16 Most Beautiful Villages F

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16 of the most beautiful villages around the World

If you are looking for that Old Country charm, and you wish there was a way for you to witness civilizations

before they got too busy gett ing ahead of themselves, you should frequent old villages more. There are

sixteen exceptionally charming villages around the world that wont disappo int you with their cobblestoneroads and old-style stone houses. While not exactly medieval (theres better plumbing, and the people here

arent clad in high stockings and jumpsuits ), these places are sure to give you goose bumps because they

have managed to retain so much of their culture f rom decades, if not centuries ago.

Wengen in Switzerland

Do you ever wonder how the world was bef ore cars were invented? Switzerlands quaint village called

Wengen might just help you realize your dreams. Cars are banned f rom this area f or close to 100 years,

and everything loo ks like it was taken right o ut o f Heidi. Imagine seeing timber all around you, snow peaked

mountains, log cabins, and locals who have kept their Swiss culture intact.

If you want the best hot el in area, you sho uld check in at Hotel Bellevue for around $245 a night. Its a great

place fo r skiers, although those who are uncomfortable going carless f or days might not f ind this

dest ination t oo att ractive. It has been widely celebrated by writers and artist s like Mary Shelley back in the1800s and contemporaries today. The tourist population spikes up during the winter.

To get to Wengen, you need to leave your car at Lauterbrunnen and ride the t rain to t own. The train ride

takes about f if teen minutes. There is also a train coming from Interlaken, but the ride takes up to 45

minutes long.

Chimayo in New Mexico
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This is a very mystical village which is located at the foot of Sangre de Cristo. Its about a half an hours

drive fro m the more developed Santa Fe, and is known for the healings which have occurred at a recently

unearthed crucif ix. Aside f rom the t iny miracles which happen in this village, youll also love the 1600s

architecture of the houses. The community still has a strongly Spanish culture, and is known for its

residents talents in weaving, raising livestock and f arming. You must visit the Santuario de Chimayo chapel

which is where these miracles take place. Expect pilgrimages here just bef ore Easter Sunday. The village is

also a 75-minute drive from Taos.

Savoca in Italy

If youre not too familiar with the village of Savoca, perhaps the more iconic Castello di Pentefur would jog

your memory. This village is actually rich in historical value. Its right on top of a hill between Taormina andMessina on the east coast. While there is no clear proof, this village is said to be about 1,000 years old,

and is reminiscent of Corleone in the movie The Godf ather, but perhaps less crowded. Visit Chiesa di Santa

Lucia, the Piazza Foss ia for so me yummy lemon granita, and the spectacle of mummif ied monks in the

Cappuccini Monastery.


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To get here, you will have to rent a car. Its about an hour s drive f rom the Catania Airport . You may also

choose the more scenic route from Taormina which takes about 40 minutes. There are plenty of tour

companies o f f ering day trips t o this village if you dont mind The Godf ather theme.

Sidi Bou Said in Tunisia

This village seems to disappear into the sky and the blue horizon. All the houses are painted stark white,

the skies are clear, and the backdrop includes the Bay of Tunis which is only in a deeper shade of blue. This

inspired the painter Paul Klee and the writers Simone de Beauvoir and Collete. Its not surprising that the

aura here is a bit bohemian, and it is also home to plenty of thriving caf es and art galleries. The village is 13

miles f rom Tunis, and could be reached by car or by train. Daytrips are also being of f ered to this quaint litt le

haven.

Shirakawa-go in Japan

This village is so pretty and so culture- rich that it was declared in 1995 by UNESCO as a World Heritage

Site. Its certainly known for its quaint houses with t riangular roo f s which seem to resemble hands joined in

prayer. This s tyle is called a gassho, and its designed to keep snow f rom piling up on top of houses. The


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60-degree slope helps it slide of f f aster. The attics of these traditional houses are also used to raise

silkworms. These houses are iconic in the area but there arent many of them lef t anymore. Its a good thing

mos t of those which remain are open to the public. Upon seeing the interiors o f these houses, you might

want to head to Ogimachi Castle f or a panoramic view of this village.

Shirakawa-go is a f our- hour ride by train f rom Tokyo. You may also take a bus f rom Nohi. The trip is

around 50 minutes long but youll enjoy the scenery on the way.

Eze in France

France in itself is prett y, but its mos t at tractive village is Eze. This community seems to be f rozen in time.

Despite the cosmopo litanismthat s happening in Paris, Eze has managed to retain its Old World charm. If

you want to see France in a nutshell, this village is the perfect melting pot of cultures because of its

proximity to Nice. During the medieval period, it was desired by invaders, and while this was a source o fgrief for many residents in the past, today the village enjoys its rich, entangled heritage.

The architecture here is so diverse. You will be able to see a 100-year-o ld Egyptian cross , a bell turret

inspired by Genovese architecture, and the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix, which dates back to the

14th century. Walt Disney frequented this town a lot f or inspiration when he was still alive.

To get to Eze, simply take a bus f rom Nice. The ride lasts f or 30 minutes. If youre already in Monaco, the

bus ride will only last f or 15 minutes.

Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic


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This is one o f the most ancient villages of the Czech Republic, which means that it also holds a lot of

histo ry and culture. The fact that it is surro unded by the Vltva River is only a plus point. This is certainly

one of the most scenic places to visit in the country with its Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic architecture.

Aside f rom the well-kept buildings, there are also caf es, art galleries, and charming lit t le bed and breakf ast

noo ks dott ing the village. Prague is only about 110 miles away, and you can take the bus f rom the city to

this quaint litt le charmer. The ride is three hours long but the wait is worth it.

Goreme in Turkey

If you want to see the words most beautiful monasteries and cave churches, then you must certainly visit

Goreme. This quaint little village went by different names in history, but its most known for the fairy

chimney rock formations in its terrain. In to wn, which is s till surrounded by interest ing rocks, youll get to

see a lot of pigeon holes which make for great photographing. While youre here, you might want to check

yourself in at the Kelebek Hot el which is a f unky establishment also carved into a cave. You might also wantto check out the Uchisar, which is located at the highest point o f the valley. This hilltop accommodat ion

of f ers the best vantage point of the village.

To get to t his beautif ul village, you will have to f ly in f rom Istanbul to Kayseri. There are shutt le services


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available f rom the airport . Transfers to and f rom hotels may also be arranged.

Bibury in England

This little charmer of a village is located in west- central England, along the River Coln and was once tagged

by the writer and visual artist William Morris as the pret tiest village in the country. Decades later, this village

has managed to retain its honey-tinted s tone cott ages st ill in their 17th century design and the quaint

charm of its most renowned buildings, some of them dating as far back as the 14th century. The most

popular att ractions here include the Saxon Church of St. Mary, the Arlington Row, the weavers cottages,

and a trout f arm which has been in operat ion since 1902.

To get to Bibury, you will have to travel 12 miles f rom the Kemble train station. You will have to change

trains several times from Paddington to get through the 80-mile journey. If you want to take the bus, you

will have to get o f f at Cirencester which is still a good seven-mile journey from Banbury. Unfortunately,

there is no direct public transportation from London to this quaint old village. This is probably why it was

able to retain much of its Old World beauty.

Molokai in Hawaii


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Technically speaking, there are several small villages in Molokai. When last surveyed, though, the island only

had about 8,000 residents, so its bas ically just one community. This village is very pretty because it is

home to Hawaiis longest running f ringing reef . It is also home to the worlds highest sea cliff s so expect

nothing short of magnificent panoramic views.

Unlike the rest of Hawaii, which has become more cosmopolitan, Molokai has ret ained its rust ic charm. You

cant see stoplights anywhere in the island probably because there are very few cars. Those who do have

cars also have fr iendly dispositions so t here are almost no road accidents. It is also illegal to build buildings

here taller than a coconut tree so you can be sure you will see enough of that clear blue sky. Check out the

12th century s tyle churches, and the Kalaupapa National Park. Take a st roll along its t hree-mile long beach

to go f rom point A to point B in this island.

Madison in Georgia

Legend has it that General Sherman refused to have this village burned down because it was too beautif ul.

It is def initely one o f the prettiest villages of Georgia, with its boutiques, polished gardens, antebellum


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homes, and quaint little inns and museums. As with many of the villages mentioned in this art icle, this place

seems to have been f rozen in time. It also has a s tro ng Af rican American heritage which makes t he area a

tad spicier than o ther Old English villages across the USA. You should see the mini-automobile on display

at one of the museums as well. Its a short 60-minute drive from Atlanta, and a shorter 40-minute ride from

Athens.

Niagara-on-the -Lake in Canada

You can get a tast e of Old England when you visit Niagara-on-t he-Lake. This was originally a sett lement o f

the Neutral Indian Tribe, but was later on inhabited by British Loyalist s at the onset of the American

Revolution. As a result , you now have a picturesque village with rich culture and history. Visit the Butler s

Barracks and the res to red Fort George. The Niagara Apothecary museum is also quite interest ing.

Best of all, this quaint little village is only 80 minutes from Buffalo, New York, and 90 minutes from Toronto,

Canada. You might want to schedule your trip during the Shaw Fest ival (f or theater af icionados). This runs

f rom April to October. Make sure you dont miss out on a stro ll along Queen Street .

Pariangan in West Sumatra, Indonesia

Set against the looming Mount Marapi volcano, this village is quite a charmer. Its surrounded by a lot of hot

springs, home to a national monument, and is said to be the most culturally-relevant and oldest village in
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the country. Make sure you check out the Minangkabau, Indones ias iconic pointed- roof traditional houses.

The 300-year-old style has houses made with rattan walls and intricate wood carvings. There is also a

19th century mosque in the area. Pariangan is nine sho rt miles f rom the more developed Batusangkar. If

youre coming f rom major cities like Jakarta, you need to f ly thro ugh the Padang airport .

Cua Van in Vietnam

Youll be amazed at the historical sites and the cobble stone streets of this village. VietnamsCua Van

village is def initely one o f the most scenic around the world. Admire the majestic lime stone hills of Ha Long

Bay, take phot os of this f loating f ishing village and colorf ul raf t houses, and immerse yourself in the rustic

lifes tyle of Cua Van. To get here, you need to ride the bus f rom Hanoi. This will take about s ix hours. From

the bay, take a f erry to Cua Van. There are also more luxurious, overnight cruises available to this

destination.

St. George in Bermuda
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If theres anything att ractive about this village, its the fact that very little seemed to have changes since

1612. While the rest of the USA was slowly gett ing more cosmopolitan and melding into a hodgepodge of

cultures, St. George is s till largely a British sett lement. Dont let the bars, upscale restaurants, and shops

f oo l you. The architecture here, and histo rical sites like the St. Peter s Church, the State House, and the

Fort St. Catherine have all been well-preserved. You will f eel as if youve stepped into a slice of

17th Century America. Take not e that the St . Peter s Church is also the o ldest Anglican Church in the West .

Caleta Tortel in Chile


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This is considered as Chiles Venice thanks to its s tilt houses and s tone bridges. Its certainly one o f the

mos t picturesque spots of the country. The houses are very colorf ully painted, you will see a network of

f oo tbridges and staircases o ver marshes as if youve stepped into a medieval sto ry book, and there are

plenty of prett y cypress t rees growing in the area. Timber is st ill the towns main industry. The houses are

largely made out of wood, and youll get to see some crafty designs on the house beams and such. What

travelers love here is a sweet and unique smell of cypress, though, which just seem to add to the romance

of the area. To get here, you need to f ly through Coyhaique. No cars are allowed into the village so you will

have to wheel your luggage to their inns and have your cars parked right out of the villages periphery.

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16 Most Beautiful Villages F