OrangeSmile Tours
World most extreme places

Hidden diamonds. Nooks and Villages That Are More Colorful Than Top Touristic Destinations

Complete photogallery
Unique architecture, old stone-paved streets, cozy restaurants with a local menu, cafes devoid of modern pathos are just some of the features of the old towns and villages that have managed to avoid the pervasive influence of modernity. It is difficult to imagine that in today's world, besides noisy cities crowded with people and cars, there are cozy and quiet places that cherish their historical and cultural heritage. In these hidden nooks of the world, you won’t see modern skyscrapers, luxurious hotels, and entertainment centers aimed at tourists. They have their own unique values ​​and an amazing culture.

Colmar, France

City of Colmar can definitely be called one of the most charming places in France. Picturesque old quarters with buildings and a great number of channels look like illustrations in fairy tales. In warm season, flowers can be seen literally everywhere. Those are distinctive features of this historic French town. Colmar is quite small. However, travelers won’t be bored there.

Colmar, France Besides exploring the lovely old streets, tourists can diversify their leisure with visits to museums, theaters, and concert halls. The world famous museum of sacred art, Unterlinden, is situated there. The area of ​​the charming town of only 66.5 square km, and the population is about 67 000 people. The first mention of the town dates back to the 9th century. Since its inception, the place had great strategic importance.

Colmar is often compared with Venice because of an abundance of channels. The city even has a scenic area called Little Venice that is one of the most visited tourist destinations. The main value of the town is a number of well-preserved medieval buildings, which makes it different from many other modern cities. The permanent symbols of Colmar are House of heads, the Church of St. Matthew, which was built in the 13th century, as well as the Dominican monastery, which is a unique monument of the 13th century. Colmar is a real open-air museum sharing its unique cultural and gastronomic traditions. Next - Yvoire

Yvoire, France

Yvoire, France Another amazing place where you can feel the true spirit of France, is Yvoire village. Its history goes back for more than 700 years. As many other localities, Yvoire was established for strategic purposes. In the 13th century, Amadeus V the Count of Savoy decided to build a powerful fortress on the shore of Lake Geneva. Later, it withstood a lot of enemy attacks and witnessed bloody battles. Today, the old castle is a major historic symbol of the village. The monument is surrounded by incredibly beautiful cobbled streets with medieval buildings and an abundance of flower beds. Complete article

Petra, Jordan

Petra, Jordan The ancient city of Petra, which many travelers know by the unofficial name Pink City, is situated in Jordan. That’s the once flourishing and majestic capital of the Nabataean kingdom. The city was founded more than 2 000 years ago. After thousands of years, its buildings and structures, which were carved in the rocks, have managed to survive. The ancient city has a rather complicated arrangement, so not all travelers can get there. Complete article

Albarracin, Spain

Albarracin, Spain There is an amazing place in Spain where, as nowhere else, you can feel the true spirit of the country. That’s the ancient town of Albarracin. It gained its current name in the 9th century. Stone paved streets, buildings with a long history and unique 18-kilometer aqueduct that was built in the era of the Roman Empire remind about its saturated past. This town is ideal for hiking. It features enchanting natural surroundings embracing numerous beautiful rivers and spacious meadows. Complete article

Mont Saint-Michel, France

Mont Saint-Michel, France The French island of Mont Saint-Michel is considered one of the most amazing and fabulous places in the world for a reason. This tiny rocky island is notable for the fact that its territory houses an ancient abbey. It seems that time stood still here hundreds of years ago. The history of the island is quite amazing. The first town on its territory was established in the early 8th century. Dozens of houses were built around the fortress. It is noteworthy that people permanently live on the island. Complete article

Devonshire, England

Devonshire, England In England, one of the most picturesque places is Devonshire County. Once upon a time, Celts lived in this picturesque area, which was washed by the Bristol Channel. Today, this fabulously picturesque coast is full of small port towns, fishing villages, and resorts. Since ancient times, Devonshire County inspires travelers with its fantastic scenery. World famous sailors were born there, as well as one of the most famous and popular writers in the world, Agatha Christie. Complete article

Glenfinnan, Scotland

Glenfinnan, Scotland In Scotland, fans of exploring unusual and picturesque places are sure to visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct. This historic landmark is located in the incredibly beautiful surroundings. The viaduct is also known due to the fact that Hogwarts Express passes through it. The world-famous sight is located in the immediate vicinity of the village of Glenfinnan, which is also notable for its colorful sights and scenery. Complete article

Monsanto, Portugal

Monsanto, Portugal In Portugal, there is the amazing town of Monsanto that doesn’t resemble any other site in the world. This historic town, which has been founded more than 800 years ago, was officially recognized as the most Portuguese one. The site is simply charming and has a lot of unique features. The main peculiarity of the town is the presence of huge granite boulders. They remind us about an intense volcanic activity that took place many years ago. Complete article

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam In Vietnam, travelers should visit Ha Long Bay. That’s an incredibly beautiful and mysterious place. Many amazing legends are associated with it. Literally, the name of the bay can be translated as the place where the dragon plunged into the sea. The picturesque bay embraces more than 3 000 rocky islets. One of the legends tells that a great dragon who lived in the mountains made them. Complete article

Alberobello, Italy

Alberobello, Italy Those who want to visit the most Italian town in Italy, have to go to Alberobello. Here, you can see one of the most remarkable architectural sights of the country. That’s a complex of miniature houses, trulli. These stone houses with conical roofs were constructed more than 700 years ago. Some of them are unchanged since times, when they were built. For hundreds of years, a small town has managed to preserve the unique spirit of provincial Italy. The picturesque town is always filled with sunlight and shining smiles of local people. Complete article

Sintra, Portugal

Sintra, Portugal Sintra has long been one of the main national symbols of Portugal. Only here, at the place with a rich history, you can see majestic palaces and castles, look into the monasteries, where the way of life has not changed for hundreds of years, stroll through the centuries-old forests and quiet parks. The city is famous for its romantic scenery and historic architecture. It is often chosen for vacations by lovers and creative personalities in search of inspiration. Complete article

Kandovan, Iran

Kandovan, Iran An amazing scenery, resembling illustrations of a Persian fairy tale, can be seen in the ancient village of Kandovan. The place is situated in Iran among the barren landscapes of stone. The town is notable for its unique architecture. Since ancient times, locals cut down their homes right in the stony rocks. Today, the village looks like a huge anthill. Complete article

Islands on Lake Titicaca, Peru

Islands on Lake Titicaca, Peru Lake Titicaca in Peru has been attracting an attention of researchers and travelers for many years. As scientists believe, millions of years ago, this picturesque lake, which today affects with its size, was a sea. Even now, its waters are inhabited by rare marine fish and sharks. An interesting feature of the lake are the floating islands. Uros Indians inhabit these places for hundreds of years. Getting to know their way of life and culture is the goal of many travelers. A visit to the amazing floating islands can be a real journey into the past. Complete article

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouen, Morocco The amazing city of Chefchaouen also known to many under the unofficial name of Blue City, is situated in Morocco. It owes a name to its unique architecture. Like many hundreds of years ago, locals live in old stone houses with walls painted blue. Streets look like works of art. While walking there, you can see thousands of different shades of blue. Complete article

Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar

Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar The island of Madagascar also has amazing and unusual places that will allow to enjoy the unique atmosphere. An excellent example is the Avenue of the Baobabs. That’s a unique natural landmark. Every traveler should see it. Once, the island of Madagascar was completely covered by dense tropical forests. The arrival of people changed its appearance significantly. Complete article
 Popular cities
Beograd
73 hotels
Cape Town
191 hotels
Frankfurt
212 hotels
Indianapolis
58 hotels
Liverpool
72 hotels
Milan
365 hotels
Parnu
45 hotels
Salamanca
57 hotels
Sydney
208 hotels
Zermatt
110 hotels

Nooks and Villages That Are More Colorful Than Top Touristic Destinations - interactive map

OrangeSmile.com - online travel reservation expert providing reliable car rental and hotel booking services. We feature more than 25.000 destinations with 12.000 rental offices and 200.000 hotels worldwide.
Secure Server
OrangeSmile B.V. - Hotel Booking Worldwide
Head office: Weegschaalstraat 3 Eindhoven, 5632 CW Netherlands
+31 40 40 150 44


Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About us
Copyright © 2002 - OrangeSmile Tours B.V. | OrangeSmile.com | Under the direction and management of IVRA Holding B.V. - Registered at Kamer van Koophandel (KvK), The Netherlands No. 17237018