By Hunter L. Gorinson
While
Europe's major metropolitan centers draw the majority of tourists each year, the continent itself is dotted with thousands of small villages and towns that preserve ways of life long ago forgotten to residents of the big city. From the lush Irish countryside to the fjords of Norway and the seemingly endless greenery of Poland, these are but a few of Europe's best kept secrets and cultural tethers to times past.
Western Europe
Cadaques, Spain
Retz, Austria
Along with the better-known tourist destination of Salzburg, Retz is one of Austria's well-preserved towns and contains contains dozens of sites of historic importance, including some related to the Hussite and Thirty Years Wars.
La Roche-en-Ardenne, Belgium
This village, situated along the Ardenne forest at the Luxembourg border, is an ideal stop for nature lovers in search of hiking and biking the local river valley.
Carnac, France
Located on the Brittany Coast, Carnac is known not only for its beaches, but also for its megalithic stone monuments, which have inspired numerous myths throughout the region.
Riquewihr, France
This walled medieval village near the German border is famed for its historically protected castle and town square, as well as the high quality of its wine production.
Quedlinburg, Germany
Once the German capital in the early 10th century, Quedlinburg is today a United Nations-designated historical site, due to its 1500 centuries-old homes.
Zagora, Greece
A town of less than 4,000, Zagora is largest of the many villages surrounding Mount Pelion -- an area that contains hundreds of historic sites dating from the 8th century BC to the 16th century.
Cashel, Ireland
Just a bus trip southwest of Dublin, the town of Cashel is home to Ireland's most famous medieval monument, the Rock of Cashel, and is a frequent stop for pilgrims retracing the footsteps of St. Patrick.
Cinque Terre, Italy
Hanging off the edge of a cliff above the Mediterranean Sea, the remote village of Cinque Terra is iconic Italian vista that is accessible only by foot or locally operated bus and train services.
Tropea, Italy
Sitting atop a reef just off the mainland, Tropea not only possesses one of southern Italy's most famous and beautiful beaches, but also hosts its own medieval cathedral in the town center.
Vianden, Luxembourg
Often described as one of Europe's archetypal fairy tale villages, Vianden is a cobblestone-lined countryside town that once counted Victor Hugo among its residents and today hosts its own Folklore Museum.
Kinderdijk, Netherlands
This Dutch village is the Netherland's number one spot for observing the country's world famous windmills and is also the birthplace of the myth concerning the little Dutch boy with his finger stuck in the dike.
Penacova, Portugal
Situated along the Rio Mondego, this Portuguese town is just 25 kilometers from the city of Coimbra and well known for sweeping panoramas of the countryside and multiple vineyards.
Cadaques, Spain
One the easternmost towns on the Spanish coastline, Cadaques is a fishing village that features a museum dedicated to one of its former residents, Salvador Dali, and some of the country's best seafood.
Vejer de la Frontera, Spain
Located between the Portuguese border and the Strait of Gibraltar, this tropical coastal town boasts an impressive mélange of cultural sites: an 11th century Islamic castle, an old Jewish quarter and 10th century church built on the site of a former Moorish mosque.
Thun, Switzerland
A short train trip from the popular tourist destination of Interlaken, Thun is a scenic township set along the deep blue waters of the River Aare and its namesake, Lake Thun, which abuts the Nierderhorn and greater Swiss Alps.
Faringdon, United Kingdom
Standing at the edge of the Thames Valley, the quiet town of Faringdon is best known for its eponymous Folly - the large hill on the village's outskirts that has been used as a military fortification numerous times throughout the Middle Ages.
Central and Eastern Europe
Kazimierz Dolny, Poland
Porec, Croatia
Another UN-protected World Cultural Heritage Site, Porec sits on the western edge of the Istrian peninsula and houses Europe's first triple-apse church, the Ephrasian Basilica and the contemporary Porestina Folk Museum, which hosts annual summer festivals.
Harrachov, Czech Republic
Located at the base of the Czech Republic's highest peak in Krkonose Mountains and on the Polish border, the historic town of Harrachov in popular winter destination for the snow sports enthusiasts who patronize the many area ski resorts and, in the summer, a draw for mountaineers and hikers.
Sopron, Hungary
The town of Sopron in northwestern Hungary in noted for its storied musical history (it, at one time, hosted both Liszt and Beethoven) and continues to draw concert goers with weekend concerts and theatre performances at all four of its venues, including the "acoustically perfect" cave of Fertorakes.
Kazimierz Dolny, Poland
Set between the Vistula River and surrounding forest, this Polish village is known not only for the Gothic castle that looks out over it, but a long history of artistic craftsmanship as well. The town's Museum of Goldsmithery, just off the main square, is among its most trafficked destinations.
Trencin, Slovakia
Due to frigid wintertime temperatures, Trencin is primarily a summertime destination patronized by tourists in search of Europe's greatest castles. The village's own is set on a cliff overlooking the town and draws crowds with its annual, warm weather sword fight reenactments among the ramparts.
Scandinavia
Skagen, Denmark
Skagen, Denmark
Set right at sea level on a peninsula directly across from Sweden, Skagen claims to be not only Denmark's northernmost village, but also its sunniest. Artists have been to travel far distances to capture Skagen's unique lighting and solitary beaches.
Lieksa, Finland
Built next to the untouched beauty of Lake Pielinen, Lieksa is one of Finland's most authentically preserved outlets for regional history. Much like a Finnish equivalent of Colonial Williamsburg, the staff of Liekska's open air museum wear traditional dress and reenact centuries-old tasks among the town's preserved Karelian dwellings.
Roros, Norway
Though it is often today used as a backdrop for historic period dramas, the village of Roros began its life a center of copper mining in the Norwegian mountains. Local smelters continue to ply their trade to this day, along with wicker, wood and wool artisans, who sell their wares to those visiting the remnants of the town's once bustling mining operation, which closed in 1977.
Kivik, Sweden
A fixture of Swedish agriculture, Kivik is known as the seat of the country's apple country and, as such, hosts its own orchard museum, the Applets Hus, and a large open-air market each July. Nature lovers are also welcome at the Stenshuvud National Park, which lies just a short distance from the village's southern edge.
About the Author:
Hunter Gorinson is an NYU-educated journalist and blogger in the Washington, D.C. area. He is currently the local City Editor for CultureMob.com and his freelance work has been featured in "The Onion," "On Tap" magazine and "Hill Rag."
