From small villages nestled along narrow bays to alleyways draped in bougainvillea, the world's most beautiful villages for 2025 have just been announced, with one location in Vietnam making the list.
From fjord-fringed hamlets to bougainvillea-draped alleys, here are the world’s most beautiful villages for 2025 - according to Unforgettable Travel Company.
Below are the top 10, along with a Vietnamese village featured on the list, according to Forbes:
1. Bibury, England
Nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds, Bibury unfurls like a watercolor dream—where honey-slicked cottages line Arlington Row; their mossy roofs whispering tales of 14th-century weavers. The River Coln murmurs gently here—weaving through golden buttercups and forget-me-nots, while plump ducks paddle lazily beneath canopies of willow. Nearby, Bibury Trout Farm invites visitors to feed fish or enjoy a riverside picnic, and St. Mary’s Church offers a moment of stillness amid ancient stone—while the air carries the smell of blooming lavender, mingling with freshly-baked scones. PHOTO: GETTY
2. Hallstatt, Austria
Cradled between forested peaks and shimmering Lake Hallstatt, this Austrian village glows like a storybook reflection, where centuries-old timbered houses cling to the steep mountainside and flower-boxed balconies spill with scarlet geraniums. Church bells echo across the lake as swans drift in elegant arcs, while nearby, the panoramic Hallstatt Skywalk offers breathtaking views of of the Dachstein Alps and the glassy lake below, as Salzwelten Hallstatt, home to the world’s oldest salt mine, allows you to sink deep into mountain tunnels to discover 7,000 years of mining history. Stroll past the Marketplace Hallstatt (perfect for buying wooden figurines, local cheeses, and salt crystals) and the Hallstätter Wasserfall, a dramatic cascade nestled in the lush Echerntal valley, or explore the World Heritage Museum, where prehistoric artifacts and Celtic relics trace the region’s ancient legacy, before settling into a cozy lakeside café for cinnamon-laced strudel. PHOTO: GETTY
3. Reine, Norway
Tucked beneath jagged peaks and wrapped in Arctic light, Reine rests like a scattering of rubies on slate. Crimson fishermen’s cabins perch along the fjord’s edge as snowmelt threads past violet-drenched lupines and silvery sea thrift—while nets hang, stiff with salt, and wicker baskets overflow with cloudberries from its guarding hills. At the harbor, a single boat named Nordlys bobs gently—its hull scarred by winter crossings. Meanwhile, nearby, Reinebringen beckons hikers with panoramic views of knife-edged ridgelines and the mirror-like surface of Reinevatnet, as kayak tours glide through glassy waters. Be sure to visit its bakery, Bringen Kaffebar, where you’ll fall in love with the smell of cardamom buns and dark Sunnmørsbrød rye bread. PHOTO: GETTY
4. Giethoorn, Netherlands
Threaded through the watery veins of Overijssel, Giethoorn glimmers like a secret kept by the Dutch lowlands. Thatched-roof cottages huddle beside narrow canals, their reflections trembling in the wake of whispering punts—as arched bridges stitch the pretty village together like lace, and riotous gardens spill geraniums and lavender over its cobbled paths. Local kids pedal past on creaking bikes, wicker baskets rattling with loaves and tulips—while visitors explore the Museum Giethoorn ’t Olde Maat Uus (with its tales of peat-cutters and fishermen) or wander into the wild De Weerribben-Wieden National Park—where reed beds, swamp forests, and rare otters thrive. PHOTO: GETTY
5. Gásadalur, Faroe Islands
Perched on the edge of Vágar Island, Gásadalur clings to cliffs like a half-remembered legend where turf-roofed homes dot the glacial valley—framed by the towering silhouette of Árnafjall—the highest peak on Vágar (at 722 meters) known as the “eagle’s mountain”. Meanwhile, Múlafossur Waterfall tumbles into the Atlantic below—its roar softened by Northern Fulmars wheeling overhead. A single lane winds through the village, once isolated until the tunnel carved through rock in 2004—where locals sip Ethiopian Yirgacheffe on stoops, watching pillowy clouds drift across the fjord, or trace paths to the edge—where a red mailbox stands alone.” PHOTO: GETTY
6. Oia, Greece
Sitting on the northern tip of Santorini, Oia spills like a tumble of mirror-like infinity pools, bougainvillea-draped balconies, and whitewashed cliffside homes—carved into the caldera like sugar cubes—toward the Aegean. By day, bohemian art galleries and chic boutiques beckon with hand-thrown ceramics and billowing kaftans—while shaggy donkeys clatter along stone paths and church bells echo across the caldera. At dusk, sun-chasing crowds gather at the ruined Venetian castle, cameras poised, as the sky ignites in tangerine and rose. Below, Ammoudi Bay glows with lantern-lit tavernas serving freshly-caught octopus and calamari beside lapping, moonlit waves—as lazy cats stretch along warm stone ledges—and lovers linger over chilled Assyrtiko. PHOTO: GETTY
7. Bourtange, Netherlands
Shaped like a star and stitched into the marshy plains of Groningen, Bourtange dazzles with its symmetry and storybook charm. Here, brick ramparts and grassy bastions radiate from the heart of the fortress—where 17th-century cannons rest beside tulip-filled courtyards and the smell of fresh stroopwafels drifts from cozy cafés. Meanwhile, its cobbled square hums with brimming market stalls (selling hand-forged cutlery, linen maps, and spiced cheeses) and the Museum of Fortifications reveals tales of siege and strategy with restored barracks, musket dueling halls, and cannon-firing demonstrations that echo across the moats. PHOTO: GETTY
8. Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor rises in a swirl of stone and shadow—its medieval heart beating through tangled alleys where lazy tabbies reign and bells toll from centuries-old chapels, like St. Nicholas—as sunlight dances on the bay where sailboats drift past Venetian facades and ivy-clad balconies. Climb the fortress trail to San Giovanni—a crumbling hilltop citadel that once guarded the city from Ottoman sieges—where the vistas stretch like a myth across fjord-like waters. Down below, the palm-lined marina hums with clinking glasses and grilled squid while the scent of pine and salt lingers in the dusk. PHOTO: GETTY
9. Shirakawa-go, Japan
Blanketed in alpine silence, Shirakawa-go emerges like a fairytale—its steep thatched roofs rising against forested slopes built to cradle heavy snow. Smoke curls from sunken irori hearths inside centuries-old farmhouses—as fires crackle and miso simmers in clay pots. By day, visitors wander past mirror-like rice paddies and mossy waterwheels—pausing at Wada House to glimpse Edo-era life with silkworm trays, saltpeter trade ledgers, and a grand Buddhist altar glowing in the hearthlight. Later, as dusk falls, lanterns flicker along quiet lanes, and the air thickens with woodsmoke. Exploring in winter? You’ll catch illumination nights casting a golden glow on snow-laden eaves—like stars fallen gently to earth. PHOTO: GETTY
10. Batad, Philippines
Unfurling like a green amphitheater, Batad’s 2,000-year-old rice terraces rise in perfect symmetry—carved into the steep folds of the Cordillera mountains. Stone footpaths snake past handwoven Ifugao huts, where elders in feathered headdresses pound rice and hum ancestral chants. Meanwhile, a steep descent leads to Tappiya Falls—thundering into a jade basin as mist clings to lichen-slick boulders. At sunrise, Saddle Point glows gold—a scenic overlook where jeepneys drop off travelers before the final descent into Batad—casting long shadows over the terraces, while roosters crow and woodsmoke curls from tin-roofed kitchens. There are no cars—only footsteps and silence. PHOTO: GETTY
20. Cẩm Thanh, Vietnam
Woven between coconut groves and tidal creeks, Cam Thanh hums with the rhythm of river life. Bamboo basket boats swirl through the Bay Mau nipa palm forest—their skippers casting nets in the shade of swaying fronds. Meanwhile, on the banks, cooking classes sizzle with lemongrass and tamarind—as water buffalo graze lazily beside stilted homes. Cyclists drift past shrimp farms and lotus ponds—the air thick with the scent of grilled squid and sweet jackfruit—but as the sun dips low, the Thu Bồn River glows bronze, and the village exhales. PHOTO: GETTY
