Credit: PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek, Shutterstocker
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As a girl whose train of thought is pretty much always on a one-way trip to holiday-town; it’s not particularly rare for you to find me dreaming, scheming, plotting and planning my next getaway. But with so many gorgeous towns and cities within oh-so easy reach of London, it’s rather difficult to know which of them is worthy of a sacred slice of my annual leave allowance.
Europe is a treasure trove of twinkling gems, but thanks to the travel experience curators over at Tourlane, we now know exactly which of the continent’s charming old towns is the sparkliest of all. Having scoured the length and breadth of Europe, the lovely lot over at Tourlane used data from widely-used online platforms to uncover the most charming old towns.
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Their findings were based on four factors: the age of the each town, the cost of a walking tour, the overall walkability of each town, and its popularity on social media. Once the numbers were crunched, Tourlane curated a handy list. And although London (rather outrageously) didn’t even get a look in, we’re pretty pleased that the city that snapped up the top spot is just a hop, skip, and a jump £15 flight from the Big Smoke.
The most charming old town in Europe
Nabbing the crown as the most charming old town in the entire continent is Krakow in Poland. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, this 7th century city serves up history, charm, culture and beauty in equal measure. Almost entirely pedestrianised, this ‘surprisingly compact’ town is easy to explore on-foot, and boasts impressive architecture, picturesque streets, hidden squares, and plenty of small restaurants, cafes, and eateries.
Credit: MKavalenkau, Shutterstock Getting to Krakow from London
A flight from London to Krakow takes approximately two and a half hours. The cost of a flight, of course, depends on when it is you wish to visit. But in November, there are flights available from Stansted to Krakow for just £15. A complete and utter bargain, hey?
The most charming old town in Europe:
- Krakow, Poland
- Naples, Italy
- Regensburg, Germany
- Riga, Latvia
- San Marino, San Marino
You can read Tourlane’s full findings here.