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Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe | Fairy Tales Towns in Europe | Fairytale Villages in Europe | Picturesque Towns in Europe | Best Old Towns in Europe | Most Beautiful Small Towns in Europe | Picturesque European Villages | Best Medieval Towns in Europe | Best Places to Visit in Europe - California Globetrotter

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a little extra spending money, at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own and these products/services have been found useful during our travels and come highly recommended to you from yours truly!

If you were to ask me what most beautiful town in Europe is, I would have a very hard time giving you an answer. Each city, town and village is so unique and special, no two are the same. But I would have to say that my favorite towns are the ones bursting with color that make it look like a rainbow exploded over the whole town, like an artist’s canvas come to life.

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1. Hallstatt, Austria
Top 10 Most adorable Towns in Europe - Hallstatt, Austria - California Globetrotter

Top 10 Most adorable Towns in Europe - Hallstatt, Austria - California Globetrotter

Hallstatt is a small village, clinging to the side of a mountain, hugging the edges of the pristine Hallstätter See with houses clustered together in every shade of wood possible draped in ivy with a backdrop of lush autumn trees. Around every corner and every other step offers something even more pleasing to the eye than the step before. Hallstatt is THE true definition of European fairy tale charm and is without a doubt one of the BEST small towns to visit in Europe and is an easy day trip from Vienna!

2. Colmar, France

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Colmar sits in one of the most beautiful regions in Europe, between France and Germany. With canals throughout the city, wooden boat rides and houses painted of every color of the rainbow, Colmar tops the list as one of the most colorful towns in Europe! It’s also considered the wine capital of the Alsace region, so with such beauty and good wine, it’s no wonder the two countries ping ponged this beautiful town back and forth over the last centuries!

3. Monschau, Germany

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Monschau, Germany - California GlobetrotterTop 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Monschau, Germany - California Globetrotter

Monschau is a small village not far from Aachen and the Belggin/German border which has over 300 protected houses that have remained vastly unchanged over the last 300 years and provide an endless amount of half-timbered houses and a small flowing river through the town. What makes it so über special is the fact that it’s still relatively off the radar and therefore, not entirely over run by tourists, thus allowing you to stroll through one of Europe’s quaint villages!

4. Cinque Terre, Italy

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Cinque Terre, Italy - California Globetrotter Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Cinque Terre, Italy - California Globetrotter

Cinque Terre, made up of 5 towns – Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Riomaggoire, Manarola and Corniglia that all cling to the cliffs along the Ligurian Sea. Each town, slightly different but all equally adorable and charming thanks to the lack of honking horns and screeching cars. Cinque Terre is no hidden gem though and is definitely one of the most visited towns in Europe, but don’t let that stop you from a visit!

5. Bruges, Belgium

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Bruges is considered to be one of several “Venice of the North” with it’s many canals and is by far one of the most magical towns with 17th century gilded houses lining the market. Forget about Paris and Venice as Bruges is by far one of the most romantic places to go with a loved one! Best of all, this beautiful town is an easy day trip from Brussels. But, to be honest, the biggest question is, Bruges or Ghent? Guess You’ll have to find out for yourself!

6. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany - California Globetrotter Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany - California Globetrotter

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is by far one of the popular fairy-tale towns in Germany, sitting above the Tauber River, giving Monschau a race for it’s money. The town is still completely surround by it’s Medieval walls and the town has been vastly unchanged. It truly is like stepping back in time when one walks through the town, though beauty comes with a price: mass tourism. However, if you’re looking for the BEST day trip from Munich, this is as good as it gets!

7. Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Cesky Krumlov, California Globetrotter (29) Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Cesky Krumlov, California Globetrotter (29)

Český Krumlov is a small medieval town almost completely unchanged as it was almost completely forgotten about, therefore, preserving it’s unique appearance. The city grew around the 13th century Gothic castle perched above the town and is encircled by the Vltava River. By far one of the most interesting towns to visit if you feel like stepping back to a time long gone, making it a great alternative to Prague! Another great day trip from Prague would also be Ceske Budejovice or Karlovy Vary!

8. Heidelberg, Germany

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Heidelberg, Germany - California Globetrotter Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Heidelberg, Germany - California Globetrotter

Located in the Odenwald Mountains, Heidelberg is the town for lovers who come to stroll down the main street or along the Neckar river. Perched upon the hill, overlooking the town sits the remains of the Heidelberg Castle where one can enjoy a very lovely view over the entire town. Heidelberg is one of those classic German towns you just have to visit on a European tour!

9. Strasbourg, France

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Strasbourg, France - California Globetrotter Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Strasbourg, France - California Globetrotter

Strasbourg, like Colmar sits in one of the most beautiful regions of Europe known as Alsace and is beloved for the half-timbered houses scattered throughout the town. By far one of the most romantic towns in France besides Paris to stroll through with a loved one, especially when the sun starts to set and the town is illuminated with a romantic ambiance. Best of all, you can combine both Strasbourg and Colmar in one trip, especially if you want that true Disney-esque feeling!

10. Leuven, Belgium

Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Leuven, Belgium - California Globetrotter (9)Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe - Leuven, Belgium - California Globetrotter (9)

Leuven is a small town that is vastly overlooked by city-goers headed to Brussels. This adorable little town is full of 17th century gilded houses of red bricks and an impressive city hall that will leave you in awe, but it’s underrated charm and beauty is what lands it on my list of most beautiful towns in Europe!

 

If you’re interested in visiting Europe and are looking for more information, I highly recommend using the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide. Without these guides, I would be lost! This is my travel Bible!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a little extra spending money, at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own and these products/services have been found useful during our travels and come highly recommended to you from yours truly!

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Replies to Top 10 Most Adorable Towns in Europe

  1. I live in Utrecht, which I prefer over busier Amsterdam! Giethoorn and Haarlem in the Netherlands are also adorable, as well as Miltenberg in Germany!

  2. I loved Colmar & Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Both look like they are taken straight from Grimm fairytales.
    To answer your question… other adorable towns I had a chance to visit worth mentioning are Piran in Slovenia, and Deia and Valdemossa in Spain.

  3. Wonderful list! I have only been to Bruges from the list, and I confirm that it’s really pretty, although a bit too touristic. Would love to visit the rest! Most of my other travels in Europe have been in big cities and I am getting a bit tired of it..

    1. I felt the same way! I’ve done all the big cities in Europe too almost and am over the crowds. This year I find myself more wanting to visit the smaller, less touristy places…even the super touristy places we have gotten lucky at going on off seasons, like Hallstatt. It still had a lot of people, but you could tell restaurants and hotels were a little slow because they’re preparing for winter.

  4. Colmar and Strasbourg are such beautiful places – as are most Alsatian towns and villages! (I lived in Colmar last year) In terms of aesthetically pleasing towns in the UK, I would recommend towns around the Yorkshire Dales, such as Ilkley, York and Skipton. There are also several beautiful towns in North Wales, such as Beaumaris, Portmeirion (which in many ways looks like an Italian town!) and Conwy 🙂

  5. These towns are amazing in every sense of the world. I agree with you. I love color too. It is difficult not to agree with your choices. I want to visit them all.

  6. Having been to Colmar, Bruges, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Strasbourg, I can definitely agree with those choices. The others are still on the list, but your photos certainly support your recommendations.

  7. Love this list, even more so because I will be visiting 6 or 7 of the towns in December. Now I am even more excited!

  8. you’ve hit the nail on the head! i’ve only visited Colmar and Strausbourg and loved them both but you have a few of my bucket list destinations listed here. 😉

  9. I love how colourful they all are! Of these, I’ve only been to Colmar, Strasbourg and Heidelber. Colmar is my favourite of those. I would love to visit the rest!

    Nagold and Calw in Germany and Stratford Upon Avon in England are some other pretty European towns I can recommend 🙂

  10. This is so awesome and makes me miss Europe oh so much! I am so sad to say I have only been to one place on your list,,,Brugges (we actually got engaged here!) but your photos make me want to visit the other 9!

  11. Another Brit here who would add some of our home towns. I lived in Bourton on the Water for a while and although it is lovely I think it is a little tacky. Stow is probably prettier, but also Broadway has to be up there. And agree with some of the Welsh suggestions. Conwy is lovely. OOOh and also Lacock……once you start, you realise how many adorable towns there are out there 🙂

  12. Wow, you have really captured some picturesque towns. Great post and you have introduced us to some cities that would not have otherwise been on our radar. We will pin this for future reference!

  13. I’ve been to some of them, but ages ago!! Annecy and Yvoire in France are very pretty! I also love Nurnberg and Regensburg in Germany. But what tops my list is Knaresborough in the UK (near York) which I accidentally discovered while driving from Lancaster to York. Recently I’ve keep seeing photos from that place surfacing on Pinterest!

    1. I would say you would need probably 1 1/2-2 weeks to see 7-8 of the cities without rushing through them. Some are close together like Strasbourg and Colmar. You’re looking at a day in each city but with travel time I would add in several hours of travel to get from one city to the next. Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Cesky Krumlov will be your furthest towns and Cinque Terre probably too far out of your way

  14. I’ve heard great things about most of those towns, Hallstatt and Colmar are at the top of my wishlist. Didn’t know about Leuven, I must visit it when I’ll go to Belgium! 😀

  15. Don’t miss Bulgaria next time 🙂 You will love it! I can recommend you to visit Plovdiv – The European Capital of Culture in 2019 🙂

    Sincerely,
    Moni

  16. When most people would just visit the bigger cities and tourist mekas, I think it’s great you have had the opportunity to wander around the smaller, less known and sometimes even more charming little towns and villages. You should definitely try and to a volume 2 of this post! Would love to read it! Thanks for sharing!

  17. Even though everyone prefers to look at the bigger European cities when traveling, it’s the smaller towns in between that have the most charm and affection. Bruge and Cinque Terre have had my attention for a long time, they both have great architecture and a welcoming feel to them.

  18. I am visiting 6 of these cities next year along with Annecy, Ghent, and Quedlinburg. The other 4 cities I have already been to are Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Heidelberg, Manarola, and Vernazza of the Cinque Terre. This is a great top ten. Santorini, Greece and the Amalfi Coast, especially Positano, Italy are also amazing!

  19. Half timbered houses and crinkly architectecture, love it! I did notice that half the towns are in Germany, cannot disagree that they have more than their fair share of fabulous towns. Thanks for sharing on #farawayfiles

  20. What an inspiring post! I’ve heard of almost all of these places but have hardly visited any of them so I’ll be saving this for future travels, that’s for sure. I rather fancy Alsace as the wine there is so good although I’m not so sure about the choucroute and sausages! Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles

  21. This a lovely post and beautiful photos, I’m definitely going to add Halsstatt and Monschau to my list. I’m pleased to say that I’ve visited a few of your other favourites.

    It must have been difficult narrowing it down. #farawayfiles

  22. Great round-up! Sadly I’ve hardly been to any of these but particularly wanting to go to the France and Austria towns. They have so been on my radar, just too many places to visit in this world! Hopefully some day soon! Thanks for linking up with #farawayfiles

  23. I was nodding my head fanatically at all of these. Except for Bruges, as it’s turning into such a tourist trap at the moment. That’s why I’m delighted you listen Leuven, much much better and one of my favourites in Belgium. I think you should add some Dutch towns to your list too, obviously 😉
    #FeetDoTravel

  24. Such a great guide. So good to visit the smaller places as well as the capital cities. The only one of these towns I have been to is Bruges, which I loved. Colmar in France looks gorgeous. #Farawayfiles

  25. There truly is so much beauty in Europe, and this post shows it! I loved Bruges when I visited and Antwerp is also very beautiful. I haven’t had a chance to see anywhere near as much of Germany as I would like, but as I’m English, the half-timbered houses are a draw for me! Cinque Terre, in Italy is another hot favourite of mine to see … oh actually Prague as well, darn, I’ve practically listed the whole of this post haha. Beautiful, thanks for showing me there is much I need to add to my bucket list! #feetdotravel

  26. There are a few on this list that we intend to visit this year on our roadtrip so I’m glad they’ve got your seal of approval too. Europe is just brimming with beautiful towns isn’t it! I think Italy has to be my favourite country for gorgeous little towns tho. #farawayflies

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