Some of these small cities have serious arguments to be among the most beautiful in the world
They may seem identical to illustrations in the book of tales, but these beautiful, picturesque and unusual little cities are actually among the better secrets than the planet has to unveil . Perched on a hill, nestled between mountains, isolated from everything, colorful, authentic... all these villages have something unique that makes them beautiful places. Only one question remains when you see them: who to visit first?
Also read:
- 10 beautiful villages in Europe
- 110 surrealistic places you must visit before dying
Here are some of the most beautiful villages in the world:
Xingping, China
Jiufen, Taiwan
Located at 1:30 am from Taipei, the small town of Jiufen is located on a mountainside and is famous for its small streets that snake, climb, and descend between the small ridges lined with lanterns.
Riomaggiore, Italy
Cinque Terre is an accidental region of the coast on the Italian Riviera, with its five villages (Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore), the region is a national park and world heritage site. Terraces have been built to overcome the rugged terrain that this region offers.
Gásadalur, Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are a very small island archipelago in northern Scotland. For many years, the islands were difficult to access, with steep cliffs rising above the beaches and a single staircase built during the British occupation of the islands during the Second World War. The 18 lucky people who live in the village are blotted between two high mountains of 700 meters and on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea.
Levanzo, bay of Cala Dogana, Sicily, Italy
Levanzo Island is the smallest island in the Egades Islands with 220 inhabitants. The island is deprived of roads apart from a small stretch of asphalt road leading to the Beach del Faraglione. It is for the island a real advantage that contributes to the integrity and beauty of its landscape and gives it the nickname “car-free island”.
Manarola, Italy
Manarola is a charming village with very colourful houses, carved in a wall of impenetrable stone. The church dates from 1338 making this city one of the oldest in the region. From now on, the city is more famous for its delicious wine and paintings by Antonio Discovolos, who loved the city. This is one of the localities that make up the Cinque Terre.
Cochem, Germany
The city is located in a remarkable site, characterized by a castle that crowns a hill planted with vineyards on the edge of Moselle. It is a very busy stage in the Moselle valley and an important wine centre of Moselle-Sarre-Ruwer.
Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstat is a medieval village that houses less than 1,000 people. In the high mountains of Hallstat, you can explore the prehistoric mines that were among the first in the world.
Positano, Italy
The local church of Santa Maria Assunta has a Byzantine icon of the Black Virgin. It is estimated that the icon was stolen from Byzance by pirates who, during a storm, heard a strange voice on board saying “Posa, Posa!” ("Let La” Leave La!”). The pirates left the icon in the fishing village and the storm calmed down.
Vang Vieng, Laos
Vang Vieng was created in 1353 as a stage between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Without interest until a few years ago, the city has experienced significant growth thanks to the influx of the backpackers attracted by the possibilities of adventure tourism in the karstic landscape. It is also a destination that has success with young Western tourists, but not for cultural reasons. This is because here alcohol and opium are available everywhere. This is the place of all excesses.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt is located at the top end of the picturesque Zermatt valley at an altitude of over 1600 m and in the shadow of the highest peaks in Switzerland. This is one of the most famous ski resorts in Switzerland.
Méthymn (Molyvos), Greece
This village called Mólivos also reveals itself to be a city full of life with authentic charm. Overlooking the streams, a 14th century Genoese citadel stands on a sharp hill, discovering a grandiose panorama.
Bled, Slovenia
Abbreviated by the picturesque mountains, Bled was founded in 1004 and was considered so beautiful by the Germanic emperor Henri II that he gave it to Bishop Albuin de Brixen. The castle of Bled is located in the center of the beautiful lake of Bled that borders the city. The city of 5000 souls is now famous for having some of the most beautiful health spas in the region.
The villages of Lake Garda, Italy
The Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and is surrounded by mountains, monumental valleys and beautiful villages.
Queen, Norway
Queen is a picturesque fishing village located on the beautiful arctic island of Moskenesøya. The port has a population of only 329 inhabitants, but was rightly chosen as the most beautiful village in all Norway.
Shirakawa-gō, Japan
Shirakawa-gō is a small traditional village known for its very steep roofs that have been made to resist some of the world's heaviest snowfalls.
Burano, near Venice, Italy
About 6 kilometers off Venice is just as beautiful a small town. Burano is known for its brightly coloured houses, which follow a pre-established model hundreds of years ago. If you want to paint your home, you have to get permission from the mayor, and you will only have a few colors depending on your location. The small town was also known for lace making.
Scilla, Italy
Scilla, at the tip of Italy’s boot, was home to Scylla in Greek mythology. This monster kept the narrow channel between continental Italy and Sicily before Heracles killed him. The fishermen’s quarter, Chianalèa, is an entanglement of houses and passages that end only by opening onto the sea.
Portofino, Liguria, Italy
Founded by the Romans, the city was called Portus Delphini, or Port du Dauphin, because of the large number of dolphins in the Gulf of Tigullio. The village, with great elegance, forms a real theatre decor with its beautiful colorful fishermen’s houses and its imposing villas with facades painted in trumpet the eye.
San Quirico d’Orcia, Tuscany, Italy
San Quirico was a prosperous city in the Middle Ages thanks to its situation on the via Francigena linking Rome to the North of Europe. Its ramparts as well as the Barberousse Festival (3rd Sunday of June) are to be seen and done.
Qaqortoq, Greenland
Qaqortoq was founded in 1775 by Norwegians as Julianehåb. Not far from Qaqortoq are the ruins of Hvalsey, one of the most important remains of the Greenland Viking colonies.
Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The plains of Livno were populated 2000 years before JC. The beautifully green lands welcomed a tribe of the Iron Age known as Delmatae (Dalmates).
Cappadocia region, Turkey
Cappadoce is best known for its unique lunar landscapes, its underground cities and rocky villages. All of this is appreciated from the sky, with a small balloon trip.
Dazhai, China
Agricultural techniques in Xiyang County have created a landscape that is truly incredible seen from the sky. Dazhai is a small community of several hundred farmers nestled in the midst of this strange environment.
Verona, Veneto, Italy
Founded in the 1st century BC, the historic city of Verona is located on the banks of the Adige, close to Lake Garda. Following the tragedy Romeo and Juliet of Shakespeare appeared in 1597, whose action is located in this city, the city becomes the most famous romantic city in the world, called the “city of Verona lovers”.
Cemoro Lawang, Indonesia
Cemoro Lawang is more than 2200 m above sea level. The two Mont Batok and Mont Bromo are visible from the city, making it a paradise for mountaineers.
A village nestled in the province of Guizhou, China
Damüls, Austria
The village of Damüls is known for its famous ski resort to have many snowfalls.
San Marino, Italy
San Marino is a micro-republic of only 61.19 km2 in the beautiful landscape of Northern Italy. Founded in the year 301, it is one of the oldest sovereign states and the oldest constitutional republic in the world.
Xitang, China
Xitang is an ancient city that is crossed by nine rivers. The city itself is divided into 8 parts with 104 bridges that connect them.
The villages of Tuscany, Italy
The region of Tuscany is among the most beautiful in Italy and has beautiful cities and villages. Read our article on to visit in Tuscany .
Village in the Himalayas, Tibet
This is one of the many cities built to support monasteries hidden in the Himalaya mountains that are only accessible on foot or on horseback.
Colmar, France
The city was founded the first time in the 1200s, at the apogee of the Germanic Roman Empire, which ruled much of Europe. Since then, the city has won the nickname “Little Venice” because of the streams of water that snake through medieval streets.
Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey
Göreme was built in Roman times, in the middle of the magnificent rock formations that dominate the region. The natural hard rock served as foundations and fortifications for those who built the city, and to date, much of the old architecture is still standing.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Not really a small town, Queenstown is built around a handle on Lake Wakatipu and it’s an ideal destination for amateurs of strong sensations (bungee jumping, rafting, outboard, paragliding, parachute, etc.).
Mounting village in the Jiuzhaigou Valley, China
Little is known about these recluse villages scattered across China except that they served once as army bastions. They are now only available on horseback and on foot, and offer a unique look at the culture of classical China.
Morro de São Paulo, Brazil
Morro de São Paulo is so quiet that the only way to get to the village is by boat or charter flight because the cars are forbidden on the island. In the past, the island was both a cove for pirates and a bastion for the Portuguese.
Tenby, Wales
Located southeast of Pembrokeshire, Tenby is one of the most beautiful seaside resorts in Wales. Built on a rocky promontory, the city and its colorful Georgian houses dominate superb beaches.
Do you want to visit these villages?
Photo source: Distractify
Loading comments ...