20 exquisite little towns which are absolutely perfect for introverts
It’s highly doubtful that someone who enjoys peace and solitude will choose a huge metropolis when going on vacation. Especially when there are plenty of quiet corners out there in the world where nature and people coexist in perfect harmony, and towns themselves seem to be imprinted into the majestic scenery. Everything in these places is so simple and beautifully balanced that one can’t help but wish that they could just ditch our crazy pace of living and retire to a place like that.Bright Side put together a list of 25 the most exquisite little towns which are dream holiday destinations for any introvert.
1. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a charming little ski resort on top of Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze. Standing at a height of 9,718 ft, for many centuries Garmisch-Partenkirchen was two separate settlements: one of them was founded by the Romans, the other by the Teutons. They were united only in 1936 for the Winter Olympic Games.
2. Settlement in the Himalayas, Tibet
This is one of those villages, completely lost somewhere in the Himalayas, that was built with the specific purpose of serving the needs of local monasteries. It can be reached only by foot or by horse.
3. Reine, Norway
Reine is a fishing village on the picturesque half-island of Moskenes that stretches out into the North Sea. Reine had a population of 329 people in 2011, and was rightly voted Norway’s most beautiful village.
4. Gásadalur, Faroe Islands
The mysterious chain of rocky outcroppings known as the Faroe Islands in North Scotland is hardly known amongst tourists. For many years, the Islands were difficult to access thanks to the towering cliffs. The village of Gasadalur has a single stairway leading up to it from the shore, which was built during the British occupation of the islands during World War II. Just eighteen lucky people live there now, safely sheltered from the world by two 2,300-feet-tall mountains.
5. Colmar, France
Colmar is one of the prettiest towns in Alsace. Old streets and pavements, timber framed little houses, ancient stone buildings — all of this creates a lasting impression. Colmar is also the capital of Alsatian wine-making, and that’s why Route du Vin — the Wine Route — starts here.
6. Bled, Slovenia
Sheltered by gorgeous mountains, Bled first appeared in written sources in 1004. The Holy Roman emperor, Henry II, thought it so beautiful that he gifted it to the Bishop of Brixen. The Church of the Assumption of Maria, a pilgrimage hotspot, is located on an island in the middle of Bled Lake. The city itself has a population of 5,000 and is regarded as one of the prettiest Slovenian health resorts.
7. Manarola, Italy
Manarola is a small fishing town in Liguria, northern Italy. A rainbow of colourful buildings looks out over the Ligurian Sea as they sit high up perched on a cliff. The city’s church dates from 1338, making Manarola one of the oldest cities in the region.
8. Bibury, England
Bibury was once described by the artist and craftsman William Morris (1834-96) as «the most beautiful village in England» and is still holding the title. The town was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086, and since then it seems to have been frozen in time. Most of the buildings haven’t changed throughout the centuries and the river still carries its ghostly waters along the shadowy streets of Bibury.
9. Annecy, France
Annecy is probably even more stunning than the French Alps surrounding it. Built around a XIV century castle, the town is dissected by countless canals and streams running out of Lake Annecy.
10. Göreme, Turkey (the Underground City)
Göreme today is an open-air museum. From the sixth century until the end of the ninth century, it was one of the largest Christian centres, with more than 400 churches in the area. St. Paul found Göreme a most appropriate place to raise the righteous.
11. Tenby, Wales
«Dinbych-Y-Pysgod» is the Welsh name for Tenby, which translates as «Little Town of Fishes». The town, a naturally defended and bountiful harbour with access to both the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean, was founded in 900 AD. After the Norman Conquest of England, Tenby was fortified with a massive wall to keep local rebels at bay. Today the town is best known for its beauty rather than protective structures.
12. Leavenworth, Washington, USA
This tiny American town looks as if it’s been moved here straight from central Europe. The whole of the town center is modeled on a Bavarian village, mostly as a tourist attraction.
13. Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
Vestmannaeyjar is a small town and archipelago off the south coast of Iceland with a population of about 4,000 people. We don’t know when the islands were discovered exactly, but it is assumed that Vikings and Irish sailors came upon it at the same time as they came upon Iceland. The islands are also known for the fact that in 1627 they were captured by the Ottoman fleet, and the Barbary pirates who also captured the locals and forced them into slavery.
14. Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is located in the southern lakes region of the South Island, New Zealand. Situated on the shore of a small glacial Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown Bay, it is surrounded by rocky mountains. In the 1800s, the Europeans found gold here, and Queenstown prospered under a gold rush that began in 1862.
15. A hidden mountain village, Jiuzhaigou, China
Not much is known about these tiny villages that once served as military bases. Scattered throughout China, they can be reached only by horse. Make the trip to get a unique taste of classical Chinese culture.
16. Shirakawa-gō, Japan
Shirakawa-gō is a small traditional settlement. It is known for its buildings that have steeply pitched thatched roofs to allow the heavy snow to slide off easily. Thick mysterious forests and hills surrounding the village made the area hard to access — except via the small river valley where Shirakawa-gō is located.
17. Pucón, Chile
(VibaTem)
Pucón is known far outside the country’s borders as the «capital of adventure tourism» in Chile. This little town has acquired popularity in the world of tourism thanks to a local lake, a volcano and the exceptionally wide selection of outdoor adventures it has to offer.
18. Amadiya, Iraqi Kurdistan
Amadiya is a colorful village located on the top of a hill in the Dahuk Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan. The town is 1,100 yards long and 550 yards wide, while being 4,600 ft above sea level. According to legend, Persian prophets and priests, known for their art of witchcraft, lived not far from here. Some researchers think that Amadiya is where the biblical Three Wise Men possibly began their journey to Bethlehem to see the new born baby Jesus.
19. Èze, France
Èze is a medieval village overlooking, like an eagle’s nest, the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. A breathtaking view opens up from its location on top of a cliff 1,401 ft above sea level. Ramparts, narrow cobbled streets, low massive doors and the rough stone walls of old buildings create an almost palpable medieval atmosphere.
20. Pučišća, Croatia
Pučišća is a settlement in the northern part of the island of Brač. It has its own small quay. The name «Pučišća» came from the Latin «puteus» (meaning «well»), marking the place where salt and brackish water mix together. This area is a regional center for cutting stone — the very stone that built part of the White House in Washington, DC.