Charming old-world towns.
Walls, towers, narrow streets — and not always on the postcard rack.
Castelmezzano
Above the jagged rock formations of the Dolomiti Lucane, Castelmezzano is a particularly photogenic village in Basilicata's Potenza province, recognised in I…
Mauterndorf
A compact Alpine village in Austria's Salzburg region, where traditional timber-and-plaster houses spread across a green valley floor beneath forested peaks,…
Polperro
This particularly photogenic fishing village on the south Cornwall coast, Polperro is built around a compact harbour with tightly-packed historic fishermen's…
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…
Corciano
This hill village in Umbria recognised as one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia, Corciano preserves a medieval centre of almost circular shape, partly still enc…
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…
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…
Vielha
Capital of the Val d'Aran in the Pyrenees, Vielha sits at the confluence of the Garona river and its tributary the Riu Negre, with a café and restaurant scen…
Třebíč
Třebíč, a town in Czechia's Vysočina Region, holds a UNESCO World Heritage Site that pairs two rarely combined landmarks: a medieval Jewish Quarter and the R…
Ragusa
A Sicilian city rebuilt in baroque style after a devastating 1693 earthquake, Ragusa sits on a limestone hill between two deep valleys and divides into two d…
Vigevano
Vigevano's Renaissance Piazza Ducale anchors a heritage-dense, walkable centre in Lombardy's Pavia province, with historic churches, cafés, and listed buildi…
Weilburg
A photogenic pocket-sized town in Hesse set on the Lahn river between the Westerwald and Taunus uplands, Weilburg was for centuries the residence of the Nass…
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…
Monaco-Ville
Set on a Mediterranean headland known as The Rock, Monaco-Ville is the historic core of the Principality of Monaco — a compact, photogenic village dense with…
Saluzzo
A medieval hill town in Piedmont's Cuneo province, Saluzzo served as capital of its own marquisate for over four centuries — from 1142 to 1548 — and retains…
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…
Peniche
This photogenic Atlantic-facing town on the Portuguese coast in the Oeste region, Peniche has a walkable centre with a real food-and-drink scene and water vi…
Gisors
Gisors, a compact Norman town in the Eure department within easy reach of Paris, is dominated by a medieval castle that has stood on its mound since the Midd…
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…
Nicosia
This small Sicilian hill town in the province of Enna rises across four rocky hills, with the ruins of a medieval castle visible from below and an unusual co…
Lamego
This compact city in Portugal's Douro wine country, Lamego sits on the Balsemão River with an unusual concentration of churches for its size, a real café and…
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…
Narni
An ancient hill town in Umbria that claims to sit at the geographical centre of Italy — a spot marked by a stone — Narni overhangs a narrow gorge of the Rive…
Eibenstock
A compact Saxon town in the forested Ore Mountains, Eibenstock pairs a Gothic church spire and ornate 19th-century civic buildings with a broad reservoir bac…
Sellano
A tiny Umbrian village in the Vigi valley, Sellano is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia and since 2024 has been connected to the Castello di Montesant…
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 —…
Caltabellotta
This hilltop town in Sicily's Agrigento province sits high above surrounding valleys, olive groves, and distant views of the Mediterranean, making it one of…
Alanya
A Mediterranean resort city on Turkey's southern coast where a Seljuk-era citadel dominates a modest peninsula backed by the Taurus Mountains, Alanya combine…
Larochette
This compact stone village in a forested valley in Luxembourg, where medieval castle ruins rise dramatically from a rocky outcrop directly above the tightly…
Aire-sur-la-Lys
A fortified town on the River Lys in northern France's Pas-de-Calais, Aire-sur-la-Lys has a photogenic centre with cafés and restaurants along the waterfront…
Vianden
Medieval castle rises dramatically above this compact Luxembourg river valley village, its stone towers overlooking densely wooded hillsides, a winding river…
Karlovy Vary
Founded in the 14th century by Charles IV and built around a cluster of hot springs, Karlovy Vary is Czechia's most visited spa town, set at the confluence o…
Modane
Compact town in the Maurienne Valley of Savoie, Modane sits within the Vanoise National Park close to the Italian border, with mountain scenery on all sides…
Judenburg
Photogenic compact town on the Mur river in Styria's mountain terrain, Judenburg carries a medieval trading history visible in the burgher houses and churche…
Nyon
This lakeside town on the western shore of Lake Geneva, Nyon sits in the heart of Swiss wine country with a walkable centre, a solid food-and-drink scene, an…
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…
Picerno
A compact hilltop town in Basilicata's Potenza province, Picerno rises above rolling green valleys with a bell tower and medieval stone tower at its core, su…
Queralbs
Small Pyrenean hamlet in Catalonia's Ripollès comarca, Queralbs is the gateway to Vall de Núria, reached by rack railway from nearby Ribes de Freser.
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…
Kingswear
Right on the east bank of the tidal River Dart near its mouth, Kingswear is a photogenic Devon village sitting within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Nat…
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…
Estremoz
Large white palace-castle with medieval battlements crowns the hilltop above this Alentejo town, whose whitewashed streets, multiple churches, and surroundin…
Ilfracombe
A photogenic harbour town on the North Devon coast, Ilfracombe sits among cliffs and hills with scenic views in multiple directions.
Donzy
A compact Burgundian village of terracotta rooftops and stone-built streets, dominated by a tall Gothic church tower, with a river meadow landscape spreading…
Solothurn
Solothurn's pedestrian-only old town, built largely between 1520 and 1790, is one of Switzerland's most concentrated displays of Baroque architecture, blendi…
Moulins
This heritage-dense town on the river Allier in central France, Moulins is the historic capital of the Bourbonnais province and holds a walkable centre with…
Lauria
A medieval hilltop town in Basilicata's mountains, Lauria stacks stone and render buildings up a steep wooded ridge, crowned by a ruined fortress and a hillt…
Bad Ragaz
A spa and health resort in the canton of St.
Fortuneswell
A small conservation-area town on the steep northern slopes of the Isle of Portland in Dorset, Fortuneswell sits where Chesil Beach connects the island to th…
Brisighella
Three rocky spurs rise above this little Emilia-Romagna town, each topped by a landmark: the 14th-century Rocca Manfrediana fortress, an 18th-century sanctua…
Ubrique
Leather craftsmanship defines Ubrique, a white-walled Andalusian town in the Sierra de Cádiz known as the cradle of Andalusian leatherwork.
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…
Batalha
A pocket-sized Portuguese town in the Leiria region whose skyline is dominated by an elaborate Gothic and Manueline monastery — all soaring pinnacles, lace-l…
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…
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…
Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee
A modest market town in Austria's Salzkammergut region, sitting at the water's edge in mountain terrain with scenic viewpoints in the surrounding hills.
Bad Reichenhall
Salt production with a history stretching back four thousand years defines Bad Reichenhall, a spa town in the Bavarian Alps of Upper Bavaria whose Alpine sal…
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…
Domodossola
A walkable town in Piedmont's Ossola valley with a centre full of cafés and historic churches, Domodossola is the main hub of the Val d'Ossola, sitting at th…
Joinville
This small town on the water in Haute-Marne, north-eastern France, Joinville carries a layered medieval history: it was the seat of a lordship in the county…