From ancient citadels to snowy ski spots, the world is brimming with gorgeous small towns alive with culture, colour and quirk. We’ve selected our favourites from across the globe and, while we accept that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, ranked them on their attractiveness.
Click through this gallery to discover which marvellous mini-metropolis is our number one...
Would you ever expect to find a recreation of a Bavarian Alpine village in the Deep South? In Helen you won’t believe you’re really in the Peach State while passing the German-style shops and archaic horse-drawn carriages. And what’s a Bavarian town without bratwurst and barrels of beer? German-inspired food is found in restaurants and bars year-round but everything is supersized during Helen's annual Oktoberfest celebrations – among the largest of their kind in the USA.
With a Neo-Baroque square at its heart, this laid-back Cuban town is a colourful collection of grand 18th- and 19th-century buildings, including the restored Palacio Brunet mansion and churches like the Iglesia de la Santísima, with its vaulted ceilings and carved altars. Located in central Cuba, the town contains quaint cobbled streets and endless charm.
One of the last silver-mining boom towns in the Wild West, Tombstone is now a living relic of the old days of cowboys and gunslingers. The streets are lined with red-brick buildings, 20th-century saloons and quirky storefronts. Visitors can take a tour of the old courthouse, visit the Gunfighter Hall of Fame and watch battle reenactments on the streets.
Dramatically perched on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, Positano is a postcard-perfect town. Its stony streets are lined with flowering lemon, orange and olive groves, as they wind down to the bright blue Mediterranean Sea. In idyllic Italian fashion, these streets are also littered with an avalanche of alluring restaurants, boutiques and chic hotels.
Evoking the atmosphere of a Greek island, this under-visited but exquisite Tunisian town of Sidi Bou Said is a delightful spot. Its buildings are milky-white and as cobalt-blue as the sea and sky. It's not hard to see why the town has long attracted artists.
Occupying a dreamy spot on the eastern shore of the picturesque Lake Como in northern Italy, Varenna is perfectly formed from whichever angle you look. This comune (a type of small township) was founded by local fishermen in AD 769, and today the overlapping terraced gardens and pastel-coloured houses provide a scenic backdrop to the café-lined waterfront. For those keen on historical sights, there's Villa Monastero, an 18th-century mansion with opulent décor and waterfront gardens.
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This beauty in Asturias has timeless charm in spades. According to legend, Cudillero is said to have been founded by the Vikings, and historically fishing has been its main industry. A delight to look at, it's at its best when viewed from the bay, with its colourful houses sloping up from the water.
The scenic settlement of Iruya doesn't look real. Burrowed into the midnight-blue mountainside of the Altiplano region, the hard-to-reach rural town still manages to attract travellers from all corners of the globe, who are charmed by its colourful buildings and Argentinian steaks.
During the Gold Rush in the late 1800s, thousands of Americans flocked to the Black Hills of South Dakota to seek their fortune. Many of these notorious gunslinging residents – including Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok – remain in the town in Mount Moriah Cemetery. While you won’t find rootin'-tootin' outlaws galloping through the saloons anymore, you can still enjoy shootout reenactments and Black Hills bourbon.
Located on Spain's Costa Brava, Cadaqués is probably most famous as Salvador Dalí's summer holiday destination. An easygoing village, it boasts whitewashed houses that sparkle against the cobalt sea and its pebble beaches. The bohemian vibe synonymous with Dalí and his contemporaries, like Federico García Lorca, is still very much alive in the town's vibrant cultural life. Typically, fairs, parades and festivals take place throughout the year, including the International Music Festival and the Cultural Week of Cadaqués.
English writer and designer William Morris once declared Bibury the most beautiful village in the country. A hundred or so years later the sentiment certainly seems to stand. Located in the Cotswolds, an area defined by rolling hills and green meadows, Bibury is picture-perfect. Arlington Row (pictured), a line of weavers' cottages, is the prettiest sight.
Castelmezzano looks like it's been carved out of the rock face, with the jagged Dolomiti Lucane peaks surrounding the town. Located almost 3,000 feet (900m) above sea level in a range of eroded karst peaks, the town's origins lie as far back as the 6th century BC. Today, it's a brilliant base for hiking. Some trails continue on into the Basento Valley and further into the Gallipoli-Cognato National Park, as well as connecting it with the neighbouring and equally beautiful Pietrapertosa.
Near the urban jungles of Shanghai and Suzhou is an elegant water town known as the Venice of the East. Classic Chinese architecture decorates the banks of Zhouzhuang's canals and, as in Venice, travel by motorised transport is forbidden, meaning the waters are graced by gondolas that float under ivy-wrapped stone bridges. At dusk, traditional lanterns illuminate the waterways, making for a magical scene.
Both a winter wonderland and a summer sun spot, Bled is one of Slovenia's most famous destinations. The quaint town commands a wondrous view over Lake Bled and tourists are drawn here year-round to experience the panoramic vistas. In summer, activities such as rafting and kayaking are popular, while skiing and snowboarding are on offer during the snowy winters.
Located in the gorgeous Algarve region of Portugal, Lagos is a town of colours: golden cliffs, azure sky, violet Jacaranda trees, whitewashed buildings and iconic Portuguese azulejo tiles. The wine is cheap but very tasty, as is the local fare of steaks and delicious caldeirada de peixe (fish stew). The area is home to some of Europe’s best beaches, with various coves and lagoons only accessible by boat.
Nestled in a truly picturesque valley in the Tramuntana mountains, Valldemossa is one of Mallorca's most idyllic spots. An area of outstanding beauty, the town’s sun-bleached stones stand out against the green farmlands and forests around it. Famously scorned by the composer Frédéric Chopin but adored by every visitor since, the storybook town is a tranquil place.
Just one of the many stunning seafront towns in Maine, Stonington is located at the tip of Deer Isle in Penobscot Bay. This coastal village is best known for its extensive lobster fleet of more than 300 boats, which is the largest in the state, so there's always first-class seafood to eat. Those staying at the waterfront Inn on the harbour can watch the boats leave at sunrise, then see them come back in with the day's catch, ready to be served at dinner.
Tucked in between towering mountains on the shore of the Grove Arm of the Cook Strait, Picton is known as the gateway to the many islands and inlets of the Marlborough Sounds. Built around a sheltered harbour, the town has an attractive seafront dotted with cafés, restaurants and art galleries. There's also the floating Edwin Fox Maritime Museum situated aboard the oldest merchant ship in the world. It is currently undergoing preservation procedures so visitors can only access the gangplank.
Located between Prague and Vienna, Znojmo is not only extremely picturesque, with its orange-capped houses, but also a favourite for sommeliers and wine buffs. There's a museum plus the Louka Monastery’s wine collection within the town's limits, and Podyjí National Park – home to Šobes, a sublime local vineyard – is just a 20-minute drive away.
You may recognise this bonny Scottish fishing hub as the town from the classic UK children’s TV show Balamory. The pretty port is home to the less kid-friendly Tobermory Distillery which mainly produces a matured single malt whisky. The tiny town is also shrouded in mystery. According to legend, a gold-laden Spanish galleon ship lies undiscovered beneath the mud of the bay.
The town of Procida spans the whole island from which it gets its name. It’s the Bay of Naples’ smallest and sweetest isle, avoiding the clamour of tourists that flock to neighbouring islands such as Capri. Seaside houses are drenched in dazzling shades of pink, blue, yellow and more, their peeling paintwork adding to the effortless Italian charm.
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 and is a reminder of the town's Venetian era.
In the far south of the USA’s most northerly state is Ketchikan, centred on a small cluster of colourful clapboard stilt houses perched over Ketchikan Creek. The city (which made this list because it's far closer in size to a town) is known for its Indigenous (mostly Tlingit and Haida) heritage, and is the best place in the country to see intricately carved and brightly painted totem poles in their intended environment. And what an environment it is, with lush green forests, glacier-carved valleys and looming mountains just outside the city.
Stowe in Vermont is the perfect small town for nature enthusiasts, art lovers and ice cream fans who'll find the Ben & Jerry's Waterbury Factory here. Not only is the charming town surrounded by thick forests, rivers and valleys, but the state's highest peak, Mount Mansfield, is also nearby. There are frequent arts and crafts events in the town as well as the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.
Before you've even passed through one of the four gates that guard Khiva's inner town, Itchan Kala, it's worth stopping to admire the ancient walls: the turrets of clay-coloured stone with bold splashes of aquamarine are a striking sight. Inside, it's something of an oasis, with peaceful archways and more than 50 historic monuments, including the Djuma Mosque.
At the geographical centre of Ráquira is its towering church steeple, but its beating heart is its artisan community. The town is Colombia's pottery capital and the streets are packed with an array of craft stores, injecting colour into every corner. This often-underrated destination typically hosts a bustling market every Sunday for locals to show off their wares.
Just four miles (6km) away from the south coast of Spain, the hillside town of Frigiliana overlooks the world-famous Costa del Sol. It's surrounded by a lush natural park full of hiking trails and outdoor activities, but nature has also run wild in the town itself. Vines of bougainvillea, lavender and jasmine grow freely across the walls of houses.
Just across the river from Germany, the tiny town of Dissenhofen, in Thurgau canton (a Swiss administrative division), retains its medieval feel. Typically Swiss in its appearance, its main streets are lined with multicoloured homes. The town’s central tower displays a whimsical clock painted with astronomical symbols representing the 12 zodiac signs. It also has a working lunar clock that shadows the moon's phases.
On Malta's southeast coast you'll find the fishing village of Marsaxlokk (pronounced marsa-schlock). Unlike most of the island country, it's virtually untouched by developers and the fleet of traditional luzzu boats bobbing in the harbour make for a postcard-perfect scene. The seafront promenade is also a popular dining spot where catches of the day are served up at charming restaurants.
The remote Viking settlement of Visby is nestled on the island of Gotland – and is its only town. Culture is important here, and the pretty walled town is a centre for art, theatre and classical music. It also has its own speciality cuisine in which saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, is prominent.
One of Ireland's best-loved towns, the southern coastal town of Kinsale is famed for its exceptional restaurants where local chefs have been awarded various accolades. Besides the fanciful food on offer, Kinsale is also known for its quirky streets that are flamboyantly painted every colour of the rainbow.
One of Iceland's most charming towns, quaint Húsavík is located in the island's northern reaches. A fishing village with just over 2,000 residents, the town has become a centre for whale watching thanks to the large variety of whale species frequently entering the bay. One of the town's most notable features is its colourful wooden church Húsavíkurkirkja, but more recently it's garnered attention as one of the key locations in Netflix's Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Lamu, a preserved Swahili settlement, is Kenya’s oldest continuously-inhabited town. Once a hub for poetry, politics, arts and crafts, it’s now a hubbub of trade, mosques and even a donkey sanctuary. Sunrises and sunsets are not to be missed, as the town is baked by orange, pink and purple rays. It's also a treasure trove of rooftop restaurants and sunny seascapes.
Located on the Costa Verde, a coastal area in the state of Rio de Janeiro known for its greenery, Paraty is one of the oldest towns in Brazil. Founded in 1667 by the Portuguese, its colourful centre is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is fully pedestrianised – a bid to preserve the town's immaculate historic buildings. Much of the town's architecture, including the cobbled streets, hasn't changed much for 250 years or more, leaving an impression that you've travelled to a different era entirely.
Located in Austria's mountainous Salzkammergut region, Hallstatt is the most incredible storybook town you could ever imagine. The 16th-century traditional Alpine houses are perched on a narrow cliffside facing Lake Hallstatt, with dramatic mountain views in the background.
A charming coastal town along the Great Ocean Road, Port Fairy is practically perfect in every way. Located in southwestern Victoria, it's known for having one of the best golf courses in Australia and its Folk Festival is the one of the country's largest and best-loved. The 19th-century cottages, stunning architecture and cute boutiques also delight visitors.
Another embattled UNESCO town with a significant Venetian influence, the ancient fortifications of Kotor are teeming with history. Due to the town’s maritime past, there is a large population of free-roaming felines, and there’s even a Cat Museum in their honour. Tickled by the turquoise waters of the bay, Kotor is also a modern town with Montenegro's biggest nightclub hidden within the walls of the citadel.
In the heartland of some of the world’s finest vineyards (the sparkling Champagne region specifically), lies the fanciful French town of Troyes. Enchanted by the romance of the town, visitors fall head-over-heels with the holy haunts and half-timbered buildings which inject Troyes with such a distinct sense of character.
Up in the highlands of Bali’s Mount Batur, 2,230 feet (700m) above sea level, is Penglipuran – a traditional Balinese village. While the area has mod-cons including a supermarket, the surroundings may fool you into thinking you’ve stepped into a time warp. Locals proudly look after their homes, many of which are adorned with intricate engravings and original rooftops, lining the winding pathways up to the grand temple.
Perched high up in the mountains of northern Vietnam, Sapa and the surrounding villages are beautifully placed within the stunning terraced rice fields. Established as a hill station in 1922, today Sapa has plenty of hiking and trekking trails criss-crossing the mountains and snaking in between the rice terraces. Easily reached from Hanoi, the serene town has become a major tourist hotspot in northern Vietnam.
One of the most well-preserved 19th-century towns in the country, it’s no surprise that Niagara-on-the-Lake has been nicknamed 'the loveliest town in Canada'. Nestled at the meeting point of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, Niagara-on-the-Lake is also central to Canada’s wine trade, with more than 40 prominent wineries in the region, which is known as Ontario Wine Country.
Erected on an island between the Croatian coast and the Adriatic isle of Čiovo, Trogir's seductive Venetian influence makes it no stranger to the small screen, having appeared in episodes of HBO's Game of Thrones. Surrounded by 15th-century stone walls, the Romanesque-Gothic complex has been identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further into the town there's a maze of fortified streets and holy buildings, while the seaside promenade glistens at night.
It might look a lot like Venice but this charming town actually lies at the southern end of the Venetian lagoon. A miniature version of the famous city, the town is also criss-crossed by canals and old buildings, but its claim to fame lies in its main industry – fishing. One of the oldest and biggest fishing ports in Italy, Chioggia is alive early in the morning with trawlers returning with the night's catch. The market is filled with sea creatures of every shape and form, and by lunchtime the town is enveloped in the smell of frying fish ready to be served at local trattorias.
High up in the nooks of the Rocky Mountains, the resort town of Banff feels like a Canadian dream. In the snow-crusted winters, a variety of sports are offered and sometimes, if you’re lucky, the roofs are illuminated by the Northern Lights. Summers are multi-hued in gorgeous amber, emerald and cerulean, and are usually cool. However, Banff experienced its highest temperature on record – 37.8°C (100.04°F) – in June 2021.
Set among the striking violet mountains of western Iceland, the winter wonderland of Stykkishólmur is a rural wonder. Made up of a few very well-preserved and colourful old homes in its centre, it’s also an eco-town and has been labelled a European Destination of Excellence for its environmental efforts.
Set amid rocky coastal cliffs, Manarola is one of the five fishing villages that make up the breathtaking Cinque Terre in northwestern Italy. It's easily the most recognisable, with buildings in the cliffside town painted in shades of pastel blue, pink, yellow and orange. Legend has it that the houses were painted brightly so that returning fishermen could spot their homes more easily.
Built in the middle of the Regnitz river between two arched bridges, Bamberg’s 14th-century town hall is just one of many reasons why this German gem is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hilly town is defined by cobbled lanes, lined with half-timbered façades and many breweries ready to pour every visitor a mass (a litre of beer). After all, this is Bavaria.
The quaint town of Hamnøy sits on Moskenes, an island at the southern end of the Lofoten Archipelago in Norway, known for its dramatic scenery. The oldest fishing village in the area, Hamnøy is also one of the most beautiful thanks to its brightly painted traditional homes. The short Arctic winter days here make for a moody setting and at night the sky is illuminated by the Northern Lights dancing above.
Located in the uplands of Bali, Ubud is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia. The town is surrounded by rainforests and terraced rice fields, and dotted with temples and shrines. There's a big expat community here which isn't surprising – Ubud has a lot to offer, from a wealth of temples to an arts market famous for hand-crafted goods.
Entirely sculpted by erosion, Göreme's fairy chimneys – cone-shaped rock formations – are synonymous with the Cappadocia region the town is located in. The whimsical town fits in seamlessly with its natural surroundings and, as part of the Göreme National Park, it's been on the UNESCO World Heritage list for more than 30 years. The magical scenery is best viewed from up in the sky in a hot-air balloon.
Located beneath the towering peaks of the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is a labyrinth of intricate alleyways. Soaked in a turquoise hue, the electrifying colours have a historical significance: in the 15th century, Jewish refugees settled in the area and painted the buildings blue to mirror the sky and remind them of God.
Founded in 1753 by the British, pretty Lunenburg in Nova Scotia is a colourful fishing town, and its original brightly-painted wooden houses still stand today. Considered one of the best examples of 18th-century architecture in North America due to its preserved layout, the town is one of only two urban communities on the continent designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dubbed the most beautiful village in Spain, tiny Albarracín is nestled in the hills of central Spain, overlooking the Guadalaviar River. The towering medieval walls dominate the hillside while the ruins of an old Moorish alcázar sit on a clifftop above the town. With a population of just over 1,000, it's a quiet and otherworldly escape.
A collection of half-timbered houses, steep cobbled lanes and ancient inns, Rye is an instant charmer. Located between the rolling hills of East Sussex and the English Channel, Rye is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in England. Beach walks, traditional pubs and even a castle are among its highlights.
Nicknamed 'the jewel of the Maine coast', Camden is a quintessential seaside town with a charming harbour, an old lighthouse, jagged rock bays and sunset cruises. Gorgeous views over the town, the bay and the surrounding forests can be enjoyed from the nearby Mount Battie.
The history of Willemstad's multicoloured houses sounds like an urban legend, but the buildings in this UNESCO-protected, crowd-free Caribbean town were initially painted in an attempt to cure a headache. Back when the Dutch ruled Curaçao, the governor was convinced his migraines were caused by the tropical sun’s rays reflecting off the whitewashed buildings. All citizens were commanded to paint their homes anything but blinding white, resulting in this rainbow paradise.
Translating as 'red fortress above the Tauber river', the ancient, red-roofed village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber leaves a lasting impression. Set along southern Germany’s Romantic Road, it is one of many medieval storybook settlements with defensive towers, narrow timber-clad houses and cobbled streets. This picturesque place is brimming with museums, gardens, enticing shops and buzzy cafés.
Best known for its sloping thatched roofs, the Historic Villages of Gokayama and Shirakawa-go are among Japan's most beautiful attractions thanks to the Gassho-zukuri-style architecture. Located in the remote Shogawa river valley in central Japan, the 68-hectare cultural area is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The traditional farmhouses are more than 250 years old and their peculiar design helps them to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that fall here during winter.
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, in the region of Puglia, is famous for its unusual trulli homes, built from whitewashed local limestone with conical roofs. The steps up to Piazza del Popolo reveal stunning views over the higgledy-piggledy town.
Topping our ranking of the world's most beautiful small towns is Colmar. Winding streets, narrow canals and quaint, pastel-coloured houses – this pretty French town has it all. Located in the Grand Est region of northeastern France, Colmar is a unique collection of medieval and early Renaissance buildings, including a beautiful 13th-century church. On top of looking every bit the fairy-tale town, it's also celebrated for being the wine capital of France's Alsace region.