Underrated European Towns to Add to Your List

I’ve been traveling through Europe for close to three years now, documenting small villages, historic stories, and cobblestone streets in overlooked locations. The cities draw the crowds — Paris, Amsterdam, Rome — but Europe’s real character hides in the smaller places.

These are six towns that keep rewarding every time I visit. None of them are secret. But none of them are overrun either — at least not yet.

Mazzin, Italy — The Dolomites Without the Crowds

Located in the Trentino region in Val di Fassa, Mazzin is a small mountain village that gives you an intimate relationship with the Dolomites that the more famous towns can’t offer. The pace is slower, the trails are quieter, and the views are the same mountains everyone’s chasing — just without three bus tours in the way.

The surrounding area has walking and biking trails that become ski runs in winter. Come in early autumn for golden foliage and very few visitors, spring for wildflower meadows, or winter if you ski.

Gouda, Netherlands — More Than Just Cheese

Yes, the cheese. But Gouda is also one of the most aesthetically intact Dutch towns I’ve visited, and it sits just 50 minutes from Amsterdam and 20 from Rotterdam by train. The canals, the crooked brick buildings, Sint-Janskerk — all of it without the crowds that make Amsterdam exhausting in peak season.

Best in spring when the flowers are out and the light is soft, and again at Christmas when the town does a candlelit window tradition that feels genuinely old-world.

Bandol, France — Between Marseille and Toulon

Tucked on the Mediterranean coast between Marseille and Toulon, Bandol is a small port town with extraordinary food, hiking, crystal clear water, and even surfing when the wind picks up. It doesn’t feel like a tourist town because it mostly isn’t — yet.

Come in May or June before the summer crowds, or September when the water is still warm but the beaches quiet down. The local rosé is produced right here and the vineyards photograph beautifully in late afternoon light.

Old Perithia, Greece — A Ghost Town in Corfu

Old Perithia is a 14th-century settlement in northeastern Corfu that was abandoned in the mid-1900s. It sits on the slopes of Mount Pantokrator, built that high deliberately — the coastal villages below were constantly raided by pirates, so the locals retreated upward.

Today a handful of families have returned, and there’s a taverna or two operating in summer. But mostly it’s stone houses, overgrown archways, and a silence that feels centuries old. For photographers, the textures here are extraordinary.

Best in spring, autumn, or early summer mornings before the heat builds.

Agios Mattheos, Corfu — Hillside Village, Real Greece

Still in Corfu, but a completely different vibe. Agios Mattheos is a working hillside village — colorful houses, narrow streets, a local square, and residents who have lived here their whole lives. It leads down to Halikounas Beach, one of the better beaches on the island.

The area focuses on conservation and the hiking trails are excellent. Go in summer if you want the beach open and local spots operating.

Menton, France — The Pearl of the French Riviera

Menton sits at the very end of the French Riviera, right on the Italian border. It’s smaller and quieter than Nice or Monaco, with pastel hillside houses and turquoise Mediterranean water. The architecture survived both World Wars largely intact, and the Italian influence is strong — it was part of Italy until 1861.

Every corner of Europe reveals more character when you slow down and look past the postcard cities. These small villages are where architecture, history, and daily life still intersect in a way that feels real rather than curated for tourists.

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Europe on Film — Photography & Travel Guide

A photography and travel guide to 12 European destinations — shooting locations, timing, logistics, and the lesser-known spots that don't make the highlights reel.

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