The most beautiful mountain villages. Eze village, côte d'azur, france. Riomaggiore village, Italy

I present to your attention the TOP 10 most picturesque villages on the planet. Amazing beauty!
Bibury, England


The English village of Bibury is located in Gloucestershire. She was repeatedly recognized as the most beautiful and most English countryside in the world different artists and poets. Cozy houses The 17th century really seemed to have descended from a fabulous illustration. The village itself is much older - the first mention of this settlement dates back to the 11th century. Despite being popular with tourists, public transport Bibury still does not go, and to get here you need to take a train at London Paddington Station, get to Kemble Station, and then only by taxi.
Shirakawa-go, Japan


This picturesque village is on the list world heritage UNESCO. Here you can admire the wonderful houses with triangular roofs built in the "gassho" style, as well as Ogimachi Castle, which is located near the village. Tourists are brought here by a regular bus.
Wengen, Switzerland


The views of this Swiss village at any time of the year resemble fairy-tale scenery. Indigenous people The village has a little over a thousand people. But for each local resident there are from 5 to 10 tourists depending on the season, so it is always crowded here. Here is the famous ski resort And amazing cave Kriegsloch, which is said to be able to predict the approach of war. It is forbidden to drive ordinary cars here so as not to spoil the cleanest Mountain air. But there are always many environmentally friendly electric vehicles at the service of tourists.
Ezze, France


This picturesque village stands on the shore mediterranean sea. For many centuries, incessant wars have been waged here, and in the village itself, a variety of cultures have mixed. All this gave rise to a completely unique architectural ensemble, which, together with stunning landscapes, today attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world.
Zaanse Schans, Holland


Unlike modern Amsterdam, the village of Zaanse Schans still retains its original original face. There are also typical houses of the 17th century and famous windmills creating a real "Dutch" landscape. Here they sell wonderful natural cheese, beautiful painted porcelain and traditional wooden shoes.
Pariangan, West Sumatra


The picturesque streets of this Minangkabau village are literally at the foot of active volcano Merapi, which has erupted almost 40 times over the past 200 years. Dangerous neighborhood makes an impression on beautiful landscapes especially strong.
Savoca, Sicily


This village with thousand years of history is well known to fans of the book and the movie "The Godfather", because the events reproduced in the film were filmed here. Here you can visit the Bar Vitelli and the famous Capuchin Monastery, where the most famous crypt is located, in which over fifty bodies of local nobility and clergy have been stored for centuries, naturally mummified in the catacombs.
Cua Van, Vietnam


The main treasure of this small fishing village is the incredible beauty of the surrounding landscapes. Small houses supported by rafts stand literally on the water in the Ha Long bay surrounded by huge cliffs. The village school is located in one of these raft houses, and students come to it by boat. To see all the beauties of this village, tourists also have to hire a boat.
Caleta Tortel, Chile


The small village of Caleta Tortel has the glory of "Chilean Venice". True, there are no stone palaces and majestic bridges here, but there are many picturesque wooden houses towering on stilts and connected to each other by a whole web of light suspension bridges, and sometimes just stairs. For obvious reasons, on road transport it is impossible to move here.
Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia


All the buildings in this Tunisian village have the traditional colors of bright white walls and sky blue shutters and gates. Against the backdrop of the dazzling blue of the Gulf of Tunis, the village looks just fine. Many representatives of creative professions constantly rest here, and many tourist companies offer day trips here.

For a long time, Russian villages were forgotten, which is completely unreasonable. Of course, some of them are in a deplorable state, while others are completely abandoned and disappeared from the face of the earth.

According to the 2010 census, there are more than 150,000 rural settlements in Russia. And certainly there will be a few to compete for the title of the most beautiful. And in 2014, the association "The most beautiful villages" was created, which supports the development rural tourism. Let's go to a small virtual journey some of these villages.

The village of Bolshoi Kunaley, Buryatia


The village of Big Kunaley is located on the banks of the Kunaleyka River. The village appeared at the beginning of the 18th century and since then has been living its measured and quiet life. There are few inhabitants in the village - about a thousand people.

The peculiarity of the village is its houses. Built of timber, they are all painted in bright colors, with carved shutters and painted fences, and are somewhat reminiscent of a children's fairy tale.

Vyatskoye, Yaroslavl region



The village of Vyatskoye received the title of the most beautiful village in 2015. The village is actively developing in the field of tourism, there are only ten museums here. The houses here were rebuilt in the 18th-19th centuries, they once belonged to merchants, and some were drinking establishments. There are thirty monuments of cultural and historical heritage here, so there is definitely something to see. And tourists have chosen the village: in 2014 alone, 80,000 travelers visited it.

Desyatnikovo, Buryatia



Another village from Buryatia impresses with its colorfulness: the houses here are painted with bright colors, and all this goes well with the green hills surrounding the village and endless expanses. Russia is truly felt here, immense and beautiful: around the age-old forest, untouched valleys with pure springs, berries and mushrooms, as well as the steppe.

Oshevensky churchyard, Arkhangelsk region



Only 73 people live in Oshevensky Pogost, but this did not prevent the village from joining the association of the most beautiful villages in Russia. At the entrance to the village is monastery founded in 1453. In addition, a whole block of traditional northern wooden buildings has been perfectly preserved here, at the head of which is the Church of the Epiphany with a bell tower. Well, the locals are trying to preserve the original traditions.

Kinerma, Karelia




Kinerma is located in the Pryazhinsky district of Karelia and last year was awarded the title of the most beautiful village in Russia. IN locality 17 houses, 10 of them are considered architectural monuments. All buildings here are rebuilt in a circle, in the center of which is a 250-year-old chapel and an old cemetery.

And, of course, all the village attributes: a well with ice water, a bathhouse, a barn with a souvenir shop, as well as a restored traditional peasant house. There is also a mini-hotel in Kinerma, stylized as the old days and furnished with antique utensils.

True, the locals were already quite tired of the flow of tourists, and at the beginning of 2017, information appeared on the network that they were asking to periodically close road sign)

Kimzha, Arkhangelsk region




This is the youngest village that bears the title of the most beautiful (received it in February 2017). There are 71 historical monuments here, including the Hodegetrievskaya Church of the early 18th century. Kimzha is somewhat reminiscent of a museum wooden architecture, however, everything is real here: strong log huts, wooden mills, large yards and a river where the locals fish.

Also, until 1951, the locals had a curious tradition: they did not have a cemetery, and all the dead were buried according to their last will. Most often these were plots of land, and sometimes courtyards of houses. It was believed that in this way the ancestors would be able to protect their territories from troubles.

What in Russia, with all the desire, it is impossible to complain about - the lack of beautiful settlements. In this regard, the scope is unlimited: here and historical monuments, and wonderful landscapes, and the ultimate naturalness, and even modern architectural finds. Let's talk about ten most picturesque villages Russia(we give in a conditional order, since we would not like to distribute them in places, making up the top 10).



It is unlikely that this village, invariably included in all lists and ratings, needs to be introduced; suffice it to point out the fact that there are ten museums in the settlement, a colossal number of pre-revolutionary buildings. Nature is also conducive to relaxation and study: Vyatka is “framed” by rivers and valleys on all sides. This is an ideal option for those travelers who do not like to give up comfort: there are three hotels, a restaurant, and a cinema.

Kinerma



Getting here is not easy: the village is located in Karelia. Structure - seventeen structures, ten of which belong to architectural monuments. In the center you can see the cemetery of Catherine's time; there is also a restored chapel. There is a smoke sauna, a well, a barn; not without a small and already quite modern hotel.

space lake



The wonderful location near the lake, which is distinguished by its peculiar shape (similar to a river one), determines the popularity of the settlement. Hayfields, ancient huts, courtyards and, of course, the bewitching tented Assumption Church (built in 1720) - that's what will appear before the eyes of those who have arrived in the village.

Staraya Ladoga



Speaking of the oldest villages in Russia, it is impossible to omit old Ladoga- a settlement whose history began more than a thousand years ago. Although not so many people live here today, once the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” began in this place (it was one of largest settlements in Ancient Rus').

Yasnaya Polyana



go to Yasnaya Polyana recommended not only to those who are not indifferent to the classics of critical realism and connoisseurs of the novels of Leo Tolstoy, but also to everyone who appreciates the combination of natural naturalness and architectural elegance. Being discreet, the village strikes the imagination precisely with its conciseness. Among the attractions: the writer's house, the remains of the greenhouse, the Middle Pond, the park.

Nikolo-Lenivets



Initially, the settlement did not stand out in any way: it seemed that Nikolo-Lenivets was another of the villages of Russia gradually falling into disrepair. However, thanks to the efforts of Vasily Shchetinin, a well-known enthusiastic architect, who appeared here, it turned into a real creative gallery of folk art. The most amazing thing is that absolutely everything here is made by hand.

Tarbagatai



There are many wonderful villages in Buryatia (among the famous ones: Desyatnikovo, Bolshoi Kunaley, Atsagat); the most famous of them is Varbagatai, which is located fifty-two kilometers from Ulan-Ude. Founded in the 18th century, the settlement at one time served as a home for the Old Believers; Until now, here you can see the buildings erected by them, which are distinguished by their colorful coloring, wonderful fences and unusual shutters.

Chamerevo



The village boasts rich history: once the family of the writer Griboyedov lived here (and Alexander Sergeevich himself in childhood), Ivan the Terrible also came here. Also in the village is the holy spring of Alexander Nevsky. Panoramic landscapes around and the well-groomed village itself make this place one of the most interesting for Russian travelers.

Vorzogory



The village is right on the beach White Sea and traces its history back to the 16th century. It was already known then: wooden ships for monks were built here Solovetsky Monastery. In the village itself, you can see the wooden church of Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky (erected in the middle of the 19th century) and the “wooden tee”, consisting of the St. Nicholas Church (17th century), the Vvedenskaya Church (end of the 18th century) and the bell tower (18th century) .

Oshevensky Pogost



You should not be afraid of the name: the village of Pogost, which is also called Oshevensky Pogost, has been a wonderful place and one of the most beautiful villages in Russia for several centuries. Here is the monastery of St. Alexander Oshevensky, the Church of the Epiphany (18th century), the bell tower, Popov's house-yard.

For real travel gourmets, they have become too hackneyed direction. Meanwhile, Michelin restaurants and the highest quality contingent today are more likely to be found in the outskirts, forgotten by God, picturesque and unbanal. ELLE presents 12 of the most beautiful villages and small towns in the world that will be the pearl of your itinerary.

Cozy medieval village of Yvoire, located on the French coast Lake Geneva, officially bears the name of the most beautiful and most flourishing village in France. Everything here is compact and incredibly cute - medieval architecture, narrow streets, colorful souvenir shops, local lake fish in restaurants and only 5 hotels where tourists come from all over the world. In the gardens and on the streets of the city, something blooms all year round, but it is especially beautiful in Yvoire in the summer - it is literally buried in vegetation. The rhythm of the city is surprisingly unhurried - residents are busy producing flowers and souvenirs, and the main local entertainment is walking along medieval castle Chateau d'Ivoire or marinas where swans swim among the boats.

By the way, Yvoire won a special prize at the French national competition, where he was named the most authentic village, which has preserved the signs of medieval life in its original form.

Mountains and the mirror surface of Lake Geneva are the main signs famous resort Evian, which is located on the border of France and Switzerland, in the foothills of the Savoy Alps. Since the end of the 19th century, the most famous mineral water in the Evian world.

The resort gained its fame precisely because of the healing properties of this water, which has become a worldwide brand, and today people come here for the incredible beauty of the places, as well as improve their health. Evian is located on the shore of the lake and is Small town with a huge amount of entertainment - equestrian and golf clubs, casinos, cafes and restaurants, as well as the Thermes Evian thermal center with an impressive list of procedures based on the mineral water of the same name.

Evian's main hotel is the Evian Royal Resort - luxury palace on the very shore of the lake, occupying almost 50 hectares of park with swimming pools, health centers and the service of a hotel of the highest standard.

The Evian resort is famous for its Golf Academy, which hosts the international women's tournament - L'Evian Championship Golf Club. The special lifestyle of this club with elegant lunches at the Chalet du Golf, cocktails and receptions traditionally attracts the cream of European society.

The place of power of every figure secular life, The Côte d'Azur is famous, among other things, for its incredibly beautiful landscapes, local roses and the freshest oysters. One of the most picturesque villages of the French Riviera, located on the road from Nice to Monaco, is called Eze, and its history dates back to time immemorial - it was founded by the Phoenicians. The observation deck of this heavenly place, the cactus garden and the Church of the Penitent Sinners of the White Brotherhood are a favorite place for tourists from all over the world.

This village in Gloucestershire is considered the most beautiful and most English village in the world. At least, such experts of local life as William Morris thought so. Narrow street over the river Colne leads to picturesque bridge, while St. Mary's Church, surrounded by pretty 17th century English houses, exemplifies the ideal authentic European village.

Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the village of Shirakawa-Go, located in the northern part of the Japanese prefecture of Gifu, in the valley of the Sokawa River, consists of only six dozen houses. Previously, the village was isolated from the outside world and was not marked on any geographical map- the dense forests surrounding it were considered impassable. Today on famous architecture houses in the style of "gassho" curious tourists are transported by bus.

They say that it is Vietnam with its amazing nature served as a kind for the fantasies of the designers of the film "Avatar". And this is not surprising - there are no such landscapes anywhere else. Aesthetes and travelers have a special passion for the small fishing village of Cua Van - its small houses are supported by rafts and literally stand on the water, surrounded by the cliffs of Ha Long Bay. In one of these raft houses there is also a village school - students come there by boat.

A village without roads or "Dutch Venice" - this is the name of this wonderful place, located on water channels with a total length of about 7.5 km. Here and today it functions only water transport. Giethoorn was founded in 1230 by a small group of refugees from the south of the country, but gained worldwide fame only in the twentieth century, after the Dutch director Bert Haanstra shot his famous comedy Fanfare here in 1958.

Just over 1,000 people live in a village in the Bernese Alps. Meanwhile, the place is so popular with visitors that, according to statistics, there are from 5 to 10 tourists for each local resident, depending on the season. There are several reasons for this - nearby is a popular ski resort and the amazing Kriegsloch Cave, which, according to legend, predicts the approach of war. The region is also famous for the puppet theater and the Mendelssohn Music Weeks. It is forbidden to drive cars here, so as not to spoil the purest mountain air.

The volcanic island of Santorini is one of the most romantic places on the planet. You have to climb from the port along winding and dangerous serpentines, but it's worth it - the residential part of the island offers fantastic views of the sea, the horizon and typical local buildings - white houses with blue roofs and church domes. According to legend, this place, beloved by couples for a peaceful honey moon, is designed to test the power of feelings - the sunsets of the village of Oia, the most beautiful point of the island, are so good that only people who are truly in love can look at each other, and not at the maddening the beauty of nature. At least that's what the legend says.