sweet small towns
 

Does anyone know of some small town with a feeling of peasant life of the old days, or of the middle-ages?

That would be rather grim.

For medieval life you need to go right into the Balkans: such life has gone from the European Union and is dying in the ten new member countries. In Romania I think (but I have not been to them) Racos, Feldioara, Homorod, and Rotbav, in Ukraine the towns in the Carpathian foothills, and in Bulgaria I am afraid I do not know. Simply for sweet, slow, small towns central Europe is rich. In the Czech republic Litomerice, Trebon, Zlata Koruna, Telc. In Slovakia Levoca, Spiska Kapitula. Also in Slovakia are small towns that I mean to see this July, that look good in the guide book and that have July festivals of classical music: Orava, Terchova, Bojnice, Trencianske Teplice, and Nitra. A way I enjoyed north Bohemian small towns a few summers ago was to settle in Teplice and pop along the railway to Osek, Chomutov, Duchov, and Bilina, to attend evening concerts and recitals in the Saxon-Czech music festival. Please see www.visitczechia.cz/pages/layout/top30-gb.html

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LOL, Rufus, my thought exactly!
Where can I stay where I can use the chamber pot then toss it out the window?
At least you don't have to worry about dinner reservations, everyone sits side by side and shared a loaf of bread and eats with their hands.

humanobe-what exactly is it about "peasant life" that appeals to you?

please forgive the typos, too early to type:)

The Maramures area in Romania. All fieldwork is still done by hand. Many people still dress every day in their native costumes, and some of the houses on the farms are incredibly old-fashioned. But, go soon. things are rapidly changing.

In general, Ben is correct--Eastern Europe is the place. However, I have seen parts of the Minho region of northern Portugal that were very basic. It is the closest I have seen to old Europe.

The Basilicata region of Italy might be to your liking. Here's a thread about it: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34401476

I think that humantone want authentic "sweet small towns" not authentic old miserable towns. Depending on what region in Europe s/he is interested in, there are lovely small towns in Ireland, England, and Italy which will be charming as well as have an older feel. Browsing some travel books with pictures would be a good way to find something that suits.

This made me laugh out loud. Regarding finding peasants :O
Axelrod said: "there are lovely small towns in Ireland, England, and Italy which will be charming as well as have an older feel."

I speak on behalf of the English part of your statement, don't know about the other countries. Yes, there will be 'peasants' here in quaint lovely English villages. Have you SEEN the cost of our mortgages?! It costs £££££££& pound;£ to live here (can be millions for a large house in quaint villages in the South East). Thats peasantry for ya!!! ;) I can hardly afford my trips abroad!!!! :'(

To be clear - I did not mention finding peasants in England, Ireland or Italy - only small, charming towns with an older feel. Perhaps Milkshake is a tad sensitive due to those high mortgages - very understandable.

Joukas (that doesn't look right, I'll have to check the map) in Provence...Beynac, along the Dordogne (although I think most of the "houses" are available for tourists to rent during the summer)...we were just there and there were very few tourists at all. Felt like we had the place to ourselves. Pretty neat!

You might want to check out Scanno, high in the Miele Mountains of the Abruzzo in Italy.

Some of the older woman wear the traditional dress that has survived since the 14th C. everyday and most wear it on celebratory days and there are many, as these folks have a lot to celebrate. Clean air, amazing sheeps' cheese, olives stuffed with ground meat ,roast lamb, local wines, lacemaking and a unique way with gold plus fabulous views and architecture.

SENSITIVE?!!!!!!!!!!
WHO, ME???!!!!!!!!
X-(
Sorry, These posts are just my oddball english sense of humour ;) I'm not intending to upset folks!

Tagging

RAR -what does 'tagging mean?

To ignore the milkshake and make a positive comment: My own experience with lots of central and eastern European villages is that MOST of them seem to have the kind of atmosphere you are looking for. Basically all of them have been mentioned, but I will add one place where I found life to be very much like the old days: the island of Hvar, off the Croatian coast. The little villages are quaint, and the old women all dress in black from head to toe. Good luck.

I think we have some quite different ways of interpreting this question. If I'm understanding it correctly, in addition to recommending the towns in the Basilicata region, I'd recommend some of the towns in the Nebrodi Mountains in Sicily.

If I'm on the track, I can explain more, but since the "humanone" hasn't been back to this thread, I'm not taking the time to elaborate at this moment.

Tagging, at least in my vocabulary, is when someone wants to post on a thread so they can find it again later by just clicking their name.

I always wanted to go to the island of Karpathos in Greece, and I wonder whether that might have the kinds of towns you're hoping to find.

It has to be the Balkans. One can still see wooden rakes, and wooden wheels in rural Romania. But you know this is not so fun to visit. Bulgaria is nice to visit and western Turkey for peasants, but none of these places have the rich medieval architecture you are seeking.

Saw numerous wooden rakes, scythes, etc in northeastern Slovakia. Very few cows. But MOST amazing was a wooden cart, made not of lumber but of birch logs (looked like it had just driven out of the 12th century), pulled (of course) by a horse. I almost stopped to take a picture, but then thought the driver might feel uncomfortable knowing I deemed him a Kodak experience. All in all, eastern Slovakia wasn't medieval, but certainly the clock stopped in 1945.

Yes, I do. I know of loads in the Dordogne and Quercy and Languedoc-Roussillon...and Aveyron and Lozère....but I'm not telling.

Interior Sardinia. Untouched.

Thanks, StCirq, you've brought a smile to my face, and I've only begun my first cup of coffee. J.

RAR, I'm tagging too ;-)