Stunning images capture the prettiest small towns in Europe

Small places big on beauty

From historic citadels to snowy Alpine enclaves, these stunning small towns and villages are brimming with beauty at every turn. Full of culture, colour and quirky features found nowhere else on Earth, join us as we explore the marvellous mini metropolises across Europe that are sure to leave you spellbound.

Read on for wanderlust-inducing images of the continent's most characterful small towns and villages...

Hallstatt, Austria

Located in Austria's mountainous Salzkammergut region, Hallstatt is a storybook spot. The 16th-century traditional Alpine houses are perched on a narrow cliffside facing Lake Hallstatt, with dramatic mountain views in the background.

Bibury, England, UK

English writer and designer William Morris once declared Bibury the most beautiful village in the country. A hundred or so years later and he's still not far wrong. Located in the Cotswolds, an area defined by rolling hills and green meadows, Bibury is a picture-perfect place. Arlington Row, a line of weavers' cottages, is, if not the prettiest sight, certainly the most famous in Bibury.

Procida, Italy

The small town of Procida is located on the island of the same name. Pictured is Marina Corricella, the main strip along the bay, where houses are drenched in dazzling shades of pink, blue, yellow and more. Their peeling paintwork only adds to the effortless Italian charm.

Bled, Slovenia

Whether a winter wonderland or a summer sun spot, the quaint town of Bled is one of Slovenia's most famous. Commanding a wondrous view over Lake Bled, the town and the panoramic vistas that surround it look straight out of a fairy tale in every season.

Valldemossa, Spain

Nestled in the truly picturesque valley of the Tramuntana mountains, Valldemossa is one of Mallorca's most idyllic spots. An area of outstanding beauty, the village's sun-bleached stones stand out against the green farmlands and forests around it.

Tobermory, Scotland, UK

This bonny fishing hub on the Isle of Mull is shrouded in mystery. According to legend, a gold-laden Spanish galleon ship lies undiscovered beneath the mud of the bay. Above sea level, this pretty port is also home to a scenic harbour, seafood restaurants, pottery shops and standing stones.

Parga, Greece

Known locally as the Bride of Epirus, Parga is relatively young for a Greek settlement, having only existed since the early 13th century. Despite this, the town in northwestern Greece still brims with history – it was the only free Christian village in the region during Ottoman rule. A dilapidated fortress, called the Venetian Castle, is perched on a hilltop overlooking the hued homes.

Alberobello, Italy

It's almost impossible not to find a picture-perfect street in Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety. The small town in Italy's heel – Puglia – is famous for its unusual trulli houses, built from whitewashed local limestone with conical roofs.

Frigiliana, Spain

Just four miles (6km) away from the south coast of Spain, the hillside town of Frigiliana overlooks the world-famous Costa del Sol. Surrounded by a lush natural park, flora also runs wild in the town itself. Vines of bougainvillea, lavender and jasmine grow freely across the walls of houses, just adding to the magical feel.

Colmar, France

Winding streets, narrow canals and quaint, pastel-coloured houses – Colmar has it all. The pretty spot in the Grand Est region of northeastern France is a unique collection of medieval and early Renaissance buildings, including a beautiful 13th-century church.

Diessenhofen, Switzerland

Just across the river from Germany, tiny Diessenhofen retains its medieval feel. Typically Swiss in appearance, its main streets are lined with multicoloured homes. The town’s central tower displays a charming clock which has a face painted with astronomy symbols representing the 12 zodiac signs. It also has a working lunar clock which shadows the moon's phases.

Marsaxlokk, Malta

On Malta's southeast coast you'll find the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. Unlike most of Malta, it's virtually untouched by developers so life here is slow. Pictured is a fleet of traditional luzzu boats bobbing in the harbour.

Visby, Sweden

Located on the Swedish island of Gotland, the remote Viking settlement of Visby is the only town on the isle. Culture is important as the walled town is a centre for art, theatre and classical music. It also has its own speciality cuisine characterised by the use of saffron, the world’s most expensive spice.

Kinsale, Ireland

The Irish coastal town of Kinsale is famed for its exceptional cuisine which showcases the best of the bounty from the Celtic Sea. Besides the fanciful food on offer, Kinsale is also known for its quirky streets, which are flamboyantly painted every colour of the rainbow.

Kotor, Montenegro

An UNESCO town with a significant Venetian influence, the ancient fortification of Kotor is teeming with history. Due to the town’s maritime past, there's a large population of free-roaming felines and even a cat museum in their honour. The charming place is tickled by turquoise waters which lap against the dramatic Adriatic coast.

Trogir, Croatia

Found on an island between the Croatian coast and the Adriatic isle of Ciovo, Trogir's scenery is no stranger to the small screen, having appeared in episodes of Game of Thrones. Surrounded by 15th-century stone walls, the Romanesque-Gothic complex has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stykkisholmur, Iceland

Set among the striking violet mountains of western Iceland, Stykkisholmur is a rural dream. Made up of a handful of well-preserved old homes, it's also renowned for its eco-conscious principles, having been labelled a European Destination of Excellence for its environmental efforts.

Bacharach, Germany

Truly one of the most beautiful villages in Germany thanks to its location on the banks of the Rhine, dreamy Bacharach is a stunner. Surrounded by spectacular views of the Middle Rhine Valley and picturesque vineyards, the town is characterised by the slate roofs of higgledy-piggledy houses centred around the Postenturm (the town's Post Tower).

Rye, England, UK

A collection of half-timbered houses, steep cobbled lanes and ancient inns, Rye is one of England's best-kept secrets. Located between the rolling hills of East Sussex and the English Channel, it is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Britain, with nature reserves and sandy beaches on its doorstep.

Cudillero, Spain

Idyllic fishing village Cudillero, in Asturias, has retained its timeless Spanish charm over the years. Legend holds that the town was founded by the Vikings, and these days it's a delight to look at. The colourful houses towering over either side of the small port frame the bay beautifully.

Albarracin, Spain

The tiny town of Albarracin sits prettily in the hills of central Spain, overlooking the Guadalaviar River. The towering medieval walls dominate the hillside while ruins of an old Moorish alcazar sit on a clifftop above the town, adding to the fairy-tale feel.

Hamnoy, Norway

Known for its dramatic scenery, the Lofoten archipelago in Norway is a rugged wilderness where quaint Hamnoy is located. The oldest fishing village in the archipelago, it's also considered one of the most beautiful due to the brightly painted traditional homes. The short Arctic winter days here make for a moody setting while at night the sky is illuminated by the Northern Lights dancing above.

Positano, Italy

Dramatically perched on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, there's no doubting Positano is an Instagrammer's favourite. The streets, lined with flowering lemon, orange and olive groves, all lead down to the balmy Mediterranean Sea. In idyllic Italian fashion, these streets are also littered with an avalanche of architectural wonders and charming houses in all sorts of colours.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

A splendid medieval beauty with half-timbered houses, cobbled streets and towered walls, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (translating from German as Red Fortress above the Tauber River) is often regarded as Germany's prettiest town. No wonder the charming place is part of the popular Romantic Road through southern Germany.

Castle Combe, England, UK

Villages don’t come much more dreamy than this Cotswolds charmer with its honey-coloured stone cottages, 13th-century church (whose faceless clock is thought to be one of the oldest in the country) and little stone bridges that cross the ambling River Bybrook. It’s no wonder Castle Combe has caught the eye of film location scouts – credits include Stardust and Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse.

Lagos, Portugal

Found in the gorgeous Algarve region of Portugal, Lagos is a town of colours: golden cliffs, azure sky, jacaranda trees, whitewashed buildings and classic Portuguese azulejo tiles. It also boasts one of Europe’s best beaches with cool water and plenty of picturesque coves and lagoons.

Troyes, France

In the heartland of some of the world’s finest vineyards (the Champagne region specifically), lies the fanciful French town of Troyes. It's easy to fall head over heels with the romance of the town thanks to its holy haunts and old-world buildings which inject Troyes with such a distinct sense of character.

Oia, Greece

Greece – particularly its islands – is blessed with both natural and man-made beauty. But it’s hard to think of a view that more succinctly sums up the country’s gorgeousness than the blue domes of Santorini island. The most famous whitewashed homes, cave hotels and windmills are in Oia, a clifftop town perched by the Aegean Sea.

Manarola, Italy

Set amid rocky coastal cliffs, Manarola is one of the five fishing villages that make up the breathtaking Cinque Terre in northwestern Italy. Easily the most recognisable of all five, the homes in the cliffside town are painted in shades of pastel blue, pink, yellow and orange. The story goes that the houses were painted brightly so the returning fishermen could spot their homes more easily.

Zalipie, Poland

The impossibly pretty village of Zalipie has a secret. Back in the 19th century, the women of the village used powdered dye and milk to cover up dirty and sooty marks on their houses with colourful patterns. The tradition has continued ever since, and now more than 30 houses in Zalipie are adorned with intricate floral folk art. Some of the homes are open as museums today, while others remain the private property of local people.

Cochem, Germany

Trimming the banks of the Moselle River in Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate region, the tiny town of Cochem is towered over by a magnificent imperial castle and verdant hills. At water level, you can enjoy a peaceful stroll along the promenade, following a gentle curve of historic homes, cosy hotels and traditional bars painted a spectrum of warm and earthy tones.

Giethoorn, Netherlands

In this Dutch village, comprising a community of small islands linked by hand-dug canals, there are no roads. In the so-called 'Venice of the Netherlands', the only way to get around is by foot, bicycle or boat, and it's hard to imagine a more idyllic existence. Giethoorn's thatched roofs, bright blooms and 176 bridges only make it more appealing.

Telc, Czechia

A little slice of the Italian Renaissance north of the Alps, the UNESCO-inscribed historic centre of Telc is so impeccably preserved it almost looks like a Hollywood movie set. The town earned its captivating look thanks to friendly competition between its past residents, who would try to outdo one another with the grandiosity of their gabled homes. These facades fringe Telc's cobblestoned main square, which is dominated by a chateau.

Sozopol, Bulgaria

One of the oldest settlements on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, Sozopol's history dates back around 7,000 years. This combination of ancient and modern sets it apart from other Black Sea resort towns, making it perfect for those that like their beach breaks with a splash of culture. Head to Sozopol's atmospheric old town, with its wooden architecture and labyrinthine shaded streets, when the Balkan sun gets too much.

Gengenbach, Germany

Romantic Gengenbach, located on the western edge of Baden-Wurttemberg’s fabled Black Forest, is a proper Sleeping Beauty town. One of its most striking attractions is the 18th-century town hall, whose 24 windows light up as the world's largest advent calendar come December. You can also hike to the equally chocolate-box towns of Hausach and Schiltach from here, if you can’t get enough of that beguiling Black Forest charm.

Now discover our pick of the best underrated destinations in Europe