My favorite "small" cities in the world

So often, capital cities get all the attention with travelers. And for good reason…there are a slew of walkable sites, notable history, and a buzz and energy from city livin'!

But hands down, I'm a sucker for the small tucked away gems that seem to dazzle the senses in a way nothing else can. To walk into a city you've hardly heard of, with no expectation, is a marvelous, marvelous thing. It is though a canvas is being drawn before your eyes, and the painted scenes become real life.

When traveling, Kevin and I always try to mix big city life, with rural and "off the beaten track" towns. Smaller towns are generally fierce in preserving culture, and therefore, can show you a better slice of life for the locals than a metropolitan city. Some are just plain peaceful and relaxing, away from city craziness!

In all our travels {through 40+ countries} here are my favorites….

Sarlat, France 

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About 5 years ago, my family spent the summer in France. My mom, who is a master planner, steered our family to some really stunning places, but hands down, our family favorite {and my personal favorite} was Sarlat. Sarlat-la-Canéda, or simply, Sarlat, is located in the Dordogne region of central southern France. Sarlat is a perfect example of a medieval town, boasting the best representation of a 14th century town in all of France. The town has been impeccably restored, and is virtually car-free {which makes it perfect for walking around!}. My sisters and I had one of the funniest moments of our lives in Sarlat, but i'll leave that story to another day! One fantastic things about Sarlat is that besides the charm of the town, it is a perfect home base for other excursions in the area. Canoeing down the Dordogne river was my family's favorite day in all of France. The river boasts some breathtaking scenery, including medieval castles that you can get out of your canoe to hike up to. Ahhh, i'm already dreaming of going back to Sarlat and taking Kevin! {One of my favorite movies, Ever After, was filmed here!!}

Hoi An, Vietnam

I spent a good deal of time raving about this INCREDIBLE little haven {here}, but just thought i'd take the time to reiterate my love for Hoi An. If you love a tropical oasis where you can relax in crystal clear waters and under palm trees galore, Hoi An has it. If your taste in travel revolves around an epic and dazzling food scene {with celebrity chefs teaming the city}, Hoi An is your oyster. Or if you are intent on history and architecture, you will surely win in Hoi An. The city has it all, and Kevin and I a few times have blurted out "let's just move to Hoi An"…yes, it's that good! {For all you Bachelor fans, the infamous Juan Pablo, took a few girls on dates in Hoi An just this past year!}

Siena, Italy

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A little known fact about me is that I studied Italian in college, and spent time living in the most quintessential Tuscan town of Siena. Friends, I loved this dreamy season of my life. Siena was the perfect mix of history, tradition, delicious food and wine, all wrapped in a romantic ribbon. It was small enough that the pace of life was slow and pleasurable, but big enough to do and see many wonderful things hidden in the gorgeous alley ways that wound so gracefully on cobblestone around the city. Eat a gelato {or 2!} and sit in the famed piazza called Il Campo, and imagine the glorious horse race that happens twice each a year here called Il Palio. If you want Italy at it's most romantic, in my biased opinion, go to Siena:) {So many movies have been filmed here, but Letters to Juliet, is one I love}

San Luis Obispo, California, USA

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I gotta throw in a local favorite to this list! Kevin and I are both California natives, and there's one place we LOVE to go every year, San Luis Obispo. Many members in both our families went to college here at Cal Poly, and it was voted the "happiest place in America" by the Today Show. It is sunny almost every day of the year, has incredible outdoor activities, is a few minutes from the beach, and is just refreshing to the soul! If you visit California, consider making a quick trip though "SLO", as we call it:) {Remember our childhood favorite movie, "Little Giants"? It was filmed just a few miles from SLO in Arroyo Grande, where Kev's Grandma lives!}  {SLO pics, click here}

Dingle, Ireland

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Soon after we were married, Kevin and I took a three week trip through the UK and Ireland. Dingle, Ireland was our favorite place hands down! This small, recently sheltered town, is all culture through and through. The town of Dingle sits on the Dingle Peninsula, which we spent a day driving around, stopping every mile or so to get out and explore the cliffs, the ancient forts, the abbey ruins, and many a local pub. Gaellic is very much alive and active, spoken by the locals. Each night we walked into town, shimmied up at the pub and listened to some incredible music. I felt as though I had been transported back in time. It was perfect! {The movie Far and Away, with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman was filmed here!}  {Dingle pics, click here}

Railay Beach, Thailand
Railay is not an island, but it is so isolated on a peninsula by steep cliffs, that the only way you can get to the beach is by boat. And that, my friends, is what makes it so great! Never have Kevin and I felt so excluded from the world and relaxed as we did on Railay Beach. The beach is absolutely stunning, with huge rock formations jutting out of the ocean, warm refreshing crystal water, and a funky island vibe that hasn't been turned into a party mecca, yet. We met so few people on the beach, it was rather remarkable. My soul was revived here in this little oasis, and I will forever return to the memory of our time on Railay Beach. {Just a few miles from Railay is Maya Bay, where they filmed the movie "The Beach"} {Railay Beach pics, click here}

Bruge, Belgium

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4 years ago, Kevin and I spontaneously decided to spend a few days in Bruge. The day I woke up in Bruge I literally thought I had plain well walked into a Grimm fairy tale. Friends, EVERY way you turn, there is a postcard moment awaiting you. The city, once a great trading  port, became a back water sleepy town when the main port dried up, and for hundreds of years, nothing in Bruge changed. There is so much to do in Bruge, and it will leave your senses completely tantalized. They are famous for their chocolate, and my personal favorite shop is called The Chocolate Line. They also serve up a mean plate of fries, my favorite being sold in the little cart right under the bell tower. Stop into the brewery for a tour and a glass of the famous local beer. The architecture will stop you in your tracks, the gorgeous colors of the canals and flowers and buildings will mesmerize you, and the people are truly wonderful. Kevin and I loved it so much we've gone back twice!! It's just that great a place:) {Did you see the recent movie Monument Men? The altar piece in Bruge is a huge part of the story!}

Bhaktapur, Nepal 
Bhaktapur is a gorgeous, very well persevered town just miles outside of Kathmandu, Nepal. We visited Bhaktapur with friends a few months before we moved, and I fell in love with it. It is a hub for artisans in the area, and you can try your hand at throwing some clay, or watching the ancient art of Nepali painting. For generations, families have been creating in this little city:) {to see our time in Bhaktapur, click here}

Honorable mention goes to Oxford:England, Vernazza: Italy (Part of Cinque Terra), Santa Cruz: California:USA, Hania, Greece and Delft, Holland.

What are YOUR favorite small towns that we MUST see?
I want all your suggestions!
Kevin and I are planning our summer trip, and so far we have our eyes on
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic, and Colmar, France.
Can you convince me of a few other places we need to go?

Happy Thursday friends,
love Katie