Here are some of the prettiest small towns across Europe, from humble fishing towns to hilltop medieval power bases.
Giethoorn, Netherlands
They call it the Dutch answer to Venice, but Giethoorn lacks one crucial thing that the Italian city has in spades: over tourism. As in Venice, life revolves around the water, here-there are no cars in the center so the only way to get around is on foot or on the water.
Roscoff, France
Port towns can be rather dirty. Not lovely little Roscoff, though, in France's Brittany region, which built its fortune on maritime trade. Today, it's a center of thalassotherapy, using seawater to treat medical conditions, as well as a beautiful Breton town. Tiny fishing boats rest in the small harbor—with a larger one, where ferries leave for Plymouth in the UK, further out.
Dinkelsbühl, Germany
A cute historic center, wooden houses and large towers—Dinkelsbühl has it all. Wrapped by medieval walls with a vast Gothic church, St George's Minster, it was the setting for Werner Herzog's film "The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser."
Clovelly, UK
Donkeys used to be the only way to get up and down the steep streets of Clovelly, a pretty fishing village in Devon, southwest England.
Today, they still haven't managed to bring cars in —it sits at the bottom of a 400-foot cliff (悬崖). Instead, goods are transported by man-powered sledges (雪橇) and if tourists can't face the walk back up to the car park, they can grab a ride in a Land Rover instead.
