{"id":2711,"date":"2019-04-03T14:11:04","date_gmt":"2019-04-03T14:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/?p=2711"},"modified":"2024-04-29T13:29:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T13:29:12","slug":"best-small-towns-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Capitals of Europe like Berlin<\/a>, Paris<\/a>, Madrid<\/a>, and London<\/a> are steeped in history, art, and culture and will most likely give you some of the best nights out of your life. But Europe\u2019s smaller towns and villages offer unique and compelling experiences, often with more opportunities to relax and appreciate their charm and character. Here we have rounded up a few of Europe\u2019s most beautiful small towns, famed for their architecture and situated in impressive landscapes.<\/p>\n

1. Estaing, France<\/b><\/h2>\n

Located on the Route of Santiago de Compostela, Estaing is one of France\u2019s most beautiful towns. You access the town via a\u00a0Gothic bridge that arches over the River Lot. Facades date from the 16th, 17th\u00a0and 18th\u00a0Century while the architectural crown is the town\u2019s magnificent\u00a0chateau; climb the terrace for stunning views over the whole town and surrounding countryside. To add to the medieval experience the town hosts a variety of costumed festivals and has a 15th\u00a0Century church that holds the relics of Saint Fleuret.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Want to discover France by car? Check our guide on the most beautiful villages in France<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

2. Civita\u00a0di\u00a0Bagnoregio, Italy<\/b><\/h2>\n

This ancient town is nicknamed the\u00a0\u201cJewel on the Hill\u201d\u00a0for its fantastical rock stacks that you reach via a seemingly precarious walkway. Founded about\u00a02,500 years ago by the Etruscans, the town has been relatively untouched by the Renaissance period,\u00a0which\u00a0is unusual for just about anywhere in Italy. The walk up to the town is a\u00a0fairly\u00a0steep\u00a0accent so be prepared for the climb. The amazing views over the surrounding rugged landscape are your reward.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

3. Pucisca, Croatia<\/b><\/h2>\n

Often regarded as one of the most beautiful towns in Europe,\u00a0Pucisca\u2019s\u00a0stone and terracotta houses, gorgeous bathing waters, and amphitheater-shaped bay are simply stunning. You can reach the Island of Brac with your rental car by ferry, giving you easy access to other stunning beaches nearby. The town is dotted with numerous monuments and churches and has a picturesque harbor that leaves a lasting impression as you enter by boat.<\/p>\n

4. Reine, Norway<\/b><\/h2>\n

Reine is on the list because its quaint red wooden stilt houses are surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe. The towering Lofoten Mountains jut out of the Arctic waters that surround this idyllic northern archipelago. Despite its remote location, tourists flock to the town every year to take in the breathtaking scenery. Activities are mostly outdoors. Visitors have a huge choice of hiking trails in the mountains, the opportunity to take kayak trips in the fjord as well as gazing up at the Northern Lights from September until April.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

5. Bibury, England<\/b><\/h2>\n

Possibly the most quintessential English village,\u00a0Bibury\u00a0is set in the heart of the\u00a0Cotswolds\u00a0and was proclaimed by famous craftsman William Morris as\u00a0\u201cthe most beautiful village in England\u201d. The town has been used as a filming\u00a0location for blockbusters including Bridget Jones\u2019s Diary and Stardust. Make sure you see the Arlington Row\u2019s infamous weaver\u2019s cottages as well as the Saxon Church of St. Mary and the\u00a0Chedworth\u00a0Roman Villa.\u00a0 There are opportunities for hiking,\u00a0biking,\u00a0and horseback\u00a0riding in the surrounding countryside. We also recommend sampling the\u00a0fare at\u00a0traditional teahouses dotted throughout the village.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n

Do check out our guide to Europe road trips<\/a> for more interesting places to see and experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Capitals of Europe like Berlin, Paris, Madrid, and London are steeped in history, art, and culture and will most likely give you some of the best nights out of your life. But Europe\u2019s smaller towns and villages offer unique and compelling experiences, often with more opportunities to relax and appreciate their charm and character. Here…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":2713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2711","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nThe 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe | SIXT rent a car Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We rounded up five of Europe\u2019s most beautiful small towns, famed for their architecture and situated in impressive landscapes.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe | SIXT rent a car Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We rounded up five of Europe\u2019s most beautiful small towns, famed for their architecture and situated in impressive landscapes.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SIXT rent a car Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-03T14:11:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-04-29T13:29:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Civita-di-Bagnoregio.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1140\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"728\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe | SIXT rent a car Magazine","description":"We rounded up five of Europe\u2019s most beautiful small towns, famed for their architecture and situated in impressive landscapes.\u00a0","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe | SIXT rent a car Magazine","og_description":"We rounded up five of Europe\u2019s most beautiful small towns, famed for their architecture and situated in impressive landscapes.\u00a0","og_url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/","og_site_name":"SIXT rent a car Magazine","article_published_time":"2019-04-03T14:11:04+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-04-29T13:29:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1140,"height":728,"url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Civita-di-Bagnoregio.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe","datePublished":"2019-04-03T14:11:04+00:00","dateModified":"2024-04-29T13:29:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/"},"wordCount":562,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Civita-di-Bagnoregio.jpg","articleSection":["Travel"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/","url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/","name":"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe | SIXT rent a car Magazine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Civita-di-Bagnoregio.jpg","datePublished":"2019-04-03T14:11:04+00:00","dateModified":"2024-04-29T13:29:12+00:00","description":"We rounded up five of Europe\u2019s most beautiful small towns, famed for their architecture and situated in impressive landscapes.\u00a0","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Civita-di-Bagnoregio.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Civita-di-Bagnoregio.jpg","width":1140,"height":728},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-in-europe\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The 5 Most Charming Small Towns in Europe"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/","name":"SIXT rent a car Magazine","description":"Travel Tips and News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#organization","name":"SIXT Rent A Car","url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2025\/10\/SIXT_Logo_Pos_RGB-2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2025\/10\/SIXT_Logo_Pos_RGB-2.png","width":2000,"height":804,"caption":"SIXT Rent A Car"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":""}]}},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2711\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}