The 10 Most Beautiful Villages in the World for 2025

 From misty fjords to palm-fringed waterways, these small places feel larger than life.

Villages hold a timeless charm. Away from crowded city streets, they’re places where culture, scenery and community blend into one unforgettable experience. In 2025, Forbes, in collaboration with Unforgettable Travel Company, unveiled its list of the 50 Most Beautiful Villages in the World. Here’s a closer look at the top 10 – each one a living postcard.

1. Bibury, England

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Tucked into the heart of the Cotswolds, Bibury looks like a watercolor painting brought to life. Its honey-hued stone cottages line the famous Arlington Row, mossy roofs whispering stories of 14th-century weavers. The River Coln glides quietly through buttercup meadows and blue forget-me-nots, as plump ducks paddle under willow trees.

2. Hallstatt, Austria

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This lakeside village clings to steep, forested mountains and shimmers like a fairytale reflection. Timber houses with flower-laden balconies overlook sparkling Hallstatt Lake, while centuries of salt-mining history echo through narrow lanes.

3. Reine, Norway

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Set under jagged Arctic peaks, Reine glows like scattered rubies across slate-gray rock. Red fishermen’s cabins perch along the fjord edge, and as the snow melts, purple lupins and silvered seaweed fringe the shoreline.

4. Giethoorn, Netherlands

Often called the “Venice of the North,” Giethoorn is a car-free village of narrow canals, thatched-roof houses and arched wooden bridges. Gardens overflow with geraniums and lavender, and the reflections ripple softly in the water.

5. Gásadalur, Faroe Islands

Perched on the edge of Vágar Island, Gásadalur is wrapped in legend and sea mist. Turf-roofed houses scatter across a glacial valley, dwarfed by Árnafjall – the island’s highest peak, nicknamed “the eagle mountain.”

6. Oia, Greece (Santorini)

Cascading down the northern tip of Santorini, Oia is a waterfall of whitewashed houses carved into a volcanic cliff. Infinity pools mirror the Aegean, bougainvillea drapes over balconies, and below, Ammoudi Bay glows with lantern-lit tavernas serving octopus and squid as waves lap under the moonlight.

7. Bourtange, Netherlands

Shaped like a star and stitched into the marshy plains of Groningen, Bourtange blends symmetry with storybook charm. Brick ramparts and grassy fortifications radiate from a flower-filled central square, where 17th-century cannons stand near cafés scented with fresh stroopwafels.

8. Kotor, Montenegro

This Adriatic gem rises from a swirl of stone and shadow. Its medieval heart beats through a maze of narrow lanes and echoing chapels. Hike the path to the ruined San Giovanni fortress for a panoramic view of legends spread across the bay.

9. Shirakawa-go, Japan

Blanketed in mountain silence, Shirakawa-go feels like a fairytale preserved in snow. Its steep thatched gasshō-zukuri farmhouses were built to withstand heavy winters. Smoke curls up from sunken irori hearths, warming homes that have stood for centuries.

10. Batad, Philippines

An emerald amphitheater carved into the Cordillera Mountains, Batad’s 2,000-year-old rice terraces rise in perfect symmetry. Stone paths wind past handcrafted Ifugao huts, where elders in feathered headdresses pound rice and hum ancestral hymns.

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Why These Villages Matter

Each of these places blends natural beauty with living culture – they’re not theme parks but thriving communities. Whether you’re drawn to medieval Europe, Nordic fjords or tropical Asia, the top 10 villages of 2025 show that authentic travel experiences are alive and well.