10 Most Beautiful Small Cities In The World

Sandwiched between full-on ‘cities’ and ‘towns’ is a weird category of place. You know, places with big roads but not major highways. Places with lots of walls and streets, but no Wall Streets! Lots of roads, but not many of them over four lanes! You get what we mean. And as we all know, plenty of those ‘in-between’ urban spots are pretty gorgeous! Here’s a list of the ten most beautiful SMALL cities in the world!

10. HIMEJI: JAPAN

The Japanese Town of Himeji boasts maybe the most rockingly beautiful castle in the world! Situated on a beautiful bay, it even has a mountain the city limits! Mount Sepiko rises 3003 feet (915m) above the city. When the cherry blossoms are out in Spring, it's hard to beat Himeji!

9. WELLINGTON: NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and it has its fair share of beautiful cities! The tiny capital of Wellington is no exception. Located on the peninsula between the Cook straight and Wellington harbour, the world’s most southerly and remote capital city has been called ‘the coolest little capital on earth’.

8. SAVANNAH, GA: USA

The term ‘Southern Charm’ must have been coined thinking of Savannah! Located on the Savannah River in Georgia, the town is chock full of gorgeous architecture like the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The historic centre is a must do when visiting this Southern stunner.

7. OXFORD: UK

The ‘City Of Dreaming Spires’ is one of the most charming places in all of England, and home to the most famous University in the world! Magnificent buildings dot the city, like Magdalene Tower, Christ Church College and the Radcliffe Camera on cobbled Radcliffe square. Watching gowned students riding around on their bicycles like bats in the daylight, it’s enough to think you’ve stumbled into Hogwarts itself!

6. BERNE: SWITZERLAND

The centre of the Swiss capital city is a UNESCO world heritage site for good reason! The architecture almost never jars, and it’s framed perfectly by the river Aare. Jumping into the gorgeously coloured glacial river which encircles the city is a popular summer activity with locals! With one of the most beautiful sections of the Alps only 20 miles (30 km) away, it makes it a pretty brilliantly located city!

5. NEW ORLEANS, LA: USA

Probably the biggest city on this ‘small city’ list, New Orleans is a lesson in being laid back yet stunning and cool! The old French quarter here is the scenic highlight. Between the wrought iron, spanish moss, raised cemeteries and oak framed plantations, there are few cities that can even begin to match New Orleans for sheer Southern Comfort! It’s also where that famous drink was first made!

4. CARTAGENA: COLOMBIA

This sixteenth century coastal city is an architectural jewel. While Bocagrande is the modern hub of the city, and very attractive, the old walled city and colonial sections of the town are the most arresting for the eye. The Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, Plaza de Bolívar, Theatre Heredia and countless colonial homes make the city a feast for the eye. Italian and Spanish influences are clear in the architecture of this city which has been beautifully developing for the past six centuries.

3. FLORENCE: ITALY

Firenze! Home to more art per square mile than probably anywhere but the Vatican, this is one of the world’s most incredible small cities! The Medici’s may have been money grabbing power mongers, but they sure knew their art and how to make a beautiful city! 

The Uffizi Gallery is the most spectacular of all the museums in the city, and houses one of the greatest art collections in the world. Works by sublime masters like Da Vanci, Caravagio and Michaelangelo bedeck the former palace of Count Cosimo I de' Medici, one of the most powerful men in Europe in the sixteenth century. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the world’s most beautiful churches, and together with Palazzo Vecchio it dominates the city’s gorgeous skyline.

2. LUCERNE: SWITZERLAND

Smack bang in the middle of beautiful Switzerland is beautiful Lucerne! This stunning town has the crystal clear and glacially blue Reuss river running right through it. The river pours into magnificent lake Lucerne which has mountains rising above it as far as the eye can see. Of all these, Mount Pilatus dominates at a height of 6982 feet (2128m). A cable car leads to the top of the mountain offering beautiful views to nearby lake Lucerne over a mile (1694m) below the summit!

The town’s architecture is beautiful and immaculate. Most famous attractions include the 14th century Kapellbrücke bridge, the Lion monument and the Church of St. Leodegar. The city has many fine art museums and the Culture and Congress Centre designed by Jean Nouvel is one of the world’s leading concert halls. All that sandwiched between such natural beauty makes Lucerne one of the most beautiful small cities on this planet!

1. VENICE: ITALY

Venice is like a dream! Everywhere one turns in this maze of a small city beauty is to be found! Walking its cobblestoned streets looking at venetian glass, stumbling into mini piazzas, or sampling wonderful Italian food only adds to the magic. But of course walking is not what most people think of when considering this jewel! Being located in the Venetian lagoon makes for a unique setting, and rather than asphalt one gets by on water! Gondolas and water taxis patrol the grand canal, transporting people from one magnificent sight to another.



Major highlights include Piazza San Marco and the world famous Rialto Bridge. Piazza San Marco is site of St Mark’s Campanille and San Marco , which is one of the world’s loveliest Churches. The city was supposedly founded on 25 March 421 upon the dedication of the Church of San Giacomo. Seventeen centuries of history is enough to make for a whole lot of history and a whole lot of beauty! Indeed, it makes Venice possibly the most beautiful small city in the world!