Sometimes when you’re browsing through the Internet, you’ll come across pictures that truly look unreal. And that’s the same with many different small towns and villages around the world. Many of the photos that you see online look like they can only exist on a postcard, so you don’t ever think you can visit those destinations. However, there are actually some small towns and villages that actually look like their picture counterpart. Many of these picturesque small towns and villages can be found in Europe, so you can admire their beauty first-hand. So brace yourself and be ready to find out about the most picturesque European villages and small towns you can actually visit right now!
1. A real-life fairytale destination, Bled, Slovenia
If you’re ever in Slovenia and want to feel like you’ve been transported into another world, do find the time to drop by the quaint town of Bled. Bled has some spectacular sights and is one of the most-visited destinations for both Slovenians and tourists alike! Its most iconic feature is Lake Bled, with its clear, emerald waters and the foliage that surrounds it.
While you’re in Bled, you must ride on the pletna boats, because as the locals say, someone hasn’t truly visited Bled until he has ridden in a pletna. It’s also the only way you can access the Church of the Assumption of Mary, where you can ring the bell 3 times while wishing for something, and it will definitely come true. You could also trek to Vintgar Gorge, or admire an unparalleled view of Bled and Lake Bled from Bled Castle. And after a long day, feel free to indulge in the town’s local speciality, kremna rezina or the Bled Cream Cake!
Church of the Assumption of Mary
Price: from 6.40 USD (Adults), 1.10 USD (Children, ages 14 and under)
Opening Hours: 9am - 7pm (May - September), 9am - 6pm (April & October), 9am - 4pm (November - March).
Access: Quick access via the Pletna
Website: Church of the Assumption of Mary
Bled Castle
Address: Grajska cesta, 4260 Bled, Slovenia
Price: from 10.70 USD (Adults), 5.35 USD (Children, ages 14 and under)
Opening Hours: 8am - 6pm (November - March), 8am - 8pm (April - 14 June & 16 September - 31 October) and 8am - 9pm (15 June - 15 September)
Website: Bled Castle
Vintgar Gorge
Address: Podhom, 4247 Zgornje Gorje, Slovenia
Price: from 5.35 USD (Adults), 2.70 USD (Children, ages 6 - 15), 0.90 USD (Children, ages 6 and under)
Opening Hours: 8am - 7pm (April - November)
Duration: around 1.5 hours required.
Website: Vintgar Gorge
2. From the land to the sea, Positano, Italy
Positano doesn’t seem like a real-life destination but instead looks like something that will only exist in photographs. However, it’s actually a destination you can visit and experience the beauty of it yourself. It’s considered to be the jewel of the Amalfi Coast, and we can definitely see why! We think the most iconic sights in Positano are the cascading patel buildings that reach the bottom of the beach. So you should spend time walking around the loud and cheerful streets, all while finding a new gem to explore.
So when you’re done with exploring the streets, what else can you do? You can actually head down to the gorgeous and sandy beaches, spend some time working on your tan, or swimming in the open sea. Or, you could explore the local cuisine and have a delicious meal. So if you’re nearby Positano, consider making the trip to it!
Fornillo
Address: 84017, Positano, Italy
Price: Free-of-charge, beach chairs and umbrellas can be rented for 10.67 USD.
Opening Hours: Open all year round.
3. Secluded yet charming fishing village, Reine, Norway
Lofoten is already one of the most scenic parts of Norway, but you really can’t beat the excellent views in Reine! Despite being in a remote location in Norway, many tourists are still willing to stop by for a quick visit, and that’s a real testament to how it’s worth visiting. What draws many tourists to Reine is most definitely the vibrant red and white fishermen cottages, which are known as rorbuer. However, did you know many of them have been revamped to actually host tourists? Many of them are actually perched on top of the water, so you’ll wake up to some amazing views.
As Reine is such a tiny and quaint village, there isn’t actually much to do tourism-wise. Most tourists actually drop by to drop off the grid, and to absorb the small village vibe. However, you can take a ferry and head to the secluded Bunes Beach where you can have a swim (if the water isn’t too cold) or take a hike around. Or if you’re physically fit and if the weather is clear, you can actually take a short hike up the steep Reinebringen for a magnificent view of the entirety of Reine. Reine is also an ideal spot to visit if you want to witness the midnight sun during the summer and the Aurora Borealis in the winter.
Reinefjorden (Local Ferry)
Website: Reinefjorden (Norwegian only, timetable for ferry available here)
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4. Travel around the town via a boat, Giethoorn, the Netherlands
If you’re ever in the Netherlands, you should retreat into Giethoorn, a small town which is car-free and is also well-known as being the ‘Venice of Holland’. As there aren’t any roads in this town, you can only walk, cycle or ride in a boat around the town. Giethoorn rests at the edge of Weerribben Wieden National Park, making it an extremely green town. When you first enter the town, you’ll notice that it’s really charming and quiet, with the loudest sounds being the locals talking and the ducks’ quacking.
Most people choose to travel around the town via the boats, and you can access different museums that are littered around. One of the more well-known ones is the Museumboerderij ’t Olde Maat Uus, which presents the local history of the town and farms! It’s recommended that you visit Giethoorn in the summer, when the sun is shining and when all the plants are in bloom, which makes the town look lush and like a utopia. However, for a quiet vacation spot, you can go in winter when the canals are frozen over. Just bring a pair of ice skates!
Museumboerderij 't Olde Maat Uus
Address: Binnenpad 52, 8355 BT Giethoorn, the Netherlands
Price: from 4.30 USD (Adults), 1.60 USD (Children)
Opening Hours: 11am - 5pm (Monday - Saturday) and 12pm - 5pm (Sunday). Open from Easter till autumn, also during the Christmas holiday period and spring break. Closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day.
Duration: around 1 hour required.
Website: Museumboerderij ’t Olde Maat Uus (Dutch only)
Portugal Tour Guide
Ana Cristina Paiva
I am an australian-born Portuguese living in Lisbon since I was 8 years old. I studied Tourism and became a Licensed Guide and I absolutely love my job! The Portuguese landscape, history, food, traditions have won me over and I hope to share all this with you! I live in an historical neighborhood and believe that the best way to get to know a city is by walking. During the tours I hope to answer your questions and curiosities, proving a memorable and fun learing experience.
Tours by Ana-cristina
5. Walk around feeling like royalty, Colmar, France
If you’re a huge fan of Studio Ghibli’s ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’, then you’d be familiar with the town of Colmar! As this town has been ruled over by the French and Germans, you can actually see the two countries’ influence at play in the design of the town and the buildings in Old Town. When you’re exploring Old Town, you’ll notice that it’s extremely charming, and you can’t help but stop and admire the wonderful buildings. If you want to take a ride in Colmar’s Little Venice while avoiding large groups of tourists, be sure to go early in the morning!
Colmar is also considered to be the capital of Alsatian wine, so you can enjoy a good glass of it while indulging in a delicious French meal. Another special attraction you should visit is Musee d'Unterlinden. It showcases many different artworks, but the most famous one is Isenheim Altarpiece. Included in your admission fee is a free audio guide, make use of it and tour the museum on your own!
Musee d'Unterlinden
Address: 1 Rue des Unterlinden, 68000 Colmar, France
Price: from 13.90 USD (Adults), 11.75 USD (Seniors), 8.60 USD (Children, ages 12 - 18) and free-of-charge (Children, ages 12 and under)
Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm (Monday & Wednesday), 10am - 8pm (Thursday), 10am - 6pm (Friday - Sunday), 10am - 4pm (24 December & 31 December). Closed on Tuesday, 1 January, 1 May, 1 November and 25 December.
Duration: around 3 hours required.
Website: Musee d'Unterlinden
6. Visit the many different castles, Sintra, Portugal
Perched high above some beautifully green mountains lies Sintra, which is well-known for its pastel-hued homes and magnificent castles. It’s located close to Lisbon, making it a fantastic spot to visit for a day trip. The town square is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and when you enter, you’ll be gobsmacked by the beautiful and colourful buildings. And as you walk around Sintra, you’ll think that you’re in a romantic movie.
As mentioned, Sintra has many different castles, because many of the Portuguese royals were attracted to this brilliant town. One of them is the Pena Palace, a Romanticist castle that sits on top of a hill above the rest of Sintra. Its grounds seem to go on forever, with the colours being bright and vibrant. You can also visit the huge park where many different varieties of plants are hosted. To top it all off, you’ll have a fantastic view of Sintra, making the trip up to Pena Palace worth it!
Pena Palace
Address: Estrada da Pena, 2710-609 Sintra, Portugal
Price: from 12.30 USD (Adults, ages 18 - 64), 9.65 USD (Children, ages 6 -17 and Seniors, ages 65 and up) - Access to palace and park.
Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm (Winter), 9.30am - 6pm (Summer). Closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Duration: around half-a-day recommended.
Website: Pena Palace
7. Beautiful lakeside towns with humble beginnings, Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt overlooks Lake Hallstatt and is considered one of the most beautiful lakeside towns in the world. It’s fairly picturesque and is surrounded by several tall mountain ranges, and while it might be out of the way, it’s definitely worth a day trip from Salzburg or Vienna. It’s easy to walk around so you can walk around while absorbing the peaceful atmosphere. And if you want some fantastic photos of the town, get on a ferry and ride on the waters.
Hallstatt was also a town that started with trading salt, so you can actually visit its 250-year-old salt mines. As you head up to the salt mines, you can actually take in the gorgeous view of the entire town. At the beginning of the tour, you’ll dress up in full mining overalls and learn more about the salt mines through multi-media presentations. And at the end of the whole tour, you can slide down a slide.
Salt Mine Tour
Address: Salzbergstraße 21, 4830 Hallstatt, Austria
Price: from 32.15 USD (Adults), 16.10 USD (Children, ages 4 - 15)
Opening Hours: 9.30am - 4.30pm (1 April - 24 September), 9.30am - 3pm (25 September - 5 November), 9.30am - 2pm (6 November - 26 November)
Website: Salt Mine Tour
8. Wonderful and unbelievable looking town, Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Cesky Krumlov is a small and lovely city that’s easy to walk around and explore. It’s also near to cities like Prague and Vienna, making it a perfect place to visit for a day-trip. It’s an extremely walkable city so you can stroll down the pathways and enjoy the view of the Vltava River. You can also visit Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the buildings have a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and baroque architecture. Most of the buildings have actually been left untouched or unchanged, so you’ll be thrust into Cesky Krumlov’s charming past.
One of the most popular attractions in the city is Cesky Krumlov Castle, which dates back to 1240. It’s currently also one of the world’s most well-preserved Baroque theatres and has many of its original features. It’s now a museum, and there are several different guided tours where you can learn more about the history of the city and the royals who lived in there. It’s a fairly vibrant town, especially in the summer because of the many festivals that take place. However, if you don’t want to be in the midst of all that madness, you can visit the city during the quiet winters.
Cesky Krumlov Castle
Address: Zámek 59, 381 01 Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Price: Depends on which tour you take.
Opening Hours: Depends on which tour you take.
Duration: Depends on which tour you take.
Website: Cesky Krumlov Castle
9. This town is more than its cheese, Gruyères, Switzerland
When people think of Gruyères, most of them might think about the cheese. While the town of Gruyères is well-known for its cheese, and you can actually have a fondue of it in town, there’s more to this quaint town than cheese. It’s a classic-looking European small town and has an extremely charming feel to it. The town’s most iconic attraction might be the Castle of Gruyères, where you can find countless artworks and learn more about the history of the town, making it really worth a visit.
However, for more unique experiences, you can head to 2 attractions. The first being the Tibet Museum, which hosts the largest collection of Buddha depictions outside of Asia. While the second being the HR Giger Museum. H. R. Giger was part of the special effects team that won an Academy Award for Alien, and many of his works from that film are on display in the museum. While Gruyères is a classically beautiful European town, it has some quirks that push it over the edge.
Tibet Museum
Address: Rue du Château 4, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
Price: from 10 USD (Adults), 8 USD (Seniors), 5 USD (Children, ages 6 - 16)
Opening Hours: 1pm - 5pm (Tuesday - Friday), 11am - 6pm (Saturday & Sunday), closed on Mondays (November to Easter). 11am - 6pm, daily (Easter to October).
Duration: around 2 hours required.
Website: Tibet Museum
HR Giger Museum
Address: Château St. Germain, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
Price: from 12.50 USD (Adults), 8.50 USD (Seniors) and 4 USD (Children)
Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm (April - November). Open daily. 1pm - 5pm (Wednesday - Friday) and 10am - 6pm (Saturday & Sunday). Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Duration: around 1.5 hours required.
Website: HR Giger Museum
10. A classic-looking European town, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Rothenburg is a charming German town and is also one of the best-preserved medieval walled towns, and most of it has remained unchanged. It may also look familiar to film lovers because it was actually used as the Vulgarian town square in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The cobblestone walkways, which are largely flat, make Rothenburg an extremely walkable town, so you can embark on a journey immediately!
The buildings in Rothenburg have different architectural styles so if you are fond of architecture, you can go around the entire town exploring all the different buildings. Also, there aren’t that many tourist-oriented things to do in town as many people drop by to just experience the laid-back vibe of this adorable town. The ‘best’ way to experience Rothenburg is to just walk around and head into a building that interests you.
Picture-perfect European getaways
Europe is truly a dreamy continent, with plenty of charming towns scattered around all the different nations. However, these are just some of our favourites, and we have to say they look truly magnificent. Because seeing is truly believing, you definitely have to stop by some of these and experience them for yourself. And also remember to snap a photograph as a souvenir.
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