Crowd control measures have been taken in Venice & Cinque Terre, locals in Barcelona are demanding that tourism be brought under control to save their city, London and Paris are elbow to elbow with millions of tourists every day and Dubrovnik and Amsterdam are being swallowed up by the sheer number of daily tourists. And while cities are struggling to handle the stress of mass tourism, all it takes it one rotten tourist to ruin it for others.

When considering a visit to Europe, some might become overwhelmed with the endless options when it comes to finding the best places to visit and the huge variety between countries. While hitting up Europe’s capital cities like London, Paris, Prague, or Rome, it’s always a great idea to include a few, smaller, picturesque towns, but finding these pretty little towns can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. So, I’ve gathered 50 small cities and cute towns in Europe that are just downright STUPID PRETTY!

While Venice might be the world’s most famous canal town, there are so many other places to visit in Europe which are equally as beautiful, graced by winding waterways, charming arched bridges and romantic canal boats casually streaming down river. Over 60,000 people descend on Venice every day, threatening its future. So, if you’ve ever dreamed about strolling through a romantic canal city but aren’t fond of the crowds, I’m here to share with you a collaboration of picturesque canal cities in Europe that aren’t Venice!

yours truly!

When you think of the Netherlands, you picture wooden windmills, delicious cheese and perhaps the hope that the locals still wear wooden clogs. One of the best parts about visiting the Netherlands is getting to explore beyond just Amsterdam and truly experience what it was like to live in a little Dutch settlement. Zaanse Schans is an easy day trip from Amsterdam and offers so much more than just windmills! Today, you can see traditional Dutch homes, barns, windmills and even enjoy a glimpse into the life of a clog & cheese making!

It seems like it is becoming more popular to visit the #2 or #3 cities of a country instead of heading straight for the capital city which is over priced, over crowded and a tad too dirty. While Amsterdam is incredibly beautiful and should not be missed while traveling through Holland, it might be more beneficial to just skip all the crowds and head straight for Amsterdam’s little brother, Utrecht.

Beloved by many, Amsterdam has found its place on Pinterest by millions of people all trying to showcase the best of the best, so how can I compete? Nonetheless, I too have fallen for the city’s charm and romance while strolling the canals and taking in the culture and share with you some of the best things to do in Amsterdam in a day!

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