The World’s Most Stunning Old Towns: A City-by-City Guide
Travel company Tourlane has revealed its ranking of the most beautiful old towns worldwide, based on walkability, age, entrance cost and Instagram popularity. Here’s a closer look at each destination.
🇻🇳 Hoi An, Vietnam
🇳🇵 Bhaktapur, Nepal
🇯🇵 Kyoto, Japan
🇱🇦 Luang Prabang, Laos
🇱🇰 Galle, Sri Lanka
This fortified coastal city boasts 16th-century walls built by the Portuguese and later expanded by the Dutch. Today, cobbled streets host chic cafés, galleries and sunset views over the Indian Ocean.
🇵🇱 Krakow, Poland
With roots in the 7th century, Krakow’s UNESCO-listed historic center is a labyrinth of Gothic churches, Renaissance squares and Europe’s largest medieval market square.
🇮🇹 Naples, Italy
Naples’ old town offers an intoxicating mix of baroque churches, narrow alleyways, bustling piazzas and, of course, world-famous pizza.
🇩🇪 Regensburg, Germany
Located on the Danube, Regensburg preserves Roman and medieval structures, stone bridges and pastel-hued houses that date back nearly 2,000 years.
🇱🇻 Riga, Latvia
Riga’s historic center dazzles with Art Nouveau façades, Gothic spires and lively squares where Baltic history meets cosmopolitan charm.
🇸🇲 San Marino
Perched atop Mount Titano, this microstate’s old town is a maze of stone towers, medieval gates and breathtaking views of the Italian countryside.
🇫🇷 Avignon, France
Known as “The City of Popes,” Avignon shines with 14th-16th century Gothic landmarks like the Palais des Papes, tranquil gardens and cloisters that evoke a bygone era.
🇹🇳 Sousse, Tunisia
Its dazzling white Medina stretches toward the Mediterranean Sea, blending Islamic architecture, lively souks and sun-drenched fortifications.
🇲🇦 Fès, Morocco
The spiritual heart of Morocco, Fès boasts the world’s largest car-free urban area — a labyrinth of alleys, mosques and vibrant tanneries.
🇲🇦 Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech’s walled Medina bursts with color: bustling souks, ornate riads, and the iconic Jemaa el-Fnaa square at sunset.
🇶🇦 Doha, Qatar
Doha’s Souq Waqif revives a traditional marketplace atmosphere, offering spices, textiles and architecture inspired by centuries of Gulf trade.
🇪🇬 Cairo, Egypt
Cairo’s Islamic old town shelters historic mosques, bustling bazaars and medieval gates standing as witnesses to over a thousand years of history.
🇺🇸 Saint Augustine, Florida, USA
Founded in 1565 by the Spanish, Saint Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the United States, with cobblestone streets and colonial landmarks.
🇨🇴 Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena’s 16th-century fortifications enclose pastel-colored mansions, flower-draped balconies and plazas humming with Caribbean rhythms.
🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca’s colonial heart is rich with indigenous culture, baroque churches and vibrant markets overflowing with local crafts and flavors.
🇧🇷 Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
Salvador’s Pelourinho district brims with colorful colonial houses, Afro-Brazilian music and lively squares echoing centuries of cultural fusion.
🇵🇦 Panama City, Panama
Casco Viejo, the old quarter of Panama City, mixes Spanish colonial ruins, restored plazas and cutting-edge cafés overlooking the bay.
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires’ historic San Telmo and La Boca neighborhoods captivate with tango rhythms, street art and 19th-century architecture.
🏛 A Living Museum
From lantern-lit streets in Hội An to medieval squares in Krakow and sun-washed Medinas in North Africa, these old towns are more than tourist spots — they’re living museums where history still shapes daily life.
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