{"id":8530,"date":"2017-05-24T09:28:13","date_gmt":"2017-05-24T08:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=8530"},"modified":"2025-07-22T15:56:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T14:56:56","slug":"five-small-european-towns-big-charm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/five-small-european-towns-big-charm\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Small European Towns that are Big on Charm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to picturesque scenery, swoon-inducing architecture and historical charm, size doesn&#8217;t matter. Europe has hundreds of captivating little\u00a0towns scattered across the continent whose culture rivals that of buzzy big cities. From Carcassonne, nestled in South-West France, to D\u00fcrnstein on the Danube, here are some of our favourite small European towns that may be modest in size but have plenty of appeal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Assisi <\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8531 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.jpg\" alt=\"Small European Towns \" width=\"1698\" height=\"1132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-330x220.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Assisi-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/><\/strong>Home to St Francis, one of Italy&#8217;s most revered saints, Assisi is the historical HQ of the Franciscans, a noted Catholic order. And it has some really awe-inspiring architecture. Dominated by the outstanding Basilica, which glows with the works of Cimabue, Giotto and Lorenzetti, the hilltop town also possesses a 1<sup>st<\/sup> century Temple of Minerva, an amphitheatre, and lots of hermitages, which dot the slopes of Monte Subasio.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to visit: <\/em><strong><em>Italy Bellissimo<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Carcassonne<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8532\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.jpg\" alt=\"Small European Towns \" width=\"1698\" height=\"1132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-330x220.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Carcassone-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/>Few sights are quite so striking as the double-walled fortress of Carcassonne. A citadel that looks built to withstand the Last Days, its stone ring (of 52 towers) was used to film <em>Robin Hood Prince of Thieves<\/em>. Today, the town is technically split in two. After Louis IX expelled its Cathar population, the heretics were sent to start a new town on lower ground, by the River Aude. Known as the Ville Basse, the main delights of this fairy-tale town are still the medieval churches up in the Cit\u00e9, especially St Nazaire.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to visit: <\/em><strong><em>Best of France<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Oviedo<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.jpg\" alt=\"Small European Towns \" width=\"1698\" height=\"1132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-330x220.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/oviedo-CREDIT-www.istockphoto-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/>Built in a warm yellow stone, Oviedo&#8217;s small-town size belies its big reputation. Once the capital of the Spanish mountain kingdom of Asturias, there are plenty of palaces, churches and castles to explore here. The pedestrianised Old Town is particularly popular with visitors (despite being damaged in the Civil War), as are the fantastic local restaurants. Make sure to try regional specialties such as Fabada Asturiana (bean stew), Pitu de Caleya (spiced chicken), and Cabrales cheese during your trip.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to visit: <\/em><strong><em>Northern Spain<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>D\u00fcrnstein<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2025\/04\/Large-Durnstein-town-in-Wachau-valley-in-autumn-Austria-1355636197.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-881544\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2025\/04\/Large-Durnstein-town-in-Wachau-valley-in-autumn-Austria-1355636197.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Large-Durnstein-town-in-Wachau-valley-in-autumn-Austria-1355636197.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Large-Durnstein-town-in-Wachau-valley-in-autumn-Austria-1355636197-330x220.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Large-Durnstein-town-in-Wachau-valley-in-autumn-Austria-1355636197-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Large-Durnstein-town-in-Wachau-valley-in-autumn-Austria-1355636197-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>King Richard the Lionheart once lived in this patch of Austria, situated on an impossibly gorgeous part of the Danube. However, it&#8217;s unlikely he ever got to take in the area&#8217;s spectacular views, as he was kept a prisoner of Duke Leopold. Today, this region is full of vineyards, which tumble down the Wachau valley, while D\u00fcrnstein itself is a tangle of taverns, artisans and coffee shops, which reward closer inspection.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to visit: <\/em><strong><em>Best of Germany and Austria<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Rhodes Town<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8535\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2017\/05\/Rhodes-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.com_gb_photo_rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142.jpg\" alt=\"Small European Towns \" width=\"1698\" height=\"1127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Rhodes-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.com_gb_photo_rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Rhodes-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.com_gb_photo_rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Rhodes-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.com_gb_photo_rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142-330x219.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Rhodes-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.com_gb_photo_rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Rhodes-CREDIT-www.istockphoto.com_gb_photo_rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142-360x240.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/>Interestingly, Rhodes was actually bigger in ancient times than it is today. Contemporary Rhodes is mostly the creation of the Knights Hospitaller in the 14<sup>th<\/sup> century. Hit the old \u201cHora\u201d district for a good mix of bars, restaurants, caf\u00e9s and shops, or the Palace of the Grand Master, if you prefer history. Packed with sculptures, mosaics and other antiques, it&#8217;s one of the most impressive palaces on the Dodecanese Islands.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to visit: <\/em><strong><em>Best of Greece with Cruise<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Image Credits: Main Image (Rhodes) \u00a9 i<a href=\"http:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/gb\/photo\/rhodes-medieval-knights-castle-palace-gm157649306-14045142\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stock\/efillpou.<\/a> D\u00fcrnstein \u00a9 i<a href=\"http:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/gb\/photo\/d%C3%BCrnstein-wachau-austria-gm174993967-21858069\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stock\/oriredmouse.<\/a> Carcassonne \u00a9 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/gb\/photo\/view-of-carcassonne-gm91819461-8975846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iStock\/JavierGil1000.<\/a> Assisi \u00a9 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/gb\/photo\/basilica-of-st-francis-assisi-italy-gm485562483-37742512\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iStock\/jenifoto.<\/a> Oviedo \u00a9 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/gb\/photo\/the-cathedral-of-oviedo-gm597273032-102357913\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iStock\/LucVI<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to picturesque scenery, swoon-inducing architecture and historical charm, size doesn&#8217;t matter. Europe has hundreds of captivating little\u00a0towns scattered across the continent whose culture rivals that of buzzy big cities. From Carcassonne, nestled in South-West France, to D\u00fcrnstein on the Danube, here are some of our favourite small European towns that may be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4905],"tags":[568,756,754,201,755,757],"class_list":["post-8530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destination-guides","tag-assisi","tag-carcassonne","tag-durnstein","tag-europe","tag-oviedo","tag-rhodes-town"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - 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