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Picturesque Towns in Europe: Your Favorite?

Picturesque Towns in Europe: Your Favorite?

Old Aug 6th, 2009, 12:44 PM
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Picturesque Towns in Europe: Your Favorite?

I was in the process of sending a good friend a copy of our Essential Europe guide (she'll be living in Spain for a year but plans to travel around a good deal) when I stumbled upon a section early in the guide that lists some of our editors' favorite "picturesque" towns. We have nominated the following:

Brugge, Belgium
Èze, France
Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, Germany
Bath, Great Britain
Mykonos Town, Greece
Lucca, Italy
Delft, Netherlands
Sintra, Portugal
Mürren, Switzerland

Just curious--

1. How many of these have you been to?
2. Would you agree that they're particularly "picturesque"?
3. What is woefully missing from this list do you think?

Of these, I've only been to Bath. From my own experience, I know I'd add either Calvi or Ajaccio in Corsica.

Just a fun question for a Thursday afternoon---
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 12:52 PM
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I've been to Rotenburg, Bath, and Sintra. Maybe Mykonos--long time ago.

My favorites are Meersburg and Bamberg, Germany. Also a little town near Freiburg called Staufen. York, England was nice too.

I'm especially partial to Germany. I'm about to go to Quedlinburg, which has been designated a world heritage city.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 12:59 PM
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Hi Katie,

I've been to
Brugge, Belgium
Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, Germany
Bath, Great Britain
Delft, Netherlands

I agree with Brugge & Delft. R od T is way too touristy for me; and Bath is too big.

I also like Bamberg, and while I know Nürnberg is a city, its old town center is very pretty and not too touristy.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:01 PM
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One that was missed that comes to mind right away is:

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:02 PM
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Been to them all

and except for Eze and Murren agree the rest are very cute

Murren itself is not cute but is in a stunning location - ditto for Eze, which also is terribly overrun with tourists so its alleged beauty could not be appreciated anyway. Many would argue that whatever makes Murren so picturesque then Wengen has more of it and to me Grindelwald is just as mesmerizing.

Lucerne, Siena, York, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Amsterdam would all be on my list

any such list IMO must start with Venice - to me the most beautiful city in the world
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:03 PM
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I've been to all of them except Sintra.

I wouldn't have either Bath or R od T on the list.

I would add Sarlat. In general, though, I'm partial to smaller towns than any on the list.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:04 PM
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In Germany:
Quedlinburg
Wernigerode
Freudenberg
Hannoversch Münden
Fulda
Alsfeld
Celle
..there are many more.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:06 PM
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Annecy
Rothenburg--many years ago
Collioure
Lucca
Honfleur
Les Baux de Provence
Moustiers-Ste-Marie
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:07 PM
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Good question Katie !
I have been to 6 of your favorites, but much preferred Santorini to Mykonos. Here are ones I would add:

Marvao, Portugal
Ronda, Spain
Hallstatt, Austria
Orta San Guilio, Italy
Portovenere, Italy
Piran, Slovenia
Kotor, Montenegro
Noto, Sicily
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:09 PM
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Here's a few more of my favorites:

Dubrovnik, Croatia
Hallstatt. Austria
Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
Vernazza, Italy
Riquewihr, France
Honfleur, France
Pitigliano, Italy

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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:10 PM
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Last ones (for now)

Rovinj, Croatia
Ljubljana, Slovenia

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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:12 PM
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Kathie...Bob and I have been to all but Mykonos and Murren. We would add Clovlley England,Praugue and a small town just to the south of it called Cesky Krumlov. There are so many wounderful towns and NOT enough time to see them all.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:14 PM
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In France:
Eguisheim
Riquewihr
Sarlat
Carcassonne
Aigues-Mortes
St. Thegonnec
...

In Spain:
Avila
Cadaques
Vejer de la Frontera
Carmona
Elciego
Santillana del Mar
Lierganes
...

In UK:
Chipping Campden
Culross
Clovelly
Mortehoe
Salisbury
...

Katie, I am afraid, your question is typical "American" and it is senseless. There are hundred of quaint town in Europe which are EQUALLY picturesque, yet different in style.

Please, please, please do not join the notorious question "Which is the best?" This question is as completely nonsense as rankings. Which is the best novel ever written? Which is the best piece of music ever composed? Nobody can answer such questions.

Come to Europe and enjoy. Explore the regions which are ignored by guidebooks. You will be surprised.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:15 PM
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DH and I have been to Brugge, Eze, Bath, Mykonos and Lucca. All were day trips from a home base in another city. Don't know if 'picturesque' is a word I'd use though. One thinks of small villages, eh? Some of the canalled areas in Brugge were. Mykonos so dramatic from the sea.

I'd put Arles, France at the top of those listed above.

Friend of mine said Collioure (spelling?) and Honfleur are picturesque. I found Roussillon and Gordes to be both dramatic and picturesque.

Excuse me while I go look up that word!
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:16 PM
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Been to Brugge, Eze, and Bath although the latter two were a long time ago. I think they're very touristy now. I love Brugge.

What's missing? Some places I can think of right away are Orta San Guilio, Italy and Tourettes-sur-Loup, St-Remy, and Aix-en-Provence, France. Although there are dozens of small towns in Italy and France that are charming and picturesque.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:16 PM
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I've been ro Brugge, Eze, Lucca, and Delft, and agree with their being on the list.

I'd add Orvieto and Verona.

Byrd
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:27 PM
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Toledo, Spain would also top my list
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:46 PM
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I've visited all of them and agree they are very picturesque.

Might add Bad Grund in the Harz, Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, Dinkelbuhl on the Romantic Road. There's a little place called Conques somewhere in the Dordogne that time forgot.
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 01:48 PM
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Ooh these are good---traveller1959; I understand what you are saying, but I mean this in a completely fun "vicarious" way. I don't have a trip planned concretely for Europe right now but I certainly like thinking about all the places I've yet to have explored (and discovering new ones). I'm intrigued by the mentions of Germany for instance because I've never been.

Plus, as the saying goes, one man's treasure is another man's junk. I know I've posted about this before but I find the town of Glastonbury in England to be completely 'picturesque' partly due to its close proximity to the Tor. I had a friend visit me while I was living there and she described it as "rough around the edges"; I completely didn't see that! So it's interesting to see what places someone considers beautiful.

This is just one prism...I will share these Spain recommendations with my friend!

Hope others chime in too..
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Old Aug 6th, 2009, 02:14 PM
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We,ve been to Eze (several times-great views) and Murren. Loved both.

We also thought these we're picturesque:

Villefranche-sur-mer
Tourettes-sur-Loup
Amboise
Portofino
Bellagio
Varenna

You've got me thinking now!
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