There are certain places out there in our world where time has seemingly stood still for a century or more. The kind of places where you can find the pristine beauty of the natural world alongside cosy, almost fairytale-like houses, and where everything is shrouded in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.

We picked some the most gorgeous small towns villages where you’re guaranteed to be able to relax from the endless bustle of the big city. If we ever make it there, we plan on staying — forever!

Rothenburg, Germany

piniterest

Santorini, Greece

santorini

Colmar, France

©alexander novikov

Cinque Terre, Italy

©francesco-riccardo

A mountain village, China

pinimg

Penn, Scotland

flickr

Shirakawa-go, Japan

agustinraf

Bibury, UK

©geoff-griffiths

Migdal, Greenland

pinterest

Sintra, Portugal

©sergio-stakhnyk

Kvivik, Faroe Islands

©zenitt

Filzmoos, Austria

©coen-weesjes

Portofino, Italy

©wojtek-wyszkowski

Castellfollit de la Roca, Spain

©alejandro-martinez

Wengen, Switzerland

hawamer

Reine, Norway

©korzhonov

Maska, Spain

©utku-aktas

Puglia, Italy

©marco s

Wengelsdorf, Germany

©frank waßewitz

Rocamadour, France

©alexander-hill

Source