Devising a concise shortlist of the best quaint, historic and unique towns and villages in Europe is near impossible. Outside the larger main cities of the continent, those compact towns and rural villages can offer amazing authenticity in terms of beautifully archaic style, while presenting a window into world of exciting local culture. But this list, at least, tries to offer up towns and villages that are both typical of their region and unique in their own exceptional way.
Salzburg, Austria
The city of Salzburg in southern Austria was a setting for the movie The Sound of Music, and while the film’s notoriety has brought new tourism to the city; visitors quickly discover this apparent filmic beauty is genuine. Salzburg is home to incredible, lush gardens, including the self-proclaimed “most beautiful wedding venue in the world”, along with walking trails through the nearby hills that offer views of this unforgettably scenic and colourful city. The main market street is one of the most beautiful in Europe and is the location of the birthplace of Mozart.
Czesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
This town is like mini version of wonderful Prague; a museum of the Old World of Eastern Europe, with cobbled streets and ancient passageways ambling up to one of the most unique, vast castles in the region. The river running through Krumlov is popular with tourists for water sports; throughout summer canoeing is one of the area’s most popular attractions. While Krumlov is accessed via a decent half-day train ride from Prague, the secluded nature of this idyllic town makes it both more genuine and appealing for travellers.
Conwy, Wales
There are a number of charming Welsh towns worth a visit, but few offer more than historic Conwy, located on the north west coast. This tiny town is dominated by millennium-aged Conwy Castle, one of only a rare few UNESCO Heritage listed castles in all the UK. The castle is a stout visual force in the town’s skyline, with its ancient walls reaching out to surround Conwy, an immensely charming and typical Welsh village in itself. This town’s a must for history and castle buffs.
Cinque Terre, Italy
This series of five villages along the northwestern coast of Italy are UNESCO World Heritage listed and sure to leave an impression on any visitor. Each historic village was hand-built by the hardworking townspeople and into the coastal hills, and each reflects the romantic style of those classic Greek Islands like Santorini. One of the attractions of Cinque Terre is a series of walks that take visitors from village to village; some walks are harder than others, requiring a decent ascent through the mountains, but others, including the romantic Lovers Walk take a short, flat and scenically unforgettable route along the mountainous coastline of this picture perfect region.
Nice, Southern France
The French boast about the magnificent Cote d’Azur and the French Riviera, and a visit to Nice and its surrounds shows they’ve every right to. Nice is a beautiful southern coastal town, a perfect base for short day trips to exotic locations like Monaco, Cannes and St Tropez, where the mountains meet the sea in gorgeous, tourist-ready ambiance. An ideal way to visit is to hire a car and drive the coastal route for spectacular views and to have the opportunity to get off the beaten track at many key locations.
Bruges, Belgium
The tiny, quiet nation of Belgium contains this jewel of a city, a place of aged austere and immense historic beauty. The Belgian penchant for full-bodied, full-flavoured beer and rich decadent chocolate is ever-present in this fantastic city, well worth a visit on any trip to the European mainland.
Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn is no longer a secret, and the beauty of the pre-Soviet eastern European style is no longer hidden away and forgotten. Everyone who visits the colourful and picturesque town of Tallinn, with it’s distinct red rooves and knobbed, cobbled village-market atmosphere, falls in love with her instantly. This is the largest city in Estonia and is home to some of the best-preserved village areas in all of Europe – which is really saying something special, isn’t it?
