, Numana sits directly on the water with vineyards nearby and scenic viewpoints along…
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…
Dinkelsbühl
One of only four towns in Germany with completely intact medieval city walls, Dinkelsbühl sits on the River Wörnitz along the Romantic Road in Central Franco…
Canelli
Canelli, on a bend of the river Belbo in Piedmont's Alto Monferrato, is widely regarded as the birthplace of Italian sparkling wine: the Moscato grape used t…
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…
Cromwell
Small Central Otago town on the shore of Lake Dunstan, Cromwell sits at the heart of New Zealand's Central Otago wine region and is surrounded by orchards kn…
Scalea
A tiny coastal town on Calabria's Tyrrhenian shore, Scalea pairs a modern beach resort strip — developed since the 1960s along the Riviera dei Cedri — with a…
Fayence
This hilltop village in the Var department of Provence, Fayence sits above the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif, with cafés and restaur…
Lenzburg
A medieval hill town in the Swiss canton of Aargau, Lenzburg is anchored by Schloss Lenzburg, a castle that grew from an 11th-century fortification on the Sc…
Caprarola
Villa Farnese dominates this compact Lazio town in the Cimini volcanic hills, a large Renaissance mansion begun in 1530 as a fortress for Cardinal Alessandro…
Lautrec
Lautrec, a village in the Tarn department of southern France, is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and the ancestral home of the Toulouse-Lautrec…
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…
Castelsardo
A photogenic coastal town on Sardinia's northwest shore, at the eastern end of the Gulf of Asinara, Castelsardo sits right on the water with scenic viewpoint…
Almagro
Almagro, a little town in Ciudad Real, has hosted an International Festival of Classical Theater annually since 1978 and holds designation as one of Spain's…
Arlesheim
This small Swiss town near Basel, in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, is anchored by a Baroque cathedral dating to 1681 and rebuilt in 1761, whose organ — bui…
Spello
This small walled hill town on the southern flank of Monte Subasio in Umbria, Spello has an unusually dense concentration of historic churches and a café and…
Château-Chalon
Vin jaune — the prized yellow wine of the Jura — reaches its most celebrated expression in Château-Chalon, a little cliff-top village in eastern France whose…
Valletta
Built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 16th century and named after Jean Parisot de Valette, who repelled the Ottoman siege of Malta, Valletta is the EU's s…
Tricarico
This modest Basilicata town in the province of Matera holds one of the best-preserved medieval historic centres in Lucania, shaped by an Arab-Norman past and…
Jonzac
A spa town in the Charente-Maritime since 1986, Jonzac sits on the Seugne river in the heart of Cognac wine country, with a café and restaurant scene that pu…
Waihi Beach
A long sandy beach at the western edge of the Bay of Plenty anchors this small North Island coastal town, with the undeveloped Orokawa Bay and its native bus…
Norcia
Norcia, a small Umbrian town on the edge of the Monti Sibillini mountains, is widely known across Italy for its cured meats and sausages — so much so that th…
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
One of France's most storied seaside resorts, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage sits on the Opal Coast at the mouth of the Canche river in Pas-de-Calais, with a wide be…
Kamena Vourla
A little seaside town on the coast of central Greece's Phthiotis region, Kamena Vourla has a café and restaurant scene that outpunches its size, making it a…
Conca dei Marini
A compact village on the Amalfi Coast between Amalfi and Furore, sitting directly on the water with scenic viewpoints nearby and an unusually dense cluster o…
Talmont-sur-Gironde
Founded in 1284 by Edward I of England, Duke of Aquitaine, this tiny hamlet on a promontory above the Gironde estuary in Charente-Maritime holds the 12th-cen…
Sargans
Sargans, a small town in Switzerland's canton of St.
Amelia
A compact Umbrian hill town crowned by domed churches and stone buildings that cascade down a wooded hillside, Amelia rewards visitors with multiple religiou…
Noyers
Well-preserved medieval village on the river Serein in Burgundy's Yonne department, Noyers-sur-Serein is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, with…
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…
Fossombrone
Compact Marche town where a river curves through a red-tile historic centre, backed by vineyard-covered hills, with a good café and restaurant scene and a no…
Saint-Martin-de-Re
This waterfront village on the Île de Ré, off the Charente-Maritime coast near La Rochelle, Saint-Martin-de-Ré is home to Vauban's 17th-century fortification…
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…
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…
Bidart
A small Basque Atlantic-coast town in southwestern France, Bidart stretches along several kilometres of shoreline where heavily folded cliffs drop down to be…
Lemmer
Well-known watersports base on the IJsselmeer in the Dutch province of Friesland, Lemmer comes alive in summer as a lakeside resort with a lively terrace and…
Avigliana
Two volcanic maar lakes — Lago Grande and Lago Piccolo — sit at the edge of this modest Piedmontese town in the Susa valley, west of Turin, with the medieval…
Apt
This small Provençal town on the Calavon river in the Luberon mountains of Vaucluse, Apt has a café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its siz…
Bad Staffelstein
This small spa town in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, sits along the Main river and is anchored by three landmarks: the Basilica of Vierzehnheiligen, designed by…
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…
Lourmarin
This Provençal village in the Vaucluse holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and pairs a café and restaurant scene unusually dense for its si…
Richterswil
A compact Swiss lakeside town spread along the western shore of Lake Zurich, with vineyard slopes behind it, a ferry on the water, and sweeping views stretch…
Camerino
A little Apennine hill town in the Marche region of central-eastern Italy, Camerino is home to a medieval university and has a café and restaurant scene that…
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…
Whitianga
A seaside town on Mercury Bay, on the east coast of New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula, Whitianga sits on Buffalo Beach and has a café and restaurant scene t…
Varzi
This certified member of Italy's "Most Beautiful Villages" circuit, Varzi sits in the Oltrepò Pavese wine country of Lombardy's Pavia province, along the Sta…
Saint-Leon-sur-Vezere
A compact village on the Vézère river in the Dordogne, Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France — the national association…
Bembibre
Bembibre, in the El Bierzo region of León, is a small town on the Boeza and Noceda rivers with vineyards in the surrounding area and a café and restaurant sc…
Civita
Founded in the 15th century by Albanian refugees fleeing the Ottoman invasion, Civita is a hill village in Calabria's Pollino National Park whose Albanian-or…
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…
Segorbe
Segorbe's September bull-running week (Semana de Toros) draws large crowds to this small Valencian town in the mountains of Castellón province.
Sennori
A small wine-country town in northern Sardinia, Sennori has been a member of Italy's national association of wine towns since the association's founding in 1…
Tournon-sur-Rhône
Small Rhône-side town in the Ardèche, Tournon-sur-Rhône sits in deep wine country north of Valence with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.
Stafa
A modest town on the right shore of Lake Zurich, in the canton of Zürich, Stäfa sits along the stretch known as the Gold Coast, with vineyard country rising…
Itri
Sitting in a valley between the Monti Aurunci and the Gulf of Gaeta, Itri is a tiny agricultural town in Lazio's Latina province with a photogenic medieval c…
Leucate
A small Mediterranean coastal town in the Aude, Leucate sits between the sea and the Étang de Leucate lagoon, with a café and restaurant scene that punches a…
Vrsar
This pocket-sized seaside village on Istria's western coast, Vrsar has a café and restaurant scene that outpunches its size, a historic hilltop centre with t…
Marostica
Every two years, on the second weekend of September in even-numbered years, Marostica's central square fills with costumed performers re-enacting a live ches…
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…
Vrbnik
A medieval walled village on the island of Krk, Croatia, set on a limestone outcrop above the Adriatic and known for its local white wine, Vrbnička žlahtina.
Barolo
Barolo, a little Piedmontese village in the Province of Cuneo, lends its name to one of Italy's most celebrated red wines, and the surrounding Langhe vineyar…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Sarlat-la-Canéda's medieval and early Renaissance centre — a dense network of narrow lanes, shaded squares, and stone mansions with lauze-tile roofs — was th…
Miedzyzdroje
A Baltic seaside resort on Wolin Island in northwestern Poland, Międzyzdroje sits between wide sandy beaches backed by high cliffs and the forests of Wolińsk…
Pescocostanzo
This photogenic village in Abruzzo's Maiella National Park, Pescocostanzo has an unusual concentration of historic churches and a pocket-sized but real café…
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…
Sonseca
Modest Castilian town in Toledo province, Sonseca centres on a handsome granite Casa Consistorial draped in Spanish flags, sitting within easy reach of viney…
Borgomaro
Stone-built houses and a medieval bridge line a clear river in this pocket-sized Ligurian village, backed by forested hills, with a church spire rising above…
Argenton-sur-Creuse
A modest town in the Indre department of central France, Argenton-sur-Creuse sits along the Creuse river with a café and restaurant scene in its compact cent…
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…
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…
Mauriac
A tiny town in the Cantal department of south-central France, Mauriac grew from a 6th-century abbey whose buildings still stand, now repurposed as public off…
Norðurþing
Húsavík, on the shores of Skjálfandi Bay in northeast Iceland, is regarded as the whale watching capital of Iceland, with whales sighted on the vast majority…
Bolsena
On the eastern shore of Lake Bolsena in northern Lazio, this compact town is known across the Catholic world as the site of the Eucharistic miracle that led…
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…
Kalabaka
The gateway town for the Meteora monasteries — a UNESCO World Heritage site set atop dramatic rock formations just outside town — Kalabaka sits at the foot o…
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.
Pézenas
A small town in the Hérault department of southern France with one of the oldest protected historic districts in the country, Pézenas holds a dense café and…
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…
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…
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…
Willisau
This well-preserved Swiss compact town in Lucerne canton, its main street lined with fresco-decorated facades, colorful heraldic flags, and outdoor café terr…
Pỏlezzaygjd
A compact town on the shore of Lake Lugano in Lombardy's Province of Como, Porlezza has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, several hist…
Nérac
A small town in Lot-et-Garonne, southwestern France, sitting on the water with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, and vineyards in the…
Belmonte
A compact Castilian village of white-walled, red-roofed houses spread across open plateau country, with a landmark church tower rising above the rooflines an…
Sarnico
This tiny lakeside town on the western shore of Lake Iseo in Lombardy's Bergamo province, where the lake meets the River Oglio, Sarnico has a café and restau…
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…
Bad Sooden-Allendorf
This small spa town in Hesse straddling the Werra river, Bad Sooden-Allendorf drew its wealth from salt-brine extraction for centuries before reinventing its…
Sovana
This tiny hamlet in southern Tuscany's wine country carries a history well beyond its size: an Etruscan centre, a medieval and Renaissance settlement, and a…
Monflanquin
Founded in 1256 as a military bastide town on a strategic north-south route, Monflanquin is a little village in Lot-et-Garonne, south-western France, that ch…
São Filipe
This modest Cape Verdean town of sun-faded colonial facades and cobbled streets dropping toward the Atlantic, São Filipe rewards visitors with historic churc…
Gerace
This compact Calabrian hill village sits atop a vertical rock formation in the Aspromonte National Park, with views stretching to the coast and the town of L…
Mers-les-Bains
A small seaside resort on the Somme coast, Mers-les-Bains is known for its Belle Époque seafront villas — a listed quarter that earned the town second place…
Youghal
A designated Irish Heritage Port on the estuary of the River Blackwater in East Cork, Youghal is a historic walled seaside town with medieval and early moder…
Polcenigo
Springs, streams, and lake-like pools feed the headwaters of the Livenza river at Polcenigo, a little Friuli-Venezia Giulia village on the slopes of the West…
Cabourg
Marcel Proust's favoured retreat on the Normandy coast, Cabourg is a Belle Époque seaside town on the Côte Fleurie where the river Dives meets the English Ch…
Mithymna
This waterfront village on the northwest coast of Lesbos, Mithymna — still widely known by its older name Molyvos — sits beneath a medieval fortress that ris…
Peccioli
Small Tuscan village in the Province of Pisa with an unusually lively food and café scene for its size, set among vineyards with scenic views of the surround…
Baume-les-Dames
Small town on the Doubs river in eastern France's Franche-Comté, with vineyards in the surrounding countryside, scenic viewpoints nearby, and a central core…
Sigri
This pocket-sized fishing village at the western tip of Lesbos with a natural harbour sheltered by the islet of Nissiopi, Sigri sits right on the water and h…
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…
Porrentruy
This small French-speaking Swiss town in the canton of Jura has a café and restaurant scene that outpaces the town's size, with vineyards in the surrounding…
Polichnitos
Pocket-sized village on the central south coast of Lesbos, facing the Bay of Kalloni, Polichnitos has a handful of cafés and restaurants and several historic…
Fosdinovo
From the 14th to the 18th century, Fosdinovo served as the capital of an independent marquisate ruled by the Malaspina family, whose imperial standing was su…
Gerberoy
This compact commune in the Oise department of northern France holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, the association recognising the country…
Santillana
A modest historic town in Cantabria known by the old saying that it is "the town of three lies" — neither a saint, nor flat, nor by the sea, despite what its…
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.
Kapfenberg
This steel town on the Mürz River in Styria, Kapfenberg has been shaped by iron and steel production since the 15th century, when proximity to the Styrian Er…
Paray-le-Monial
This pocket-sized Burgundian town on the water, Paray-le-Monial draws visitors with its ornate Renaissance town hall on an open square, an unusual density of…
Castelmola
Tiny hilltop village above Taormina on Sicily's east coast, Castelmola occupies the site of ancient Taormina's acropolis and is listed among Italy's most bea…
Lismore
Pocket-sized heritage town on the River Blackwater in County Waterford, Lismore has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.
Carennac
Small Dordogne-side hamlet in the Lot department of southwestern France, Carennac holds a medieval priory — an 11th-century church and cloister — alongside a…
Montone
This walled medieval hill village in Umbria, north of Perugia, sits at the high point of a ridge above the confluence of two Tiber tributaries, with scenic v…
Tintern
Tintern Abbey, a ruined 12th-century Cistercian monastery on the banks of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, is the main draw to this little conservation…
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…
Ronciglione
This modest town in the Cimini mountains of Lazio, Ronciglione sits on tuff scarps above Lake Vico, the crater lake of a former volcano, and holds membership…
Galaxidi
This modest seaside town on the Gulf of Itea in Phocis, Galaxidi draws weekend visitors from Athens — roughly a two-and-a-half to three hour drive — and serv…
Le Grau-du-Roi
The only commune in the Gard department with a Mediterranean coastline, Le Grau-du-Roi is a small southern French town with a real café and restaurant scene,…
Corinaldo
Birthplace of Saint Maria Goretti and producer of Verdicchio wine, Corinaldo is a pocket-sized walled town in the Marche region of central Italy, listed amon…
Arévalo
Arévalo, in Ávila province in Castile and León, sits on a tongue of land where the Adaja and Arevalillo rivers meet — a defensive position typical of medieva…
Le Vigan
Modest town in the Cévennes region of southern France's Gard department, Le Vigan sits on the River Arre and carries a café and restaurant scene that punches…
San Leo
Perched above the Marecchia valley on a dramatic rocky outcrop, San Leo is a tiny hilltop village in the Rimini province of Emilia-Romagna and the historic c…
Munising
Sitting on the southern shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Munising is the western gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, with scen…
Capdenac
Admitted to the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association in 2010, Capdenac is a small village in the Lot department of south-western France, set above t…
Peschici
This small coastal town on the Gargano promontory in Puglia, Peschici sits within the Gargano National Park and has built a reputation as a seaside resort si…
Slavonice
This modest Czech town on the South Bohemian border with Austria, Slavonice is known for its well-preserved Renaissance centre — sometimes called a smaller T…
Bédarieux
This tiny town in southern France's Hérault department where the Orb river runs through the centre, Bédarieux sits within the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature…
Procida
This little island off the Naples coast, between Cape Miseno and Ischia, has a café and restaurant scene, a concentration of historic churches, and vineyards…
Criccieth
A tiny seaside town on the south coast of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales, Criccieth is dominated by the ruins of Criccieth Castle, which look out over…
Montolieu
Known as a Village du Livre — a book village — Montolieu is a little commune in the Aude department of southern France, set on the southern edge of the Massi…
Offida
This modest hill village in the Marche region of Italy, Offida sits on a rocky spur between two river valleys with mountain views, and holds an unusual conce…
Hartberg
A little Styrian town in southeastern Austria with a café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its size, Hartberg sits in wine country with scen…
Largentière
Silver mining shaped this pocket-sized Ardèche village for centuries — its name, adopted in the 13th century, refers directly to the silver-bearing ore extra…
San Romano in Garfagnana
Pocket-sized Tuscan village in the Garfagnana, San Romano sits within the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park and offers a surprising number of churches an…
Trakai
Trakai's Island Castle, a 14th-century fortress built when this pocket-sized Lithuanian town served as the medieval capital of Lithuania, rises from Lake Gal…
Beuvron-en-Auge
A hamlet in Normandy's Calvados department that holds the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France designation, Beuvron-en-Auge punches above its size with a little…
Santa Fiora
This small Tuscan village on the slopes of Monte Amiata, in the province of Grosseto, holds an unusual number of churches for its size alongside a genuine ca…
Xylokastro
Modest seaside town on the Gulf of Corinth in the Peloponnese, Xylokastro draws weekend visitors from Athens with a long white-pebbled beach, a marina, and a…
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
A medieval hamlet on the Chemin de Saint-Jacques pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert sits where the narrow valley of the Gell…
San Daniele del Friuli
San Daniele del Friuli, a little town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia northwest of Udine, is best known as the production centre of its eponymous DOP prosciutto, ce…
Leskovik
This modest mountain town in southeastern Albania, close to the Greek border, with vineyards in the surrounding hills and scenic viewpoints across the mounta…
Anduze
A small town at the foot of the Cévennes in southern France's Gard department, Anduze sits on the River Gard with a café and restaurant scene that punches ab…
Bojano
A little town in Molise's Campobasso province with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, and an unusual concentration of historic churches.
Tykocin
This small Baroque town on the Narew river in north-eastern Poland, Tykocin holds a historic centre designated a Historic Monument of Poland, a well-preserve…
Briones
Tiny wine-country village in La Rioja Alta, Briones sits on a hill above the Ebro river, its northern slope dropping almost vertically to the water.
Lesa
This small village on the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore sits at the water's edge with an unusual number of cafés, restaurants, and churches for its size…
Kymi
This small coastal town on the island of Euboea, built on a hill above its port village of Kymi Beach, has an unusual concentration of churches for its size…
Iruya
Founded in 1753 high on the eastern slopes of the Sierra de Santa Victoria in Salta Province, Iruya is a little Argentine town surrounded on two sides by the…
Otranto
Italy's easternmost town, Otranto sits on the Adriatic coast of the Salento peninsula in Apulia, with a café and restaurant scene that holds a surprising num…
Gränna
Gränna, a small lakeside town on the eastern shore of Vättern — Sweden's second largest lake — is known for its peppermint rock candy, called polkagris in Sw…
Miagao
Miagao's Baroque church — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines — anchors this small Iloilo town on the western coa…
Griante
A small Lake Como village on the western shore, Griante sits directly on the water between Menaggio and Tremezzo, with scenic viewpoints across the lake towa…
Medina Sidonia
Claimed by some to be the oldest city in Europe, Medina Sidonia is a hilltop town in Cádiz province, Andalusia, with a café and restaurant scene that is well…
Clifden
A small harbour town on the northwest coast of County Galway, Clifden sits where the Owenglin River meets Clifden Bay, with mountain terrain rising behind it.
Ferla
This little Sicilian village in the Province of Syracuse sits at the edge of the Necropolis of Pantalica, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with…
Weinfelden
A tiny Swiss wine-country town in canton Thurgau with a café and restaurant scene that is well stocked for its size, Weinfelden sits on the water with scenic…
Quinson
This tiny Provençal village in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence where a converted stone chapel houses the tourist office, wooded hills rise behind compact streets, an…
Ozieri
Ozieri, in Sardinia's Logudoro region, is the centre of the earliest known archaeological culture on the island — the Ozieri culture — giving it a deep prehi…
Sigtuna
Founded around 980 by Erik Segersäll on the shores of Lake Mälaren, Sigtuna served as Sweden's capital from the 10th to the 13th centuries and is among the c…
Gex
This tiny French town close to the Swiss border and Geneva, Gex centres on a handsome terracotta-and-stone hôtel de ville with a clock tower, green shutters,…
Radda in Chianti
This small Tuscan village in the heart of Chianti wine country, between Florence and Siena, with a café and restaurant scene that is unusually rich for its s…
Béjar
Béjar is a small town in Salamanca province whose historical identity was shaped by a once-thriving textile manufacturing industry.
Najac
A medieval ridge village in southern France's Aveyron, Najac is dominated by a partly ruined château built in 1253 on the orders of Alphonse de Poitiers, wit…
Chiaramonti
A compact Sardinian hill village of terracotta rooftops and pastel facades rising toward the ruins of a hilltop castle, with rolling upland country stretchin…
Litomyšl
Litomyšl's Renaissance castle complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, anchoring a pocket-sized town in eastern Bohemia whose well-preserved historic centre…
Aigues-Mortes
Enclosed within well-preserved medieval walls, this pocket-sized town in the Camargue region of southern France sits at the junction of two waterways and dra…
Bene Lario
This small lakeside hamlet in Lombardy's Val Menaggio, north of Como, with a handful of cafés and restaurants and several churches for a settlement of its size.
Karystos
A waterfront town on the southern tip of Euboea, Karystos has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, vineyards in the surrounding countrysi…
Soorts-Hossegor
This small Atlantic resort town in the Landes department of southwestern France, Hossegor is built around surfing: its beach break, including the wave known…
Ferentillo
Split by the Nera river into two small borghi — Matterella and Precetto — this Umbrian village sits in a river valley in the Province of Terni, with vineyard…
Vonitsa
Small beach town on the south coast of the Ambracian Gulf in northwestern Greece, Vonitsa has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, a conc…
Stainz
A pocket-sized Styrian wine-country town in Austria's Deutschlandsberg district, Stainz is associated with Schilcher wine and anchored by Schloss Stainz, a f…
Atina
A small village in Frosinone province, Lazio, with several historic churches and a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.
Cotacachi
Leather goods and handicrafts define Cotacachi, a tiny highland town in Ecuador's Imbabura Province where artisan workshops line the streets alongside a stro…
Martel
Known since the 17th century as "the town of seven towers," Martel is a medieval village in the Lot department of southwestern France, founded in the 11th ce…
Carloforte
Carloforte occupies the whole of Isola di San Pietro, off Sardinia's southwestern coast, and combines a waterfront café and restaurant scene with wild cliffs…
Putbus
Founded in 1810 by Prince Wilhelm Malte zu Putbus as a planned Classicist residence town, Putbus is the oldest seaside resort on the Baltic island of Rügen,…
Lauzerte
A 12th-century bastide village in the Quercy Blanc region of southern France, Lauzerte sits on a hilltop above vine-covered valleys and holds a place on the…
Erice
Sitting on the summit of Monte Erice above Trapani in western Sicily, this medieval hilltop village retains its ancient Elymian-Punic fortifications, cobbled…
Puebla de Sanabria
This fortified medieval village in the north-western corner of Zamora, Puebla de Sanabria sits on a natural promontory shaped by the rivers Tera and Castro,…
Arbois
Arbois holds a double distinction in French wine history: it became France's first AOC-designated wine region in 1936 and is still known as the capital of Ju…
Poggio Mirteto
Little Tiber Valley town in Lazio's Rieti province, Poggio Mirteto sits on a knoll northeast of Rome amid wine country, with scenic views across the surround…
Alcalalí
This tiny wine-country village in the Pop Valley of Alicante's Marina Alta comarca, Alcalalí sits between the Serra del Ferrer and the Segili hills with scen…
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
This pocket-sized seaport and resort on the south bank of the Somme estuary, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme has medieval ramparts, a Gothic church, and a long waters…
Lipari
The largest of the seven Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off northern Sicily, Lipari is the main gateway to the archipelago and the administrative cent…
Silverton
A compact Oregon town in the Willamette Valley wine country, Silverton sits along Silver Creek with a walkable central core of cafés and restaurants.
Tonnerre
A compact Burgundy town on the water's edge, Tonnerre pairs a handsome neoclassical Hôtel de Ville — visible on its cobbled central square — with surrounding…
Guardiagrele
Poet Gabriele d'Annunzio called Guardiagrele "Abruzzo's terrace" for the sweeping views of the Maiella mountain it commands from its hilltop position in the…
Chinchilla de Montearagón
Declared a historic-artistic ensemble, Chinchilla de Montearagón is a medieval-plan hill town in Albacete province, rising on the Cerro de San Blas to comman…
Orthez
This medieval stone bridge with a fortified tower spans a green river at the heart of this pocket-sized Pyrénées-Atlantiques town, where a compact café scene…
Calcata
After the Italian government condemned its volcanic-cliff foundations in the 1930s and residents relocated, Calcata's medieval stone centre was left empty —…
Chepstow
Chepstow's clifftop castle, often cited as the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain, rises directly above the tidal River Wye in this small Welsh border…
Le Barcarès
A tiny Mediterranean coastal town in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Le Barcarès sits on the shore of the Salses-Leucate lagoon complex — a protected natural area t…
Isola Bella
One of the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella is a small island a short distance from the lakeside town of Stresa, divided between the Borromeo…
Lefkada
Sun-warmed Ionian island capital with colourful Venetian-influenced townhouses lining a cobbled central square, a church bell tower steps away, and a café an…
La Chaise-Dieu
This pocket-sized village in Haute-Loire is anchored by a Gothic abbey rebuilt between 1344 and 1350 at the request of Pope Clement VI, a former monk there.
Castiglione di Sicilia
This compact Sicilian village in mountain terrain above Catania holds an unusually high number of churches for its size, a handful of cafés and restaurants,…
Woerlitz
The Wörlitzer Park, part of the UNESCO-listed Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm designated in 2000, draws visitors to this small village on the left bank of the El…
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue
Two Vauban watchtowers — on the islets of Tatihou and La Hougue — earned this pocket-sized Normandy fishing village a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list…
Montevecchia
A modest Lombardy village in the hills of the Brianza northeast of Milan, Montevecchia sits at the centre of a regional park — the Parco regionale di Monteve…
Depoe Bay
This pocket-sized Oregon coast village sits directly on the Pacific, beside what it bills as the world's smallest navigable harbor — a compact bay that draws…
Trégastel
Tiny seaside resort on Brittany's Pink Granite Coast, Trégastel sits right on the water between Perros-Guirec and Pleumeur-Bodou, with scenic viewpoints alon…
Abbadia Lariana
A pocket-sized lakeside village on the shore of Lake Como in Lombardy's Lecco province, Abbadia Lariana has an unusual number of cafés, restaurants, and chur…
Belorado
This pocket-sized Burgos village on the Camino de Santiago's French Way, sitting alongside the Tirón river with the Sierra de la Demanda mountains in view.
Auvillar
A member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France since 1994, this compact village on the Garonne in Tarn-et-Garonne is also a stop on the Santiago de Compostela…
Orosei
This small Sardinian town on the Gulf of Orosei, with beaches including Cala Ginepro, Cala Liberotto, and the Bidderosa Oasis stretching along a long coastline.
Wolfville
This pocket-sized Nova Scotia town on the Bay of Fundy, Wolfville sits at the heart of Annapolis Valley wine country with vineyards nearby and views across t…
Ille-sur-Têt
A compact Roussillon town on the Têt river, with vineyard surrounds, a flower-decked mairie facing a compact central square, and easy access to upland Pyrene…
Bienno
Tiny Val Camonica town in the Brescia province of Lombardy, Bienno sits in mountain terrain with a café and restaurant scene and a concentration of historic…
Menominee
This modest city on the north bank of the Menominee River where it meets Green Bay, with waterfront access, a central core of cafés and restaurants, and an u…
Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val
Medieval village on the Aveyron river in southern France's Tarn-et-Garonne, Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val has preserved much of its historic core — with many liste…
Castiglione della Pescaia
A Tuscan seaside town in the Grossetan Maremma, Castiglione della Pescaia grew around a 12th-century medieval fortress and a large fishery — the latter givin…
Syvota
Coastal village in Epirus, southern Greece, Syvota sits on a compact bay dotted with islets — including Agios Nikolaos, Mavro Oros, and Mourtemeno — and draw…
Belvès
This member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Belvès is a compact village in the Dordogne department of southwestern France, with a café and restaurant s…
Sermoneta
Walled hill village in Lazio's Latina province, Sermoneta is anchored by a massive castle built by the Annibaldi family and expanded by the Caetani in the 13…
Cuetzalan
Founded by Franciscan friars in 1547, Cuetzalan is a colonial highland town in the hills of northern Puebla state, with steep cobblestone streets lined by wh…
Collias
This compact village in the Gard department of southern France, Collias sits on the River Gard within the Gorges du Gardon, with mountain views and a Mediter…
Palazzolo Acreide
A UNESCO World Heritage baroque town in Sicily's Hyblean Mountains, Palazzolo Acreide has Greek roots stretching back to antiquity and a historic centre dens…
Sao Martinho do Porto
This tiny Portuguese beach village on a sheltered bay in the Oeste region, São Martinho do Porto has a café and restaurant scene that outpunches its size, ma…
Saint-Martin-de-Londres
A compact wine-country village in the Hérault, northeast of Montpellier, with a café and restaurant scene that is well stocked for its size.
Maccagno
Small lakeside village on Lake Maggiore in Lombardy's Varese province, Maccagno has a notable concentration of churches and cafés for its size, along with sc…
Humahuaca
Humahuaca sits in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO World Heritage valley of dramatically coloured mountains in the high Andes of Jujuy province, Argentina.
Brioude
This modest Auvergne town on the Allier river, Brioude draws visitors with its grand Romanesque basilica — warm golden-red stone, ornate arcaded apse, and a…
Codrongianos
Compact Sardinian village spread across rolling upland country near Sassari, with terracotta rooftops visible from the surrounding hills, several historic ch…
Kardamyli
A modest waterfront village on the Mani Peninsula in the southern Peloponnese, Kardamyli carries an outsized café and restaurant scene for its size, along wi…
Bouzigues
Oyster production defines this little village on the Étang de Thau lagoon in southern France's Hérault, where an unusual concentration of seafood restaurants…
Neusiedl am See
Sitting on the northern shore of Lake Neusiedl in Austria's Burgenland province, this compact town offers direct access to one of Central Europe's most disti…
Peso da Régua Municipality
Sitting on the Douro River at the heart of Portugal's demarcated Port wine region, Régua is a little city with a café and restaurant scene that punches well…
Limoux
Blanquette de Limoux, a sparkling wine first recorded in a 1544 text and now protected by a designated origin classification, has defined this small Aude tow…
Uzès
Uzès, a tiny town in the Gard department of southern France's Occitanie region, carries the historic title of "premier duché de France" — a precedence grante…
Sare
Member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association, Sare is a pocket-sized Basque village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques on the Spanish border, backed…
Thuir
A sun-warmed Catalan town in southern France's wine-growing Roussillon plain, Thuir pairs a compact café-lined centre with the legacy of its famous aperitif…
Argelès-sur-Mer
A Mediterranean coastal town in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Argelès-sur-Mer sits directly on the water with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its s…
Luxeuil-les-Bains
Known since Celtic times for its hot springs, Luxeuil-les-Bains is a pocket-sized spa town in Haute-Saône, eastern France, where thermal bathing has shaped t…
Souillac
A little Dordogne-valley town in the Lot with a riverside setting, a compact café-and-restaurant core, vineyard surroundings, and easy access to the wider re…