Wine country, around the world.

Pinerolo

A walkable town in Piedmont, southwest of Turin on the river Chisone, with a centre full of cafés, restaurants, and historic churches.

Frauenfeld

Frauenfeld, the cantonal capital of Thurgau in Switzerland, sits where a plateau drops sharply to the Thur valley and the rocky banks of the Murg river, givi…

Viseu

City in central Portugal with a dense café and restaurant scene, many historic churches, and a position in the heart of Dão wine country.

Fénis

Fénis Castle, a well-preserved medieval fortress in the Aosta Valley of north-western Italy, is the main draw to this small village, which also sits in wine…

Cangas del Narcea

A compact Asturian town on the Narcea river, with vineyards in the surrounding hills and a compact centre of cafés and restaurants.

Chur

Reputedly the oldest town in Switzerland, Chur sits on the Rhine in the canton of Graubünden, with a walkable centre dense with food and drink options and vi…

Susa

This little town in the Susa Valley west of Turin, at the foot of the Cottian Alps, with a concentration of Roman and medieval monuments that reflects its an…

Lebrija

Lebrija, a town on the left bank of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia's Sevilla province, sits at the edge of the Las Marismas marshes and has a long tradition o…

Montreux

A Lake Geneva shore town in the Swiss canton of Vaud, Montreux sits at the foot of the Alps with a walkable waterfront, a dense food-and-drink scene, and sce…

Sutri

Sutri's ancient remains — a Roman amphitheatre carved directly into tuff rock, an Etruscan necropolis of rock-cut tombs, and a Mithraeum embedded in the cryp…

Ménerbes

This walled hilltop village in the Luberon mountains of Provence, Ménerbes holds membership in the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association and sits in…

Carmona

Built on a ridge above the central plain of Andalusia, Carmona is a town in the province of Seville with a walkable centre full of cafés, restaurants, and hi…

Ivrea

Ivrea earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2018 for its mid-20th-century Olivetti complex — factories, headquarters, and surrounding modernist buildings th…

Auch

This walkable Gascon town in southwestern France's Gers department, Auch sits on the River Gers and is known for its gastronomic scene, its cathedral, and a…

Wattens

Wattens, a little market town in Tyrol's Innsbruck-Land district, is best known as the home of Swarovski, the Austrian crystal glass company.

Ostuni

Widely known as "the White Town" for its whitewashed houses and medieval walls, Ostuni is a walkable Apulian hill town in the province of Brindisi with a den…

Beaune

Widely regarded as the wine capital of Burgundy, Beaune is a walled town in eastern France whose historic centre holds the cellars and facilities of wine pro…

Salzedas

A compact village on the right bank of the River Varosa in northern Portugal, Salzedas sits within the Távora-Varosa Demarcated Region, known for sparkling w…

Rieti

Traditionally called the "umbilicus Italiae" — the navel of Italy — Rieti is a walkable hilltop town in Lazio whose centre is dense with historic churches an…

Sartène

A small sub-prefecture in southern Corsica's Corse-du-Sud department, Sartène is an inland granite town with valley views and a café and restaurant scene str…

Sandomierz

Spread across seven hills above the Vistula River in south-eastern Poland, Sandomierz is a royal town whose preserved Old Town — declared a National Monument…

Santa Lucia del Mela

This densely built hilltop town in Sicily's Messina province, its stone houses climbing toward a medieval fortress above tree-covered slopes, with surroundin…

Giornico

A tiny Swiss village in the mountain terrain of Ticino's Leventina district, Giornico sits on the water and holds a striking number of churches for its size,…

Deutschlandsberg

A small Styrian town in Austria's southern wine country, Deutschlandsberg sits close to the Slovenian border and a short drive from Graz, with a café and res…

Thiene

This walkable Veneto town in the province of Vicenza, Thiene sits close to the mountains and within reach of the wine country that defines much of the surrou…

Sevnica

A little town on the left bank of the Sava River in central Slovenia, Sevnica sits in wine country with a café-and-restaurant core and mountain terrain close…

Rodes

This compact stone village in southern France's Pyrénées-Orientales, where red-tile rooftops and a brick clock tower rise toward dramatic rocky outcrops topp…

Contigliano

A small village in Lazio's wine-growing Rieti province, Contigliano sits close to the mountains and near water, with scenic surroundings and a strong photogr…

Monção

Wine-country town on the southern bank of the Minho River, where Portugal meets Spain, Monção pairs a walkable centre with a dense food-and-drink scene and s…

Montmelian

Compact Savoie town set in a river valley between forested hills and vine-covered slopes, with a rocky outcrop rising above its grey-roofed centre and easy r…

Tenno

A small Trentino village a few kilometres from Riva del Garda, Tenno sits on the slopes above Lake Garda and is home to Lake Tenno, known for its vivid blue-…

Banská Štiavnica

This UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, Banská Štiavnica is a modest medieval mining town in central Slovakia set within the caldera of an ancient volcan…

Laufenburg

Sitting on the Swiss bank of the Rhine directly across from its German twin, Laufenburg (Baden), this small Aargau town was once a single city until Napoleon…

Villadossola

This compact town in Piedmont's Val d'Ossola, Villadossola sits at the mouth of the Valle Antrona and alongside the Toce river, with mountains close on sever…

Campo Maior

Small Portuguese town in Alto Alentejo whose street festival, the Festas do Povo, was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2021 — an event…

Spiez

This small Swiss town on the shore of Lake Thun sits in the Bernese Oberland, with vineyards on its slopes, mountain views in every direction, and a café and…

Castiglion Fiorentino

A walled Tuscan hill town in the province of Arezzo, Castiglion Fiorentino sits between Arezzo and Cortona in wine-growing country, with an Etruscan archaeol…

Sancerre

Sancerre is a medieval hilltop village in the Cher département of Centre-Val de Loire, overlooking the Loire river and recognized as one of France's most bea…

Peñafiel

Peñafiel Castle, visible from miles around and now housing the Wine Museum of Valladolid, crowns this pocket-sized Castilian town at the heart of the Ribera…

Castel San Pietro Romano

Small hilltop village east of Rome recognised among Italy's most beautiful villages and, since 2019, named the most beautiful village in the Mediterranean —…

Gaillon

A compact Norman town of half-timbered houses and slate rooftops rising above a river valley, Gaillon pairs a walkable central core of cafés with vineyard su…

Dietkirchen

The Basilica of St.

Poggio Bustone

A compact stone-built village rising above a broad valley in Lazio's upland country, with a bell-towered church at its crown and sweeping views over patchwor…

Cluny

Founded in 910 by Duke William I of Aquitaine, the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny shaped this little Burgundian town into one of medieval Europe's great centres…

Eggenburg

This compact Lower Austrian town where a broad historic main square, red-tile baroque facades, a twin-towered Gothic church, and rolling vineyard country bey…

Nardò

A Baroque town on the Ionian coast of Salento, Nardò has a walkable historic centre dense with palaces, churches, and chapels built in the ornate local style…

Olargues

A medieval village on the Jaur river in southern France's Hérault, Olargues sits within the Haut-Languedoc regional nature park and carries a listing among L…

Almansa

Moorish castle crowns the white limestone crag above Almansa, a wine-country town in Albacete province where vineyards spread across the surrounding plain.

Montemezzo

A tiny lakeside hamlet in Lombardy's Province of Como, Montemezzo sits at the northern end of Lake Como with mountain terrain close by and vineyards in the s…

Riegersburg

This small Austrian village in the wine country of southeastern Styria, set among hills with scenic viewpoints and a café scene that punches above its size.

Lods

This tiny hamlet on the Loue river in eastern France's Doubs département sits among vineyards and carries membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, th…

Apricale

A small hilltop village in Liguria's Imperia province, Apricale sits in mountain country with scenic viewpoints, surrounding vineyards, and a striking number…

Sao Joao da Pesqueira

This tiny Portuguese wine town high above the Douro River, São João da Pesqueira sits within the Alto Douro Wine Region UNESCO World Heritage Site and accoun…

Sikinos

This quiet Cycladic island between Ios and Folegandros was known in antiquity as Oenoe — Island of Wine — and carries an unusual density of religious archite…

Cisterna d'Asti

A small hilltop village in Piedmont's wine country, Cisterna d'Asti is shaped by two landmarks that have defined it since medieval times: an 11th- or 12th-ce…

Santa Cruz (Torres Vedras)

A beach town on the Atlantic coast of Portugal's Oeste region, Santa Cruz is known for its extensive beaches and strong surf conditions, hosting the annual O…

Fermoselle

Fermoselle, a tiny village in Zamora's far southwest, sits above the dramatic gorge of the Arribes del Duero where the Duero and Tormes rivers meet at the Po…

Numana

This compact Adriatic village on the Conero Riviera in the Marche region, Numana sits directly on the water with vineyards nearby and scenic viewpoints along…

Delémont

A tiny Swiss town with a notably lively café and restaurant scene, Delémont sits on the water with vineyards in the surrounding countryside and scenic viewpo…

Darque

A pocket-sized Portuguese town where a broad river meets sandy estuary flats, backed by forested hills and distant mountains, with vineyard surroundings, wat…

Canelli

Canelli, on a bend of the river Belbo in Piedmont's Alto Monferrato, is widely regarded as the birthplace of Italian sparkling wine: the Moscato grape used t…

Salins-les-Bains

Salt has shaped Salins-les-Bains since the fifth millennium BC, and the town's historic saltworks — added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009 as an ext…

Pirna

This sweep of red-tile rooftops and a commanding Gothic church tower define this Saxon town on the Elbe, set in hill country near Dresden with vineyards clos…

Pignola

Known locally as "il paese dei portali" — the town of doorways — Pignola is a small mountain town in Basilicata's Potenza province, where the historic centre…

Kelowna

This walkable city on the shores of Okanagan Lake in southern British Columbia, Kelowna sits at the heart of BC's wine country and draws visitors with a live…

Saintes

Sitting on the Charente river in western France, Saintes carries one of the region's most substantial Gallo-Roman, medieval, and classical heritage records —…

Tomo

Compact Italian hamlet in Belluno's forested valley country, where a classical white-façade church anchors a cluster of red-tile buildings against densely wo…

Yverdon-les-Bains

A thermal spa town on the southern shore of Lake Neuchâtel, Yverdon-les-Bains has been known for its sulphurous springs since Roman times, when it was called…

Aiguèze

Sitting on the Ardèche river in southern France's Gard department, this modest village has been a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France since 2005 — th…

Castelsardo

A photogenic coastal town on Sardinia's northwest shore, at the eastern end of the Gulf of Asinara, Castelsardo sits right on the water with scenic viewpoint…

Kutná Hora

Silver mining made Kutná Hora one of medieval Bohemia's wealthiest towns, and the architectural legacy it funded earned the historic centre — along with Sedl…

Feuerthalen

This compact Swiss village on the Rhine, where red-tile rooftops and half-timbered houses line a broad river crossed by an iron rail bridge, with forested hi…

Garzeno

A pocket-sized Lake Como-area village in Lombardy with a striking number of churches for its size, vineyards in the immediate surroundings, and scenic viewpo…

Santa Comba Dão

This pocket-sized Portuguese city on the Dão river in wine-growing country, Santa Comba Dão is best known as the birthplace of António de Oliveira Salazar, w…

Ambrolauri

This compact Georgian city serves as the administrative centre of the Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti region, set close to mountains and within reach of se…

Brentonico

A snow-dusted Trentino village in the uplands above Lake Garda, where a tall stone bell tower rises above compact Alpine houses backed by forested slopes, wi…

Tomar

Founded within the walls of a Knights Templar fortress in the late 12th century, Tomar is a Portuguese town on the water with a walkable centre dense with hi…

Zülpich

This Roman-founded town in North Rhine-Westphalia between Aachen and Bonn, Zülpich traces its origins to the 1st century BC under the Latin name Tolbiacum an…

Castelnuovo Don Bosco

This small Piedmontese hill village near the confluence of the Nevissano and Bardella rivers, Castelnuovo Don Bosco sits in deep wine country east of Turin w…

Lobbes

This compact Wallonian town on the Sambre river in Hainaut, Belgium, Lobbes grew up around an abbey established here around 650 AD.

Saint-Florent

A former fishing port on the Gulf of Saint-Florent in Haute-Corse, this small Corsican village now fills its harbour with pleasure boats and its waterfront w…

Spello

This small walled hill town on the southern flank of Monte Subasio in Umbria, Spello has an unusually dense concentration of historic churches and a café and…

Ribeira de Pena

Small town in northern Portugal's Vila Real District, Ribeira de Pena sits in transition country between the mountainous Trás-os-Montes and the greener Minho…

Llíber

This compact Valencian village of stone-roofed white houses spread across a valley floor, backed by pine-forested limestone hills, with surrounding vineyards…

Sinalunga

Modest Tuscan hill town in the province of Siena, Sinalunga sits on the ridge dividing the Val di Chiana from the Valle dell'Ombrone, with vineyards in the s…

Oliver

Billed as the Wine Capital of Canada by Tourism British Columbia, Oliver is a small town near the south end of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, sitting al…

Stein am Rhein

Stein am Rhein sits on the Rhine where Lower Lake Constance meets the river, and its medieval centre — pedestrianised, lined with half-timbered houses, and c…

Tricarico

This modest Basilicata town in the province of Matera holds one of the best-preserved medieval historic centres in Lucania, shaped by an Arab-Norman past and…

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

Clinging to a steep cliff above the Lot river in south-western France, this small Quercy village draws visitors with dramatic viewpoints, a strong café and r…

Trbovlje

A Slovenian mining town in the Central Sava Valley known as the birthplace of Laibach, the industrial music group, Trbovlje sits along the Sava River in moun…

Cantalice

This dramatically stacked stone village in Lazio's upland country, its medieval houses and churches climbing a forested hillside above the Rieti valley, with…

Ornans

Birthplace of the painter Gustave Courbet, this little town in the Doubs department sits along the Loue river in the Jura massif, its house facades rising di…

Tomelloso

This wine-country town at the geographic heart of La Mancha, Tomelloso sits amid extensive vineyards that define the flat Manchegan landscape, with the Campo…

Cerreto Sannita

Ceramics have defined Cerreto Sannita for centuries, and the village's planned grid of streets — rebuilt from scratch after a devastating earthquake on 5 Jun…

Zagrad pri Otočcu

Small hamlet in the wine-country hills north of Otočcu, in southeastern Slovenia's City Municipality of Novo Mesto, Zagrad pri Otočcu is home to a historic c…

Monsaraz

A walled hilltop village in Portugal's Alentejo region, Monsaraz sits above the Guadiana River near the Spanish border and deep in one of the country's most…

Amelia

A compact Umbrian hill town crowned by domed churches and stone buildings that cascade down a wooded hillside, Amelia rewards visitors with multiple religiou…

Villafranca del Bierzo

A small wine-country town in the El Bierzo comarca of León, Villafranca del Bierzo sits at the confluence of the Burbia and Valcarce rivers on the Camino de…

Sabrosa

A sun-warmed central square of granite fountains and whitewashed manor houses with a Baroque church tower rising behind them sets the tone for this pocket-si…

Fossombrone

Compact Marche town where a river curves through a red-tile historic centre, backed by vineyard-covered hills, with a good café and restaurant scene and a no…

Dreux

A town in Eure-et-Loir drained by the Avre and Blaise rivers, Dreux has a compact centre with cafés, restaurants, and several historic churches, including th…

Almodovar

This pocket-sized Alentejo town in southern Portugal's Beja district is home to the Museum of Southwestern Writing, which holds ancient stones bearing what s…

Lamezia Terme

This coastal Calabrian town with a walkable centre full of cafés and churches, set between the sea and mountain views, with vineyards in the surrounding coun…

Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry

This little Basque village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques sitting on the Nive des Aldudes river, Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry is the main gateway to the Aldudes va…

Litoměřice

A walkable wine-country town at the confluence of the Elbe and Ohře rivers in northern Bohemia, Litoměřice has a well-preserved medieval centre — protected a…

Salemi

A medieval hill town in western Sicily's Trapani province, Salemi clusters around a castle whose battlemented tower offers wide views across the landscape to…

La Romieu

A member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, this small Gers village in southwestern France is anchored by the 14th-century Collégiale Saint-Pierre, whose…

Sarnen

This small Swiss town sits directly on the shore of Lake Sarnen, the cantonal capital of Obwalden, with vineyards and mountain scenery in the surrounding cou…

Cividale del Friuli

Founded by Julius Caesar as Forum Iulii — the name that eventually gave the entire Friuli region its identity — Cividale del Friuli later became the capital…

Champagnole

This small town in the Jura department of eastern France, Champagnole sits on the right bank of the Ain river at the heart of the Jura massif's second platea…

Kennelbach

This small village on the water in Vorarlberg's Bregenz district, Kennelbach sits close to mountains and scenic viewpoints, with vineyards nearby and a handf…

Varzi

This certified member of Italy's "Most Beautiful Villages" circuit, Varzi sits in the Oltrepò Pavese wine country of Lombardy's Pavia province, along the Sta…

Fayence

This hilltop village in the Var department of Provence, Fayence sits above the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif, with cafés and restaur…

Oppenheim

Little Rhine-side wine town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Oppenheim is home to the German Wine Museum and produces wines under the Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen desig…

Sennori

A small wine-country town in northern Sardinia, Sennori has been a member of Italy's national association of wine towns since the association's founding in 1…

Tournus

This compact Burgundian town on the Saône river with a café and restaurant scene that is well stocked for its size, Tournus sits in the heart of Bourgogne-Fr…

Cromwell

Small Central Otago town on the shore of Lake Dunstan, Cromwell sits at the heart of New Zealand's Central Otago wine region and is surrounded by orchards kn…

Busca

This compact Piedmontese town of red-tile rooftops spread across a valley floor, Busca sits among vineyards and rolling hills with a walkable centre offering…

Cerdon

This little village in the Ain department of eastern France is known for two things: its pink sparkling wine and a copper factory — once the only one of its…

Lenzburg

A medieval hill town in the Swiss canton of Aargau, Lenzburg is anchored by Schloss Lenzburg, a castle that grew from an 11th-century fortification on the Sc…

Termoli

This coastal town on the Adriatic in Molise, Termoli holds a medieval walled quarter alongside a lively seafront promenade lined with restaurants.

Viviers

This modest town on the Rhône in southern France's Ardèche, Viviers was once the capital of the historic Vivarais province — a name it gave to the entire reg…

Valdepeñas

Wine has shaped Valdepeñas for centuries, earning this Castile-La Mancha town the popular nickname "Ciudad del Vino" — City of Wine.

Lacco Ameno

Rebuilt after a devastating 1883 earthquake that destroyed most of its buildings, Lacco Ameno transformed from a fishing village into a thermal-spa resort on…

Gruissan

A little Mediterranean coastal town in the Aude, southeast of Narbonne, Gruissan sits within the Narbonnaise en Méditerranée regional nature park alongside l…

Naters

This small Swiss town in the canton of Valais, Naters sits in mountain terrain near Brig with vineyards in the surrounding area and scenic viewpoints within…

Stenico

This pocket-sized Trentino village set in a broad Alpine valley of terraced orchards and forested ridges, with several historic churches, nearby scenic viewp…

Retz

A compact Austrian market town in the Weinviertel wine region, Retz centres on a broad cobblestone square dominated by a tall baroque clock tower, surrounded…

Charcenne

A small hamlet in eastern France's Haute-Saône, Charcenne sits alongside the Colombine stream at the foot of the Monts de Gy, with mountain views and wine-co…

Uzzano

A compact Tuscan hillside village in Pistoia province, Uzzano stacks ochre-and-stone buildings up a green slope toward a crenellated bell tower, with vineyar…

Canach

This compact Luxembourg village in the Remich wine canton, where a tall-spired stone church rises above red-tile rooftops and green hillsides, set close to t…

Almagro

Almagro, a little town in Ciudad Real, has hosted an International Festival of Classical Theater annually since 1978 and holds designation as one of Spain's…

Marostica

Every two years, on the second weekend of September in even-numbered years, Marostica's central square fills with costumed performers re-enacting a live ches…

Arlesheim

This small Swiss town near Basel, in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, is anchored by a Baroque cathedral dating to 1681 and rebuilt in 1761, whose organ — bui…

Château-Chalon

Vin jaune — the prized yellow wine of the Jura — reaches its most celebrated expression in Château-Chalon, a little cliff-top village in eastern France whose…

Barolo

Barolo, a little Piedmontese village in the Province of Cuneo, lends its name to one of Italy's most celebrated red wines, and the surrounding Langhe vineyar…

Eger

Eger is a Hungarian wine town whose Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) red is known well beyond the country's borders, set among vineyards in the hills between the…

Jonzac

A spa town in the Charente-Maritime since 1986, Jonzac sits on the Seugne river in the heart of Cognac wine country, with a café and restaurant scene that pu…

Piuro

On 4 September 1618, a catastrophic landslide completely buried the village of Piuro — then part of the Three Leagues — killing between 1,000 and 2,500 peopl…

Celje

Slovenia's third-largest city, Celje sits at the confluence of several rivers in the lower Savinja Valley, with a walkable centre full of cafés and mountain…

Amay

This small Walloon town on the Meuse in the province of Liège, Amay sits at a river crossing that has been in use since Gallo-Roman times.

Benevento

Benevento is a heritage-dense hill town in Campania where the rivers Calore Irpino and Sabato meet, with a walkable centre thick with historic churches and c…

Talmont-sur-Gironde

Founded in 1284 by Edward I of England, Duke of Aquitaine, this tiny hamlet on a promontory above the Gironde estuary in Charente-Maritime holds the 12th-cen…

Sargans

Sargans, a small town in Switzerland's canton of St.

San Lorenzo Maggiore

This compact hillside village in Campania's Benevento province, its terracotta rooftops and a golden-domed church tower rising above rolling green valleys, s…

Noyers

Well-preserved medieval village on the river Serein in Burgundy's Yonne department, Noyers-sur-Serein is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, with…

Ascona

A modest Swiss town on the shore of Lake Maggiore in Ticino, Ascona pairs a dense café and restaurant scene with vineyard surroundings, mountain views, and a…

Avezzano

A compact town in Abruzzo's Marsica area with a café-filled centre and vineyards nearby, Avezzano carries a layered history: first documented in the 9th cent…

Saint-Martin-de-Re

This waterfront village on the Île de Ré, off the Charente-Maritime coast near La Rochelle, Saint-Martin-de-Ré is home to Vauban's 17th-century fortification…

Neustadt an der Weinstraße

One of Germany's central wine towns, Neustadt an der Weinstraße sits along the Deutsche Weinstraße in Rhineland-Palatinate and hosts the annual Deutsche Wein…

Albenga

This heritage-dense coastal town on the Gulf of Genoa, Albenga is known as the city of a hundred spires and holds a well-preserved historic centre within eas…

Apt

This small Provençal town on the Calavon river in the Luberon mountains of Vaucluse, Apt has a café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its siz…

Riva San Vitale

Little Swiss-Ticinese village on the shore of a lake ringed by densely forested mountains, with several historic churches, nearby wine country, and high-alti…

Sarnico

This tiny lakeside town on the western shore of Lake Iseo in Lombardy's Bergamo province, where the lake meets the River Oglio, Sarnico has a café and restau…

Póvoa de Lanhoso

A modest town in the mountains of northern Portugal's Braga district, Póvoa de Lanhoso sits on the water and offers a café and restaurant scene, a concentrat…

Lourmarin

This Provençal village in the Vaucluse holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and pairs a café and restaurant scene unusually dense for its si…

Sovana

This tiny hamlet in southern Tuscany's wine country carries a history well beyond its size: an Etruscan centre, a medieval and Renaissance settlement, and a…

Zona antiga de Ponte de Lima

Portugal's oldest chartered town sits on the southern bank of the Lima River, where a medieval bridge gives the place its name.

Ensch

This pocket-sized Moselle-side hamlet in Rhineland-Palatinate sits in deep wine country along what is known as the Roman Wine Road, with scenic viewpoints in…

Gerace

This compact Calabrian hill village sits atop a vertical rock formation in the Aspromonte National Park, with views stretching to the coast and the town of L…

Die

Clairette de Die, a sparkling wine produced in the surrounding Diois region, is the calling card of this little subprefecture in southeastern France's Drôme…

Rehberg

A compact Austrian village in a forested valley, with vineyard rows in the foreground, a church tower rising above red-tile rooftops, and the ruins of a hill…

Polcenigo

Springs, streams, and lake-like pools feed the headwaters of the Livenza river at Polcenigo, a little Friuli-Venezia Giulia village on the slopes of the West…

Clemensat

A tiny French hamlet of dark volcanic-stone buildings set against rolling green upland pastures, Clémensat offers a genuine taste of rural Auvergne close to…

Modrej

A small settlement on the left bank of the Soča River in Slovenia's Littoral region, Modrej sits in mountain country where vineyards line the surrounding slo…

Mercogliano

Colorful stone houses climb a densely wooded hillside in this little Campanian town, where multiple historic churches, surrounding vineyards, and elevated vi…

Les Vans

A tiny village in the Ardèche with an unusually lively café and restaurant scene for its size, Les Vans sits on the water in the Cévennes area of southern Fr…

La Roda

La Roda, a town in Albacete's La Mancha region of Castilla-La Mancha, is known for its miguelitos, a local pastry, and sits among vineyards typical of the La…

Peccioli

Small Tuscan village in the Province of Pisa with an unusually lively food and café scene for its size, set among vineyards with scenic views of the surround…

Alzey

A wine-country town in Rhenish Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Alzey sits in a region ringed by UNESCO World Heritage sites and carries a walkable centre with c…

Vevey

Milk chocolate was invented here in 1875, and Vevey has remained a town defined by food and drink ever since — it is home to the global headquarters of Nestl…

Osimo

A hill town in the Marche region of Italy, a short distance south of Ancona, with a centre dense in historic churches and vineyard country in the surrounding…

Tournon-sur-Rhône

Small Rhône-side town in the Ardèche, Tournon-sur-Rhône sits in deep wine country north of Valence with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.

Bad Staffelstein

This small spa town in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, sits along the Main river and is anchored by three landmarks: the Basilica of Vierzehnheiligen, designed by…

Acri

Densely built hilltop town in Calabria's Cosenza province, Acri stacks terracotta-roofed stone houses up a wooded summit crowned by a ruined tower, with upla…

Voiron

A gateway town to the Chartreuse Mountains in southeastern France, Voiron sits at the foot of the range with a walkable centre full of cafés and restaurants,…

Obernburg am Main

This tiny Bavarian town on the Main river where the Mümling flows in, Obernburg am Main sits at the eastern foot of the Odenwald hills with vineyards in the…

Recanati

Birthplace of the poet Giacomo Leopardi and the tenor Beniamino Gigli, Recanati is a tiny hilltop town in the Marche region known as "the city of poetry." It…

Ispoure

A small Basque village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Ispoure sits in mountain terrain in the former province of Lower Navarre, with scenic viewpoints in the s…

Jorquera

This tiny hamlet in Albacete's La Manchuela wine country, Jorquera sits on a river spur encircled by the Júcar, with 12th-century Almohad walls running along…

Sorano

Built on a tuff outcrop above the Lente River, this medieval hill village in southern Tuscany sits in mountain wine country with scenic views across the surr…

Elne

Once the first capital of the historical province of Roussillon before Perpignan took that role, Elne is a small town in southern France's Pyrénées-Orientale…

Richterswil

A compact Swiss lakeside town spread along the western shore of Lake Zurich, with vineyard slopes behind it, a ferry on the water, and sweeping views stretch…

Fosdinovo

From the 14th to the 18th century, Fosdinovo served as the capital of an independent marquisate ruled by the Malaspina family, whose imperial standing was su…

Leucate

A small Mediterranean coastal town in the Aude, Leucate sits between the sea and the Étang de Leucate lagoon, with a café and restaurant scene that punches a…

Herrliberg

This tiny Swiss town on the right bank of Lake Zurich, in the stretch known as the Goldküste (Gold Coast), Herrliberg sits in the canton's wine country with…

Cosenza

Walkable southern Italian city in Calabria with a café-dense centre, a historic quarter — Cosenza vecchia — climbing toward the Pancrazio hill, and a scatter…

Consuegra

Consuegra's hilltop row of windmills, set against the plains of La Mancha, is among the most recognisable sights in Castile, rising alongside a medieval cast…

Céret

Known for its modern art museum, cherry harvests, and bullfighting tradition, Céret is a tiny Catalan town in southern France's Pyrénées-Orientales, sitting…

Mola di Bari

Focaccia from Mola di Bari's bakeries has long been a point of local pride in this Adriatic fishing town in Apulia, refounded by Charles I of Anjou in 1277 o…

Bembibre

Bembibre, in the El Bierzo region of León, is a small town on the Boeza and Noceda rivers with vineyards in the surrounding area and a café and restaurant sc…

Port-Lesney

A small village on the banks of the Loue river in the Jura, Port-Lesney draws visitors with a five-star château hotel, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a r…

Montignoso

A tiny Tuscan town positioned between the Apuan Riviera and the Versilia coast, Montignoso sits where the mountains of Massa-Carrara meet the sea, with Forte…

Amares

Wine-country town in Portugal's Braga District, Amares sits along the Cávado river with an unusually high concentration of historic churches for its size and…

Holmfirth

Best known as the filming location for the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine, which ran from 1973 to 2010, Holmfirth is a stone-built West Yorkshire town in…

Chieri

This town on the southeastern slopes of the Turin hills, Chieri has a medieval centre laid out in a circular plan with streets radiating toward its cathedral…

Bjelovar

Founded in 1756 by decree of Empress Maria Theresa, Bjelovar is one of Croatia's youngest cities, laid out on a planned grid with a regular square street pat…

Slovenske Konjice

Small wine-country town in northeastern Slovenia's Dravinja Valley, Slovenske Konjice sits between the forested slopes of Konjiška gora to the south and the…

Lavardens

This modest village in the Gers department of southwestern France, Lavardens holds membership in the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association and sits i…

Villa Santa Maria

Known since the 13th century for producing professional cooks, Villa Santa Maria in Abruzzo's Chieti province carries the informal title "Patria dei cuochi"…

Merbes-le-Chateau

A small Wallonian municipality in the Belgian province of Hainaut, Merbes-le-Château sits along the water and holds a concentration of historic churches nota…

Alenquer

Small wine-country town in Portugal's Oeste region, Alenquer sits along the river that shares its name and has a central core with cafés and restaurants.

Acqui Terme

Hot sulphur springs have drawn visitors to Acqui Terme since the Roman era, when the town was known as Aquae Statiellae, and a 19th-century pavilion called L…

Parras de la Fuente

Home to Casa Madero, the oldest winery in the Americas, Parras de la Fuente is a wine-producing town in southern Coahuila, Mexico, with vineyards spreading a…

Torres Vedras

This wine-country town north of Lisbon with vineyards across the surrounding agricultural land, Torres Vedras has a walkable centre with a solid café and res…

Cerbère

Pocket-sized French village where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean, Cerbère sits at the southernmost seaside point of mainland France and serves as a key…

Raslina

A small Croatian village on the clear turquoise waters of a sheltered bay, Raslina offers a compact waterfront with moored boats, a pine-fringed beach, and w…

Celorico da Beira

Small Portuguese town near the Mondego River in the Guarda District, Celorico da Beira is self-styled as the capital of Serra da Estrela cheese, produced in…

Argenton-sur-Creuse

A modest town in the Indre department of central France, Argenton-sur-Creuse sits along the Creuse river with a café and restaurant scene in its compact cent…

Arquata del Tronto

The only municipality in Europe contained within two national parks — the Monti Sibillini to the north and Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga to the south — this…

Aldeia Galega da Merceana

A pocket-sized wine-country village in western Portugal's Alenquer municipality, Aldeia Galega da Merceana held its own municipal charter from 1305 until 185…

Larressingle

This tiny walled hamlet in the Gers department of southwestern France holds six nationally protected historic monuments within its medieval fortifications, i…

Stafa

A modest town on the right shore of Lake Zurich, in the canton of Zürich, Stäfa sits along the stretch known as the Gold Coast, with vineyard country rising…

Mamoiada

Mamoiada, a small village in Sardinia's mountainous Barbagia region, is known across the island for its traditional carnival, in which participants wear the…

Vernantois

A small stone-and-tile village spread across a green valley in France's Jura, ringed by forested limestone hills, sitting within easy reach of wine country a…

Avanos

Pottery workshops line this little Cappadocian town on the banks of the Kızılırmak — Turkey's longest river — where red clay from the riverbed has fuelled a…

Lanciano

Lanciano, a town in Abruzzo's province of Chieti, is known as the site of the first recorded Catholic Eucharistic Miracle, drawing pilgrims to its historic c…

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

Tiny Provençal town on the Rhône across from Avignon, where a massive medieval fortress with round towers and crenellated walls rises above stone houses, cyp…

Barcelinhos

Small waterside parish in Portugal's Vinho Verde wine country, Barcelinhos sits on the bank of the Cávado river within the municipality of Barcelos, with a c…

Bagnacavallo

Bagnacavallo, a small wine-country town in Emilia-Romagna, gave its nickname to the Renaissance painter Bartolomeo Ramenghi.

Requena

A wine-country town in the interior of Valencia province, Requena sits on the left bank of the river Magro with a compact centre of cafés and restaurants.

Vrsar

This pocket-sized seaside village on Istria's western coast, Vrsar has a café and restaurant scene that outpunches its size, a historic hilltop centre with t…

Crodo

A small village in Piedmont's Valle Antigorio with a disproportionate number of churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants for its size, Crodo sits alon…

Château-Thierry

Birthplace of the fabulist Jean de La Fontaine and site of both the First and Second Battles of the Marne, Château-Thierry is a town in the Aisne department…

Zahle

Known across Lebanon as "the City of Wine and Poetry," Zahle is a city in the Beqaa Valley of eastern Lebanon, sitting at the junction of Mount Lebanon and t…

Montone

This walled medieval hill village in Umbria, north of Perugia, sits at the high point of a ridge above the confluence of two Tiber tributaries, with scenic v…

Lagrasse

This compact village in the Corbières massif of southern France's Aude department, Lagrasse sits on the Orbieu river in wine and mountain country and holds m…

Zadar

Croatia's oldest continuously inhabited city, Zadar sits on the Adriatic coast in northern Dalmatia with a walkable old town dense with historic churches, ca…

Ronciglione

This modest town in the Cimini mountains of Lazio, Ronciglione sits on tuff scarps above Lake Vico, the crater lake of a former volcano, and holds membership…

Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort

A compact town in the Gard department of southern France's Occitanie region, Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort sits on the Vidourle river in mountain terrain, with a s…

Quinta Grande

Cabo Girão, considered the highest promontory in Europe at 580 metres, sits above this modest Atlantic-facing parish in Madeira's Câmara de Lobos municipalit…

Massa

Once the capital of the Duchy of Massa and Carrara during its medieval peak, this Tuscan town sits between the Apuan Alps and the Tyrrhenian Sea, with a heri…

Loupian

This rural coastal village in the Hérault département of southern France, Loupian sits on the edge of the Étang de Thau lagoon, within three overlapping Natu…

Vila Nova de Foz Côa

A small Portuguese town at the confluence of the Douro and Côa rivers, Vila Nova de Foz Côa sits within the Douro wine region and borders the Côa Valley Arch…

Corinaldo

Birthplace of Saint Maria Goretti and producer of Verdicchio wine, Corinaldo is a pocket-sized walled town in the Marche region of central Italy, listed amon…

Pézenas

A small town in the Hérault department of southern France with one of the oldest protected historic districts in the country, Pézenas holds a dense café and…

Nevşehir

The provincial capital of Cappadocia in central Türkiye, Nevşehir sits at the gateway to the region's UNESCO-listed landscape of fairy chimneys, rock-hewn ch…

Procida

This little island off the Naples coast, between Cape Miseno and Ischia, has a café and restaurant scene, a concentration of historic churches, and vineyards…

Champlitte

This wine-country commune in Haute-Saône, eastern France, Champlitte sits within the Communauté de communes des 4 Rivières and holds the labels Cité de Carac…

Poco do Canto

A small parish in Portugal's Mêda municipality, set in wine-growing country with vineyards nearby and close to mountains.

Offida

This modest hill village in the Marche region of Italy, Offida sits on a rocky spur between two river valleys with mountain views, and holds an unusual conce…

Les Baux-de-Provence

Atop a rocky spur in the Alpilles mountains of southern France, Les Baux-de-Provence is a tiny medieval village built around a ruined castle overlooking the…

Covelinhas

Compact village on the water in Portugal's Douro wine country, Covelinhas sits within the municipality of Peso da Régua in northern Portugal, surrounded by s…

Ohrid

Sitting on the shore of Lake Ohrid in southwestern North Macedonia, with high mountains rising behind it, this town holds a dual UNESCO World Heritage design…

Nérac

A small town in Lot-et-Garonne, southwestern France, sitting on the water with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, and vineyards in the…

Arcos de Valdevez

Walkable riverside town in northern Portugal's Alto Minho, Arcos de Valdevez sits on the border with Galicia and offers a centre with a real café and restaur…

Cori

This hill town in the Monti Lepini of Lazio with around 3,300 years of continuous settlement, Cori — known in antiquity as Cora — sits above vineyards and re…

Gaweinstal

A modest market village in Lower Austria's Weinviertel wine-growing region, Gaweinstal traces its origins to around 1050, making it one of the oldest settlem…

Montilla

Montilla, a town in Andalusia's Province of Córdoba, is the capital of the Montilla-Moriles Denominación de Origen, producing wines and vinegars from the Ped…

Vrbnik

A medieval walled village on the island of Krk, Croatia, set on a limestone outcrop above the Adriatic and known for its local white wine, Vrbnička žlahtina.

Amriswil

This small Swiss town in canton Thurgau near the shore of Lake Constance, with vineyards in the surrounding countryside and a café and restaurant scene that…

Sonseca

Modest Castilian town in Toledo province, Sonseca centres on a handsome granite Casa Consistorial draped in Spanish flags, sitting within easy reach of viney…

Frontignan

Frontignan, a coastal town in the Hérault department of southern France, is the home of Muscat de Frontignan, an AOC sweet wine made solely from the Muscat g…

Aubonne

Sloping vineyards above a wooded valley give way to a compact village of church spires and tiled rooftops, with a broad lake and Alpine horizon stretching be…

Durbach

This small wine-country town at the edge of the northern Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg, Durbach is known for its Riesling — grown here under the local na…

Marsillargues

A small town in the Hérault department of southern France's Occitanie region, Marsillargues sits in wine country along the Vidourle river, with two Natura 20…

Diessenhofen

Compact Swiss town on the south shore of the High Rhine in canton Thurgau, Diessenhofen sits directly across the water from the German town of Gailingen am H…

Correggio

Correggio, in Emilia-Romagna's wine country, gave its name to the Renaissance painter Antonio Allegri, known simply as "il Correggio," and was ruled from 151…

Bletterans

This small Jura village in eastern France's Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, with vineyards in the surrounding countryside, water nearby, and a handful of caf…

Dalton

This modest wine-producing moshav in the mountains of northern Israel near Safed, Dalton was founded in 1950 by immigrants from Tripoli and sits beside the r…

Orşova

Modest Danube port town in southwestern Romania's Mehedinți County, where the Cerna River meets the river at the edge of the Iron Gates gorge, with vineyards…

Finestret

This tiny hamlet in the Pyrénées-Orientales sits in the Conflent country of southern France, a Pyrenean valley region drained by the Lentillà and several oth…

Kalabaka

The gateway town for the Meteora monasteries — a UNESCO World Heritage site set atop dramatic rock formations just outside town — Kalabaka sits at the foot o…

Cabanas de Viriato

A white baroque church rises above citrus orchards and green meadows in this quiet Portuguese village in the Dão-Lafões hills, set within a wider region rich…

Limeuil

At the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers in southwestern France's Dordogne department, this small medieval village was historically a hub of the r…

Feldkirchen in Kärnten

Tiny Carinthian town in mountain terrain with vineyards nearby and water close at hand, Feldkirchen in Kärnten has an unusually lively café and restaurant sc…

San Daniele del Friuli

San Daniele del Friuli, a little town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia northwest of Udine, is best known as the production centre of its eponymous DOP prosciutto, ce…

Ayora

A pocket-sized inland town in Valencia's Valle de Ayora comarca, set among vineyards and bordered by the rivers Cabriel and Júcar, with mountain ranges on ei…

Limni

A small coastal village on the North Euboean Gulf in northwestern Euboea, Limni sits at the foot of a mountain slope and offers a café and restaurant scene t…

Torre Annunziata

Torre Annunziata sits directly above the buried Roman settlement of Oplontis, whose archaeological area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, lis…

Cabeceiras de Basto

A pocket-sized Portuguese town in the Braga district where vineyards spread through the surrounding valleys and the Serra da Cabreira rises to its highest po…

Healesville

A pocket-sized town on the Watts River in Victoria's Yarra Valley wine region, about an hour's drive from Melbourne, Healesville has a café and restaurant sc…

Bojano

A little town in Molise's Campobasso province with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, and an unusual concentration of historic churches.

Vauvert

This small wine-country town in the far south of France's Gard department, Vauvert sits within the Camargue delta and is drained by several waterways, includ…

Covarrubias

Known as "the cradle of Castile," this compact village on the Arlanza river in Burgos province was made a capital of the region by the 10th-century Count Fer…

Garessio

This pocket-sized Piedmontese village in the Ligurian Alps known for its mineral water, Aqua San Bernardo, which drew spa visitors at the turn of the twentie…

Metlika

This small wine-country town in southeastern Slovenia's White Carniola region, Metlika sits on the left bank of the Kolpa River along the border with Croatia…

Fenouillet

This compact rural hamlet in the Fenouillèdes, a long depression between the Corbières hills and the Pyrenean massifs in northern Pyrénées-Orientales, Fenoui…

Mondovì

This hill town in Piedmont's Cuneo province with a compact, café-lined centre, a concentration of historic churches, and a position deep in the wine country…

Mondim de Basto

A pocket-sized town in northern Portugal's Vila Real district with a café and restaurant scene that is unusually rich for its size, vineyards in the surround…

Rogliano

This modest Corsican village at the northern tip of Cap Corse sits close to the water and mountain terrain, with an unusual concentration of churches for its…

Andria

Castel del Monte, the 13th-century hilltop castle built by Emperor Frederick II and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the defining landmark of this large…

Fafe

This small city in northern Portugal's Braga district with a walkable centre, a food-and-drink scene, and vineyards in the surrounding countryside.

Baume-les-Dames

Small town on the Doubs river in eastern France's Franche-Comté, with vineyards in the surrounding countryside, scenic viewpoints nearby, and a central core…

Porrentruy

This small French-speaking Swiss town in the canton of Jura has a café and restaurant scene that outpaces the town's size, with vineyards in the surrounding…

Arco de Sao Jorge

Small wine-growing hamlet on Madeira's north coast, Arco de São Jorge sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains to the south.

Kavarna

Black Sea resort town on Bulgaria's northeastern coast, Kavarna has a beach, a modest yacht harbour, and a central core with cafés and restaurants.

Gerberoy

This compact commune in the Oise department of northern France holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, the association recognising the country…

Mendrisio

A compact Swiss-Italian town in Ticino's wine country, Mendrisio has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, alongside an unusual concentrat…

Patersberg

A tiny hamlet in the Loreley district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Patersberg sits in the Rhine wine country with scenic mountain views and is officially recogni…

Venzolasca

A hilltop Corsican village of grey-stone houses crowned by a tall church tower, with open sea views stretching to a distant island silhouette and nearby vine…

San Luis Obispo

This walkable California town with a dense food-and-drink scene, vineyards in the surrounding area, and hiking terrain on its doorstep — including Cerro San…

Tudela

Tudela sits on the Ebro river in southern Navarre, a walkable town with a centre dense with historic churches, listed buildings, and cafés, set in the wine-g…

Bergerac

Sitting on the banks of the Dordogne river in southwestern France, Bergerac is a Town of Art and History with vineyards in the immediate surroundings and a w…

Vipava

This modest wine-country town in western Slovenia's Vipava Valley, built along the numerous springs of the Vipava River — said to be the only river in Europe…

Oristano

This walkable Sardinian town on the Campidano plain with a food-and-drink scene concentrated in its centre, several historic churches, and vineyards in the s…

Bélesta

Little wine-country hamlet in the Fenouillèdes — a valley corridor between the Corbières hills and the Pyrenean massifs in southern France's Pyrénées-Orienta…

Velenje

This Slovenian town in the Šalek Valley, Velenje was purpose-built and officially opened in 1959 around its coal-mining industry, with the Velenje Coal Mine…

Diepenbeek

Belgian municipality in the province of Limburg, Diepenbeek sits between the cities of Hasselt, Genk, and Bilzen and is home to Hasselt University and the Li…

Balazuc

A small village on the Ardèche river in southern France, Balazuc sits in wine country with scenic viewpoints across the surrounding landscape.

Matacaes

A compact Portuguese village of white-walled, terracotta-roofed houses spread across a green hillside, crowned by traditional windmills, set in the rolling w…

Glenrowan

This modest Victorian village near the Warby Ranges and Mount Glenrowan sits in wine-growing country in Australia's northeast, a short drive from Wangaratta.

Bagnols-sur-Cèze

Wine-country town in the Gard department of southern France, set on the Cèze river with a walkable centre full of cafés and restaurants.

Tintern

Tintern Abbey, a ruined 12th-century Cistercian monastery on the banks of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, is the main draw to this little conservation…

Chieti

This ancient Abruzzo town sits between the Pescara and Alento rivers, within sight of the Gran Sasso and Majella mountains and a short distance from the Adri…

Castelnou

A compact village in the Aspres region of Pyrénées-Orientales, Castelnou sits among vineyards and Mediterranean terrain between the Têt and Tech river valleys.

Oiartzun

A Basque town in Gipuzkoa at the foot of the Aiako Harria massif, Oiartzun sits in mountain terrain with vineyards nearby and a café and restaurant scene tha…

Naramata

Small wine-country village on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake in south-central British Columbia, Naramata is known for its high concentration of wineries…

Sant'Antonino

This small Corsican hill village in the Balagne region is considered the oldest, highest, and most scenic settlement in that area, and holds membership in Le…

Lamia

A walkable central Greek city with a lively café and restaurant scene, Lamia sits on the slopes of Mount Othrys near the Spercheios river, with vineyards in…

Mazzarino

This small Sicilian town in the province of Caltanissetta with an unusual concentration of churches for its size, set in wine-growing country with vineyards…

Caunes-Minervois

Red marble quarried here since Roman times has surfaced in some of France's grandest buildings, and the village's eighth-century abbey anchors a well-preserv…

Šibenik

Two UNESCO World Heritage sites anchor Šibenik's historic centre on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia: the Cathedral of St.

Fermo

A hill town in the Marche region of central Italy, Fermo sits on the Sabulo ridge a short distance from the Adriatic coast, with mountain views in the other…

Pont-Saint-Esprit

A small town on the Rhône in southern France's Gard département, Pont-Saint-Esprit sits at a historic river crossing where the Ardèche meets the Rhône just t…

Penafiel

Modest town in northern Portugal's Tâmega e Sousa region, Penafiel sits in mountain terrain at the edge of the water, deep in wine country, with a compact ce…

Polšnik

Pocket-sized Slovenian hill settlement in central Slovenia's Lower Carniola region, where a white-towered church rises above orange-roofed houses amid dense…

Corbère

A rural village in the Aspres region of Pyrénées-Orientales, southern France, set between the Têt and Tech river valleys in Mediterranean mountain terrain, w…

Krosno

Nicknamed "Little Kraków," this medieval Royal Free Town in southeastern Poland earned its reputation through a preserved old town with Gothic, Renaissance,…

Pollau

This pocket-sized Styrian town in Austria serves as the main centre of the Pöllauer Tal nature park, set among vineyards and close to the mountains, with a c…

Le Vigan

Modest town in the Cévennes region of southern France's Gard department, Le Vigan sits on the River Arre and carries a café and restaurant scene that punches…

Giugliano in Campania

A large city in the Metropolitan City of Naples with a walkable centre full of cafés, restaurants, and historic churches, and vineyards in the surrounding area.

Fraxern

A tiny forested village in the mountains of Vorarlberg, Austria, Fraxern sits at elevation above the town of Feldkirch, with meadows and woodland covering mo…

Sommières

Little town in the Gard department of southern France where the Vidourle river runs through the centre, Sommières sits in deep wine country between Nîmes and…

Campi Salentina

This pocket-sized town in Salento, Puglia, set among vineyards and with an unusual concentration of churches for its size.

Hartberg

A little Styrian town in southeastern Austria with a café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its size, Hartberg sits in wine country with scen…

Asquins

This small Burgundy hamlet on the Yonne is the starting point of one of the four main French pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, and its church of S…

Ozieri

Ozieri, in Sardinia's Logudoro region, is the centre of the earliest known archaeological culture on the island — the Ozieri culture — giving it a deep prehi…

Vila Flor

This small town in Portugal's Terra Quente Transmontana region, Vila Flor is locally known as the Portuguese Capital of Olive Oil, set in deep wine country i…

Bédarieux

This tiny town in southern France's Hérault department where the Orb river runs through the centre, Bédarieux sits within the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature…

Bortigiadas

This compact hillside village of terracotta-roofed houses rising through dense Mediterranean scrub in Sardinia's Gallura uplands, Bortigiadas rewards slow tr…

Xylokastro

Modest seaside town on the Gulf of Corinth in the Peloponnese, Xylokastro draws weekend visitors from Athens with a long white-pebbled beach, a marina, and a…

Brégnier-Cordon

This compact stone-church village in France's Ain department, its red-tile rooftops spreading across upland country above wooded river plains, with vineyards…

Tavagnasco

Small village in Piedmont's Dora Baltea valley, north of Turin, Tavagnasco sits on the river with mountain terrain close by and vineyards in the surrounding…

Ervedosa do Douro

A compact village in the Douro wine country of northern Portugal, Ervedosa do Douro sits within the municipality of São João da Pesqueira, directly on the ri…

Montolieu

Known as a Village du Livre — a book village — Montolieu is a little commune in the Aude department of southern France, set on the southern edge of the Massi…

Oberachern

A small German village dominated by a striking white-rendered church with a tall slate spire, set in Baden-Württemberg's Ortenau wine country with the Black…

Casale Monferrato

Sitting on the right bank of the Po in Piedmont's deep wine country, Casale Monferrato is a walkable town with a centre full of cafés and churches.

Termes

A little hamlet in the Corbières massif of southern France's Aude department, Termes sits among limestone hills that form the transition between the Massif C…

Vilar de Macada

A compact parish in northern Portugal's Douro wine country, Vilar de Maçada sits along the river in the Alijó municipality, ringed by UNESCO World Heritage l…

Naoussa

Wine production, a traditional carnival, and a ski resort on the Vermio Mountains make Naoussa one of Central Macedonia's more varied tiny cities.

Mauguio

This Mediterranean-climate town in the Hérault with a compact centre of cafés and restaurants, Mauguio sits in the heart of Languedoc wine country and extend…

Vetralla

A modest hilltop town in Viterbo province, Vetralla sits on a shoulder of Monte Fogliano in the heart of northern Lazio wine country, with cafés and restaura…

Leipsoi

Compact Greek island in the northern Dodecanese, Leipsoi sits between Patmos and Leros and is well connected by ferry from Piraeus.

Largentière

Silver mining shaped this pocket-sized Ardèche village for centuries — its name, adopted in the 13th century, refers directly to the silver-bearing ore extra…

Bronte

Pistachio cultivation defines Bronte, a Sicilian town on the western slopes of Mount Etna whose green pistachios are among the most prized in Italy.

Wertheim am Main

At the confluence of the Tauber and Main rivers in southwestern Baden-Württemberg, Wertheim am Main is a medieval town best known for its landmark castle and…

Issigeac

A pocket-sized medieval village in the Bergerac wine-growing region of the Dordogne, Issigeac is built on a circular plan with largely original half-timbered…

Radda in Chianti

This small Tuscan village in the heart of Chianti wine country, between Florence and Siena, with a café and restaurant scene that is unusually rich for its s…

Yecla

Wine-country town in the far north of Murcia, Yecla sits among vineyards in mountain terrain with a compact centre of cafés and restaurants.

Villefranche-sur-Saône

The main town of the Beaujolais wine region, Villefranche-sur-Saône sits on the Saône in the Rhône department of eastern France, a short distance north of Lyon.

Leskovik

This modest mountain town in southeastern Albania, close to the Greek border, with vineyards in the surrounding hills and scenic viewpoints across the mounta…

Briones

Tiny wine-country village in La Rioja Alta, Briones sits on a hill above the Ebro river, its northern slope dropping almost vertically to the water.

Anduze

A small town at the foot of the Cévennes in southern France's Gard department, Anduze sits on the River Gard with a café and restaurant scene that punches ab…

Alijó

This little town in Portugal's Douro wine country, Alijó has held municipal status since 1226 and sits within a region ringed by UNESCO World Heritage design…

Kymi

This small coastal town on the island of Euboea, built on a hill above its port village of Kymi Beach, has an unusual concentration of churches for its size…

Rogatec

This modest Slovenian border village in the Savinja region sits between the Donačka Gora hills to the north and the Sotla river to the south, in wine country…

Novi Vinodolski

Adriatic coast town in Croatia with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, Novi Vinodolski sits where the Vinodol Valley — long used for wi…

Pedara

This compact Sicilian town on the slopes of Etna, a short drive north of Catania, with a centre concentrated with historic churches, cafés, and restaurants,…

Chambesy

A lakeside village on the south-western shore of Lake Geneva, Chambesy sits just north of Geneva with vineyard country nearby, mountain views across the wate…

Benningen am Neckar

This small wine-country town on the Neckar river in Baden-Württemberg, Benningen am Neckar sits a short distance north of Stuttgart in the Ludwigsburg distri…

Montagu

Founded in 1851 at the confluence of the Keisie and Kingna rivers, Montagu is a Western Cape wine-country town in the Western Little Karoo known for its hot…

Thouars

This modest town on the River Thouet in western France's Deux-Sèvres, Thouars sits in wine-growing country and holds an official "town of art and history" de…

Capranica

This modest town in the Tuscia area of Lazio, Capranica sits on the ancient Via Cassia and along the route of the Via Francigena pilgrimage road, with vineya…

Atouguia

Small white-church village of orange-roofed houses spread across forested hill country in central Portugal, sitting within easy reach of the wider Ourém regi…

Tripoli

A highland city in the central Peloponnese with a walkable centre full of cafés, restaurants, and historic churches, set on a plateau with vineyards in the s…

Barge

A compact Piedmontese town where a colonnaded municipal palace and a café-lined main square open onto wine-growing plains, with upland country close by and t…

Weinfelden

A tiny Swiss wine-country town in canton Thurgau with a café and restaurant scene that is well stocked for its size, Weinfelden sits on the water with scenic…

Senija

This compact Valencian village set among olive groves and terraced farmland, with a flat-topped rocky peak dominating the skyline, a church tower at its hear…

Bisignano

A small hill town in Calabria's Crati valley, Bisignano sits between the Pollino and Sila National Parks with vineyards in the surrounding countryside and a…

Riom

This heritage-dense town in Auvergne's Puy-de-Dôme, Riom served as capital of the Terre d'Auvergne from 1210 and carries that history in a compact centre thi…

Sobral de Monte Agraco

A compact Portuguese town in the Oeste wine region, its broad cobblestone main square anchored by a red-domed bandstand and whitewashed civic buildings, with…

Tortona

A walkable Piedmontese town on the right bank of the Scrivia river, between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines, Tortona sits in…

Nova Gorica

Nova Gorica and its Italian neighbour Gorizia jointly hold the European Capital of Culture title for 2025 — a designation the BBC called Europe's first borde…

Waasmunster

Pocket-sized Belgian town in East Flanders on the River Durme, Waasmunster has an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size and vineyards in th…

Ferentillo

Split by the Nera river into two small borghi — Matterella and Precetto — this Umbrian village sits in a river valley in the Province of Terni, with vineyard…

Maslin Beach

A long arc of pale sand curves below dramatically layered red and ochre cliffs on Adelaide's southern coast, making Maslin Beach a striking coastal stop with…

Quinson

This tiny Provençal village in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence where a converted stone chapel houses the tourist office, wooded hills rise behind compact streets, an…

Atina

A small village in Frosinone province, Lazio, with several historic churches and a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.

Manzanares

Founded in the mid-13th century by the Order of Calatrava during the Christian resettlement of La Mancha, Manzanares is a wine-producing town in Ciudad Real…

Condom

A pocket-sized Armagnac-country town in the Gers department of southwestern France, Condom-en-Armagnac sits on the River Baïse with a central core of cafés a…

Ceglie Messapica

This walkable Apulian town in the Salento area of Brindisi province, Ceglie Messapica has a whitewashed historic centre of narrow stone-paved lanes, many chu…

Hellín

This compact inland town in Castilla–La Mancha, Hellín spreads its terracotta rooftops beneath bare rounded hills, with a white-domed church rising above the…

Aggsbach Dorf

This small wine-growing hamlet on the Danube in Lower Austria's Krems-Land district sits within a region ringed by UNESCO World Heritage sites, with vineyard…

Montesarchio

A tiny city in Campania's Valle Caudina, Montesarchio sits at the foot of Monte Taburno in the heart of Samnite wine country, with cafés and restaurants in i…

Logroño

The trade capital of Spain's Rioja wine country, Logroño sits on the Ebro River in northern Spain and was named the country's first Gastronomy Capital in 201…

Najac

A medieval ridge village in southern France's Aveyron, Najac is dominated by a partly ruined château built in 1253 on the orders of Alphonse de Poitiers, wit…

Erice

Sitting on the summit of Monte Erice above Trapani in western Sicily, this medieval hilltop village retains its ancient Elymian-Punic fortifications, cobbled…

Birsfelden

A compact Swiss town where a fast-flowing river runs directly past a row of colourful multi-storey houses, with a lively café and restaurant scene, surroundi…

Moissac

At the confluence of the Garonne and Tarn rivers and the Canal de Garonne in southern France's Occitanie region, Moissac is a pocket-sized town in Tarn-et-Ga…

Poggio Mirteto

Little Tiber Valley town in Lazio's Rieti province, Poggio Mirteto sits on a knoll northeast of Rome amid wine country, with scenic views across the surround…

Meilen

This white-steepled lakeside church anchors this compact Swiss town's waterfront, where lake views, surrounding vineyard slopes, and easy access to upland co…

Traismauer

This pocket-sized Austrian wine-country town on the water in Lower Austria traces its origins to a Roman settlement, with some Roman structures still standing.

Lipari

The largest of the seven Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off northern Sicily, Lipari is the main gateway to the archipelago and the administrative cent…

Aigues-Mortes

Enclosed within well-preserved medieval walls, this pocket-sized town in the Camargue region of southern France sits at the junction of two waterways and dra…

Snells Beach

A small coastal town on the Mahurangi Peninsula north of Auckland, Snells Beach sits directly on Kawau Bay with views east to Kawau Island, and is within rea…

Parabita

A pocket-sized town in the Salento interior of Apulia, Parabita has an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size and sits among vineyards with…

Maaseik

Believed to be the birthplace of the Flemish painters Jan and Hubert van Eyck, Maaseik is a Belgian town in the province of Limburg with a walkable centre fu…

Sellicks Beach

Coastal village on Aldinga Bay at the southern edge of Adelaide's metropolitan area, with vineyards in the surrounding hills and scenic views along the shore…

Guardiagrele

Poet Gabriele d'Annunzio called Guardiagrele "Abruzzo's terrace" for the sweeping views of the Maiella mountain it commands from its hilltop position in the…

Tremolat

This pocket-sized Dordogne village where elevated viewpoints look down over a wide river bend, stone arched bridge, patchwork farmland, and vineyard slopes r…

Karystos

A waterfront town on the southern tip of Euboea, Karystos has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, vineyards in the surrounding countrysi…

Tembleque

This pocket-sized village in Toledo province, Castile-La Mancha, sits in wine-growing country with vineyards nearby and water close at hand, and carries a co…

Cedovim

Little wine-country village in the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa in northern Portugal, Cedovim sits alongside the water in a region ringed by UNESCO W…

Stainz

A pocket-sized Styrian wine-country town in Austria's Deutschlandsberg district, Stainz is associated with Schilcher wine and anchored by Schloss Stainz, a f…

Tarazona de la Mancha

A compact Castilian town in Albacete whose sun-drenched Plaza Mayor pairs a whitewashed arcaded town hall with a substantial stone church tower, surrounded b…

Malo Globoko

Tiny cluster of white farmhouses with red-tile roofs sits amid rolling green meadows and forested hills along the Krka River in central Slovenia's Lower Carn…

Vendrogno

This small hamlet above Lake Como, now part of Bellano in Lombardy's Lecco province, sits in wine-growing country with scenic views toward the lake and surro…

Alburquerque

This small town in Spain's Badajoz province, close to the Portuguese border, with vineyards in the surrounding countryside and cafés and restaurants in its c…

Erlenbach am Main

This wine-producing town on the Main river in Bavaria's Lower Franconia region, Erlenbach am Main is the largest town in the Miltenberg district and carries…

Aubenas

This small town in the southern Ardèche with a café and restaurant scene that is well stocked for its size, Aubenas sits on the river Ardèche at a crossroads…

Montánchez

Sitting high in the Sierra de Montánchez above the plains of Extremadura, this pocket-sized Spanish village is one of the country's main centres for jamón ib…

Uhersky Brod

Uherský Brod, a town in the Zlín Region of Czechia, is known as the place where the philosopher and pedagogue John Amos Comenius lived, with a museum and sec…

Metković

A compact Croatian river town where red-tile rooftops climb a wooded hill crowned by a white church, set along the Neretva near the Bosnian border and within…

Enguera

This pocket-sized agricultural town in southwestern Valencia province, Enguera sits close to the Sierra de Enguera and is surrounded by olive groves and vine…

La Roque-sur-Cèze

A modest hamlet on the Cèze river in southern France's Gard department, La Roque-sur-Cèze holds membership in Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and sits with…

Eibiswald

A compact Styrian market town set against forested upland hills, with a distinctive onion-domed church tower at its centre, sitting in the wine-growing south…

Albaida

This hilltop church tower and whitewashed old quarter rise above palm-lined streets in this compact Valencian town, set among vineyard country with a walkabl…

Escapaes

This tiny parish in the Santa Maria da Feira municipality of northern Portugal sits close to the water and is surrounded by vineyards, with a café and restau…

Gobelsburg

Schloss Gobelsburg, a castle and winery in Lower Austria's Kamptal wine region, has been producing wine since 1171, making it the oldest winery in the Danube…

Battipaglia

Buffalo mozzarella production has made Battipaglia one of the most productive agricultural centres on the Sele Plain in Campania, southern Italy.

Palmela

A wine-country town south of Lisbon on the Península de Setúbal, Palmela sits among vineyards with scenic viewpoints across the surrounding landscape and a w…

Volkach

Modest wine town on the river Main in Bavaria's Franconian wine-growing region, Volkach has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.

Langenzersdorf

This Lower Austrian town spread across a broad river bend, with wooded hills rising behind red-tile rooftops, vineyard slopes nearby, and a café and restaura…

Hualañé

A little agricultural town in Chile's Maule region, Hualañé sits in the Mataquito River valley with the coast nearby and mountains within reach.

Cavaillon

Known across France as the capital of the melon, Cavaillon is a Provençal town in the Durance Valley at the western edge of the Luberon mountains.

Keremeos

Keremeos, a tiny village in British Columbia's Similkameen region, calls itself the fruit stand capital of Canada — roadside stands selling soft fruits, cher…

Tobarra

Tobarra, a small town in Spain's Albacete province, is best known for its Holy Week drum processions — the tamboradas — declared of National Tourist Interest…

Sabbioneta

Jointly inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List with Mantua in 2008, Sabbioneta is a small village in Lombardy's Mantova province, sitting near the north…

El Jadida

The Portuguese Fortified City of Mazagan, built at the start of the 16th century and registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, anchors this Atlanti…

Fleurance

A small town in the Gers department of southwestern France, Fleurance sits on the River Gers amid the cereal fields and vineyards of Gascony's Gaure country,…

Vinchio

A pocket-sized Piedmontese hamlet dominated by a broad-towered brick church, set among rolling wine-country hills with distant Alpine peaks on the horizon an…

Smederevo

Smederevo's medieval fortress, built in 1430 by the Serbian despot Đurađ Branković on the Danube's right bank, was at the time the largest lowland fortress i…

Lisle-sur-Tarn

This pocket-sized town on the River Tarn in southern France's Occitanie region, sitting within the Gaillacois wine country, an area long known for the qualit…

Schio

A heritage-dense town in the Vicenza province of Veneto, Schio sits close to the Little Dolomites and Mount Pasubio, with a walkable centre that holds a conc…

Hyannis

The commercial hub of Cape Cod and widely called its "Capital," Hyannis is a pocket-sized Massachusetts village with a walkable downtown on Main Street, a wo…

Queenston

Queenston, in Ontario's Niagara wine country, sits where the Niagara River meets the Niagara Escarpment — the geological point from which the falls began car…

Paarl

Paarl is the largest city in South Africa's Cape Winelands, set along the Berg River with the mountains close behind.

Vasto

An Adriatic coastal town in Abruzzo with a walkable historic centre dense with churches, restaurants, and wine bars, Vasto sits where the mountains of inland…

Ptuj

Slovenia's oldest recorded town, Ptuj sits on the Drava River in the Styrian wine country of the northeast, with a walkable historic centre that grew around…

Bitaraes

This compact Portuguese village square anchored by a granite cross pillar and a twin-towered baroque chapel, set in the wine-growing country near Paredes, wi…

Serviès-en-Val

Compact hamlet in the Corbières massif of southern France's Aude department, set in wine country on the limestone terrain that bridges the Massif Central and…

Cassino

Cassino, a town in southern Lazio at the foot of Monte Cairo, is defined by two things: the Abbey of Montecassino, founded by St.

Longuich

A little wine-country village on the right bank of the Moselle in Rhineland-Palatinate, Longuich sits within the Verbandsgemeinde Schweich an der Römischen W…

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

The spring at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is the largest resurgent spring in France and ranks among the most significant in the world by annual flow, feeding the Ri…

Uster

A lakeside town in the canton of Zürich, Uster sits beside the Greifensee with vineyards in the surrounding area, historic churches in the centre, and a walk…

Promajna

A small Dalmatian hamlet on the Makarska Riviera with a long gravel beach and a coastal promenade connecting it to neighbouring Baška Voda.

Vassel

This compact French village in the Puy-de-Dôme, its central square anchored by a stone fountain, a clock-towered mairie, and a solid Romanesque-style church,…

Torre de Moncorvo

This small town in the Douro River valley of northern Portugal, Torre de Moncorvo sits in almond and olive country with vineyards spreading across the surrou…

Almendralejo

A substantial Extremaduran town built around a striking multi-tiered stone church tower rising above a compact square, with a walkable centre of cafés and re…

Arbois

Arbois holds a double distinction in French wine history: it became France's first AOC-designated wine region in 1936 and is still known as the capital of Ju…

Arruda dos Vinhos

A small wine-country town in the Lisbon District of Portugal, Arruda dos Vinhos has a compact central core with cafés and restaurants and sits within reach o…

Tulbagh

A compact wine-country town in the Western Cape, Tulbagh sits in a mountain basin drained by the Klein Berg River, with vineyards on its doorstep and a centr…

Tarnobrzeg

A walkable town in south-eastern Poland with a café-lined centre and vineyards nearby, Tarnobrzeg sits on the east bank of the Vistula in the Sandomierz Basi…

Sequeiros

A small Portuguese village in the Braga hills, Sequeiros centres on a granite baroque church with an ornate carved facade and bell tower, set on cobbled stre…

Kozje

This small wine-country settlement in eastern Slovenia's Styria region, Kozje sits close to mountain terrain and water and has been a local centre since at l…

Grugliasco

A walkable town square anchored by a tall medieval brick clock tower draws visitors to Grugliasco's lively café and market scene, just a short distance from…

Solsona

This tiny Catalan town in the province of Lleida serves as the seat of the Diocese of Solsona and holds an unusual concentration of historic churches for its…

Eretria

This waterfront town on Euboea facing the Attic coast across the South Euboean Gulf, Eretria was among the most significant Greek city-states of the 6th and…

Montevecchia

A modest Lombardy village in the hills of the Brianza northeast of Milan, Montevecchia sits at the centre of a regional park — the Parco regionale di Monteve…

Sernancelhe

Small town in Portugal's Douro sub-region, Sernancelhe sits among vineyards and is the birthplace of Aquilino Ribeiro, one of the most significant Portuguese…

Marktheidenfeld

A modest Bavarian town on the Main river, Marktheidenfeld sits in the wine-growing Spessart hills of Lower Franconia with a café and restaurant scene that pu…

Tlemcen

A historic city in northwestern Algeria that served as the capital of the Zianid dynasty for more than three centuries, Tlemcen carries a dense architectural…

Santo Isidoro

This modest coastal town in the Mafra municipality north of Lisbon, Santo Isidoro sits in wine-growing country with vineyards nearby and a modest central cor…

Plasencia

Founded by King Alfonso VIII of Castile in 1186 as a Reconquista frontier stronghold, Plasencia is a walkable town in northern Extremadura with a historic ce…

Szekszárd

Wine country defines Szekszárd, a little city in southern Hungary and the county capital of Tolna, where the surrounding hills hold around 4,500 wine cellars…

Viverone

A pocket-sized village on the shore of Lago di Viverone — the third-largest lake in Piedmont — with an unusual concentration of cafés, restaurants, and churc…

Tequisquiapan

Founded in 1551 around natural hot springs in the state of Querétaro, Tequisquiapan is a colonial town with cobblestone streets, wrought iron fixtures, and a…

Prades

Founded in the 9th century as a fortified settlement, Prades is a small Catalan-French town in the Pyrénées-Orientales with a café and restaurant scene that…

Caudete

A compact Castilian town in Albacete's upland wine country where a cobbled main square — shown here alive with costumed participants in a public celebration…

Mesao Frio

This small town in Portugal's Douro wine country, Mesão Frio sits on the river with scenic viewpoints at Monte de São Silvestre, Lugar do Imaginário, and Lug…

Turna nad Bodvou

A compact Slovak town spread across an agricultural plain in the Košice region, viewed from an elevated rocky outcrop that hints at the upland terrain and wi…

Vinca