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Travel to Europe: the continent’s most beautiful small cities

Paris, Rome, Barcelona … the cities of Europe are destinations on wish lists, and with good reason. But the continent’s small towns are also a dream, with all their beautiful architecture, culture and history – only with fewer crowds to share them.

Here are some of the most beautiful small towns in Europe, from humble fishing villages to medieval hilltop buildings.

Giethoorn, Holland

They call it the Dutch answer to Venice, but Giethoorn lacks one crucial thing the Italian city has plenty of: overtourism. As in Venice, life revolves around the water, here there are no cars in the center, so the only way to get around is on foot or on the water.

Take a boat tour of thatched houses situated on turf-filled islands. Hungry? Stop at the Michelin-starred restaurant Hollands-Venetië.

Guimaraes, Portugal

Guimarães is crucial to Portugal’s history – it was named the country’s first capital in the 12th century, and its medieval core remains largely intact, full of convents, grand old palaces and a ruined castle atop a cliff.

As everywhere in Portugal, local bakeries make pastel de nata, but here you should try the local specialty: torta di Guimarães – a pastry stuffed with pumpkin and ground almonds.

Rosoff, France

Port cities can be dirty. But that’s not the case with adorable little Roscoff in the Brittany region of France, who built her fortune in maritime trade, including exporting her famous pink onions to the UK.

Today, it is a thalassotherapy centre, which uses seawater to treat medical conditions. Small fishing boats bob in the small harbor – with a larger one, from which ferries depart for Plymouth, UK, further afield.

Anghiari, Italy

Hovering on a hillside near the border between Tuscany and Umbria, Anghiari is a delight – a small walled town that curls around itself as it clings to the landscape.

It’s a pedestrian labyrinth of alleys and roller coaster streets, dotted with grand palaces that were built by the mysterious mercenary “men-at-arms” who lived here in the Renaissance period.

Learn about them at the Museo della Battaglia di Anghiari, which traces the history of an important medieval battle that took place on the plain outside the city.

nafplio, greece

Beautiful Nafplio straddles the Aegean Sea into the Peloponnese, with its Venetian-built castle stepping into the water (there are actually three castles to visit here) and a pretty old town unfolding behind the ancient walls.

This was the first capital of modern Greece, so there are plenty of things to do. You can take a safe dip in the sea, and if you like history, the archaeological museum contains items dating back to the Mycenaean era.

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzigovina

Mostar’s Stari Most, or “Old Bridge”, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, was long considered one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.

Arching across the Neretva River, it is one of the most famous sights in the Balkans, and traditionally locals dive from the bridge – today it is a stop at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

The bridge was destroyed in November 1993 by Croatian forces during the Balkan Wars. A reconstructed bridge was built in 2004, and today, Mostar is a beloved destination in Bosnia and Herzigovina, and a popular day trip from Dubrovnik on the Croatian border.

Mazara del Vallo, Sicily

Sicily is a melting pot, and Mazara del Vallo typifies it. Founded by the Phoenicians nearly 3,000 years ago, it has seen a myriad of cultures flow across the island – its Kasbah area is similar to a North African medina, there is a strong Tunisian community and you are more likely to find couscous on the menu than pasta. .

Its standout attraction is the Satiro Danzante, or dancing satyr – an ancient bronze statue fished out of the sea in 1998.

Clovelly, UK

Donkeys used to be the only way up and down the steep streets of Clovelly, a pretty fishing village in Devon, southwest England.

Today, they still haven’t been able to bring in cars – it’s at the bottom of a 400-foot cliff. Instead, goods are transported by male-powered sleds — and if tourists can’t face the walk back to the parking lot, they can hitch a ride in a Land Rover.

Dinkelsbuhl, Germany

A cute old town, wooden houses and sturdy towers – Dinkelsbühl has it all. It’s on Germany’s “Romantic Road” – a route known for its sweeping cities.

Surrounded by medieval walls with a vast Gothic church, St George’s Minster was the setting for Werner Herzog’s film “The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser”.

Korcula, Croatia

When a quiet island in the Adriatic Sea isn’t enough, there’s Korčula, off the island of the same name on a small peninsula.

Locals say the adventurer Marco Polo was born here; the Venetians dispute this. Either way, it’s a world-class city, with gleaming white streets and buildings hewn from local stone, water running almost all the way around and beautiful buildings left by the Venetians, who ruled here for centuries.

kenmare, ireland

At the southwestern tip of Ireland, land melts into the ocean in County Kerry. Kenmare is on the eponymous bay, where the Roughty River flows into the sea.

This is in the middle of some of Ireland’s most beloved areas – it’s on the Wild Atlantic Way, between the Ring of Kerry and the Ring of Beara. Kenmare is known for its food and for its views – with great mountains rising behind the pristine bay.

Piran, Slovenia

Slovenia has only one strip of coast, located at the top of the wedge-shaped Istrian peninsula, hanging over the Adriatic Sea.

Though small, this stretch of coast, sandwiched between Italy and Croatia, is home to several pretty towns, including Piran. Developed by the Venetians, who conquered it in 1283, it’s a beautiful mini Venice, with a robust steeple, foamy architecture and fishing boats moored in the small harbour.

reine, norway

You want: a beautiful Norwegian city – remote, small and by the sea. You need: Reine, the joy of the Lofoten Islands, whose pretty red huts sit at the base of the rugged mountain peaks that make this a cross between the Dolomites and Ha Long Bay.

This is one of the most spectacular spots on the Lofoten archipelago – with a jaw-dropping vantage point of the islands and village, Reinebringen, just outside.

regens, spain

As far as Spain’s tourist-packed shores go, Catalonia’s Costa Brava is relatively quiet – but it doesn’t compare to peaceful Regencos, just 10 minutes inland. To the south of the “Dali Triangle”, the area where the surrealist artist lived and worked, is an area surrounded by mountains of tranquil medieval villages.

Regencos, slightly larger, has remnants of its medieval walls, a beautiful church and traditional stone houses turning in the centre.

Tarnow, Poland

First things first – this is a city. But walk through the Old Town and you’ll find it still has that small-town feel, with beautiful medieval buildings that give you an idea of ​​how close Krakow was before the arrival of mass tourism.

The Old Town square is a glorious mix of architectural styles, there’s a beautiful Gothic church and plenty of Jewish heritage – although the community was more or less wiped out during WWII.

Source: CNN Brasil

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