If anyone knows a thing or two about ‘beauty’, it’s the French. So when it comes to the world’s most beautiful villages, we’re all ears to what Petit Futé (A sort of Lonely Planet-esque series of French travel guides) has to say—stretching from Saudi Arabia to Japan and, of course, France.
But no collection of beautiful villages is complete without a mention of the Cotswolds. Full of quintessentially English, honey-coloured houses, you could pluck any number of villages out of this stunning National Landscape known for its rolling hills and stately homes.
This time, it’s the Gloucestershire village of Bibury that takes home the prize, which legendary artist William Morris once called “the most beautiful village in England.” Finishing 5th, behind France’s Conques (where vehicle use is prohibited), the picturesque Dutch village of Giethoorn, and the colourful houses of Colombia’s Guatapé.
Why should I visit Bibury?
Rightly so, Petit Futé pinpoints the picturesque stone cottages of Arlington Row as its most unique feature. The 14th-century terrace (“relics of the area’s weaving past”) was famously depicted inside some British passports, as well as in films like Stardust and Bridget Jones’s Diary. But there’s more to Bibury than weavers’ cottages.
Petit Futé says: “A walking path allows you to tour the village, crossing small stone bridges and passing by the Trout Farm. The Church of St Mary the Virgin is also worth a visit, boasting medieval charm and tombstones nestled in the grass. Every December, the village hosts the famous Bibury Duck Race, where 3,000 plastic ducks compete in a unique race!”
The world’s most beautiful villages:
- Conques-en-Rouergue, France
- Giethoorn, Netherlands
- Guatapé, Colombia
- Gordes, France
- Bibury, England
- Stowe, United States
- Pigna, France
- San Gimignano, Italy
- AlUla, Saudi Arabia
- Monsanto, Portugal
- Riquewihr, France
- Bellagio, Italy
- Ine, Japan
- Cadaqués, Spain
- Kamouraska, Canada
