Best Village Escapes Around the World
- Danielle Dybiec
- Oct 28
- 5 min read
I've found big city dwellers love to explore and relax in smaller villages on vacation, and one of my own favorites spots is on this list below: Fonteverde resort in Italy. I love all of its many, magical thermal pools and unforgettable, picturesque sunset views across the Tuscan countryside. It's a good homebase to explore less touristed areas of Italy too.
Óbidos, Portugal pictured above can be a really great day trip from Lisbon or a nice stop en route between Lisbon and Porto, but it's also worthy of a longer stay to journey back in time, immerse yourself in Portuguese culture and history, and settle in to the slower pace of small town life.
Which one of these villages below would you visit next?
10/3/2025 excerpt of article by Jen Rose Smith can be found here.
Disconnect in these rural villages with international appeal.
Every year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization adds to its list of Best Tourism Villages, which now spans 185 small towns across 53 countries. A bit like the Oscars but for remote places, the UN’s designation awards rural destinations that are worthy of visiting and well-equipped to host travelers – from seaside fishing communities to ancient wellness centers.
“If you want to disconnect a little bit from the world, or find authentic food and cultural experiences, you have such a wide spectrum of options,” says Sandra Carvao, director of market intelligence and competitiveness at UN Tourism. Each year, the organization’s members nominate new villages, which are vetted using nine metrics, including environmental sustainability and conservation of cultural resources. The UN’s final picks receive ongoing support for their efforts and enjoy membership in a still-exclusive, worldwide network.
For travelers, these destinations showcase the beauty of rural travel in a rapidly urbanizing world. Many of the Best Tourism Villages face challenges from population loss as young people seek opportunities in big cities, Carvao says, a trend that responsible visitors can help offset by supporting villagers’ traditional skill sets and cultural stewardship. “Travelers give visibility to these beautiful places that no one knew existed,” she says.
Below, a handful of UN-approved village escapes and the best ways to visit them now.
Grand Baie, Mauritius
In northern Mauritius, the former fishing village of Grand Baie is among UN Tourism’s picks. Its powdery beaches wrap a natural harbor where seaside shacks have ceded to chic resorts and gardens lush with orchids and mango trees. Strolling distance from Grand Baie’s craft shops, boutiques, and beach clubs, at the 116-room LUX Grand Baie, the Mauritian Food Lab shows off island gastronomy that fuses African, Chinese, Indian, and European influences at its chef’s table. Dishes such as red snapper and mahi-mahi caught just offshore are rooted in island flavors. “It’s a chance to savor cuisine crafted by a knowledgeable local who champions nearby farmers, fishermen, and artisans,” says Julia Marimootoo with LUX Grand Baie. “We’re using only fresh, local ingredients with a low-impact approach.” Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 dining credit.
Tra Que Vegetable Village, Hoi An, Vietnam
Wooden and brick temples drawing on Japanese and Chinese architectural traditions abut crumbling French colonial buildings in riverside Hoi An, where city streets give way to rice fields. A half-day private cycling tour with Abercrombie & Kent takes in the traditional Vietnamese way of life on the way to the UNWTO-recognized Tra Que, a craft and farming community where centuries-old cultivation techniques endure.
“What differentiates Tra Que from other places is its natural farming practices, which avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides,” explains Abercrombie & Kent’s Paul Medley. Farmers here use organic fertilizers derived from moss gathered from the Coco River. Aromatic Tra Que herbs, like basil and cilantro, are essential to Hoi An cooking. Savor them in a bowl of steamed cao lau noodles, traditionally made over an open fire.
San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy
Sulfur springs flowing from rich Tuscan soil have drawn wellness-seekers to the village of San Casciano dei Bagni in Italy’s Val d’Orcia for centuries. Housed in a seventeenth-century Medici-built villa, the 78-room Fonteverde Lifestyle & Thermal Retreat sits atop hot springs renowned for their therapeutic power. Strolling distance from the hotel are the terra-cotta roofs of San Casciano dei Bagni’s medieval center, where mazelike streets lead to churches and a temple dating to Etruscan times. The resort’s multiday healing retreats fuse ancient traditions with modern facilities – between personalized meals and fitness regimens, participants recharge in Turkish baths, saltwater pools, and cryotherapy chambers. Virtuoso travelers receive a welcome drink on arrival, breakfast daily, a $100 hotel credit, a cryotherapy session and mini massage, and a visit to San Casciano’s archaeological site.
Óbidos, Portugal
Sienna-colored tiles surround whitewashed homes in pretty Óbidos, which is presided over by a medieval castle complete with fairy-tale battlements. The town was long the retreat of Portuguese queens, who helped protect their preferred rural playground’s key landmarks from destruction. Today, travelers visiting western Portugal’s Nazaré, Batalha, and Fátima on a full-day excursion with Tours for You end the day with a leisurely walk through Óbidos’ cobblestone streets. Their final destination: the city’s main gateway, Porta da Vila, which is adorned with eighteenth-century azulejos (decorative tiles). “Entering Óbidos is the closest thing to time travel,” says Tours for You guide Tiago Falcão. “Unlike those of most of its neighbors, all of Óbidos’ historical features are preserved.”
Portobelo, Panama
Cannons on this Caribbean hamlet’s 400-year-old fortified walls point seaward – remnants of an era when pirates scoured the coast on treasure raids. Now, Portobelo village – contained within 86,000-acre Portobelo National Park – is a quiet haven for beach escapes set to the rhythm of Afro-Panamanian conga drums. During Namu Travel’s 11-day Panama jaunt, travelers spend three days taking in Portobelo’s history and natural beauty – visiting the beaches of La Huerta, Puerto Francés, and Playa Blanca – before heading to Boquete, a highland village known for its brilliant birdlife.
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