- Best medieval places in Europe
- Medieval villages to visit in Europe
- Why you should include a Medieval town in your Europe trip
Best medieval places in Europe
Like a lot of people, I love to visit the many medieval towns and villages across Europe. There is a pull, almost too strong to resist, about a castle set on a hill. These are villages that evoke fairy tales of knights in shining armour, of princesses in towers and dancing jesters in the streets.
I don’t know if it is the history of these places, that seems to ooze out of the stone walls, or the pretty aspect they portray, but a day trip to a village that was built in the middle ages is an appealing addition to any European trip.
You can find towns and villages from medieval times scattered throughout Europe. By medieval times I’m talking about the middle ages. Covering the thousand years or so between the 5th and 15th centuries. This is a time of feudalism, of lords and peasants; a time when the church dominated Europe, building churches and monasteries and seeking out heretics. It is the time of King Arthur and Robin hood, and knights riding out to the crusades.
There are regions where remaining medieval places are more prevalent than others. Thousands of villages have been destroyed in conflicts across the ages. During the Italian wars of the 15th and 16th century Medieval towns in northern and central Italy were besieged and burned. The German Peasants’ War and the French Wars of Religion in the 16th century saw thousands of villages burned or destroyed. The Thirty Years War in the 17th century, combined with famine and disease, saw many homes and churches destroyed. Similarly the Napoleonic Wars saw cities and towns in Spain, Germany, Austria and Poland burned and looted. World War 1 saw entire villages on the western front obliterated, and World War 2 saw many historic centres shelled and villages massacred.
And yet conflict was often the very reason these towns and villages were built in the first place. Typically built on elevated positions such as hilltops or cliff edges for visibility and natural defence, medieval villages across Europe had walls or ramparts surrounding the settlement. Narrow winding streets made it difficult for invaders or large groups to navigate and the gates at entry points were locked at night time. Some of this conflict was internal, between rival lords and noble families, some was invading armies, Vikings from the North, Saracens in the south, and later the Ottoman forces in the Balkans. Bandits and mercenaries were also a concern and villages would use fortifications to protect against the looting.
What can medieval places in Europe offer a modern traveler?
Medieval towns and villages are somehow more human than modern settlements. They are walkable and often car free, which makes for a nice day out. There is an attractive nature to these old villages, with the layers of history visible around every twist and turn. They are a gift to anyone who likes photography, with so many textures and colours and un-straight lines. The higgledy-piggledy streets and alleys invite discovery. They make welcome change from modern city life and are an ideal way to change it up when you are on a trip around Europe.
Medieval villages to visit in Europe
Rocamadour
This is the village we visited last week as part of our vacation in the south of France. Rocamadour is stunning medieval village that clings to the clifftop. Viewed from a distance it doesn’t look real. Somewhat hidden in the Lot department of France it is reached by winding roads from which you get occasional glimpses of the town.
It was once a major pilgrimage site following the discovery of the relics of Saint Amadour, it is now better know as an iconic tourist destination, and the home of some rather good goat’s cheese.
It makes for a great day trip if you are visiting the Dordogne area, but is somewhat remote from the major cities. This doesn’t reduce the number of tourists, but does mean that most of them are French rather than international. Parking is at the bottom of the hill, from where you can either walk, get an elevator or take the little tourist train into the walled centre.
The main street is awash with small shops selling artisan goods and local produce as well as the usual tourist fare. There are several, somewhat mediocre, restaurants as well as a very good restaurant at the Hotel Beau-site where we had a lovely memorable meal of confit pork and truffle linguine.
The sanctuary is the main draw inside the village. Situated at the top of the 216 steps that make up the Grand Escalier it consists of seven chapels built into the rock face. Perched 70m above the sanctuary is the castle, which is unfortunately in a dilapidated state but there are plans underway to renovate it.
The area around Rocamadour has several prehistoric caves, which are a tourist destination in themselves. The nearest of these, just outside Rocamadour, is the Grotte de Merveilles. You can visit both the village and the caves in the same day.
Obidos
Obidos featured in our 14 day road trip to Portugal and Spain and makes a great day trip from Lisbon.
Óbidos is a picturesque medieval town with cobbled streets, whitewashed houses, and a stunning castle. It was an ancient settlement that was fortified by the Moors in the 8th century, later captured by King Alfonso and then handed down to the Portuguese Queens as a gift, earning it the name A Vila das Rainhas or the town of Queens.
You can walk the walls around the town for, but this is not for the faint of heart as there are no guard rails and the path is only about 1m wide. You can also visit the courtyard of the castle, although the inside is a 4* hotel so is off limits unless you are a guest. The Pousada Castelo Óbidos would make a great place to stay for lovers of medieval history.
The best time to visit Obidos is arguably in July for the Mercado Medieval d’Obidos . This is a medieval fair which takes place withing the castle walls. It features shows, performances, medieval food and drink. There are people wandering the streets in costume (the 10€ entrance fee is discounted if you go in costume), there is a shop near the entrance where you can rent costumes for the day. The knight and horse show is a particular highlight. It makes for a fun day for both adults and children. Its worth taking cash though as not all the stands take card.
Český Krumlov
There is a point to argue that this pretty town in the Czech Republic is more renaissance than medieval. It is certainly younger than the other towns on this list, dating from the 13th century when a noble family built the castle above the river to control trade routes. Over the next 300 years the town was transformed into a renaissance hub, and many of the painted facades and notable houses in the old town were built. Largely untouched by conflict or modern redevelopment it nevertheless suffered severe neglect during the communist era. Major restoration in the early 1990’s brought this beautiful town back to life and gave it its UNESCO label.
Today Český Krumlov is a picture-perfect town in a beautiful setting. It has a compact, walkable old town and one of the largest castle complexes in Europe. The inside is just as beautiful as the outside so is definitely worth a visit. You can see the brown bears that live in the castle moat. Its also worth crossing over the Lazenbnicky Most (one of the largest bridges over the Vltava) and meandering past the small island in the river to the Lávka pod Zámkem, where you can view the impressive Cloak Bridge.
If you are a classical music lover then you might want to check out the music festival that takes place in the last two weeks of July. From chamber music to opera to ballet, there are over 40 concerts to choose from making it an important part of the European cultural calendar.
Whilst Český Krumlov is a little far for a day trip from Prague it is possible, and it makes a perfect half-way point for a road-trip from Prague to Salzburg. It should be remarked, however, that it does get crowded with tourists. You should also note that the castle is closed in the winter months.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
I’m not claiming anywhere this list is a hidden gem. Gem, yes, but not hidden. Rothenburg is a well known medieval town that attracts a lot of tourists, but with good reason: it’s beautiful. Situated on a hilltop above the Tauber river in Northern Bavaria it has a storybook feel to it. During the middle ages this was once one of the biggest cities in Germany, but it fell into decline during the Thirty Years War in the 17th century. It was rediscovered by romantic painters in the 19th century and has been a popular tourist destination ever since. Whilst Instagram can be blamed for a lot of things Rothernburg has been welcoming tourists since long before the internet.
Such a long history with tourism makes the town very visitor friendly. The town centre is largely car free, making walking around the cobblestone streets an agreeable way to pass the time. You can walk the 4km of ramparts that surround the town giving views over both rooftops and valleys. There is a popular evening walking tour the “Night watchman tour” led by a costumed guide if you decide to stay the night.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is home to the Christmas Museum Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum as well as several Christmas shops which are open year round. Making it a great place to experience a slice of German Christmas for those who aren’t able to make it to Europe for the Christmas markets. Rothenburg also has an excellent market that runs from 21st November to 23rd December 2025. The market takes place in the main square around the Christmas tree and sprawls down the side streets. It is one of the most charming Christmas markets in Germany.
Monteriggioni
Just 20 drive minutes from Sienna will get you to the charming medieval village of Monteriggioni. Quieter than the other places mentioned here, this beautiful Tuscan village is not yet a favourite with tourists. Built in the 13th century by the Republic of Sienna to protect against attacks from Florence it is one of the most intact medieval walled villages in Italy. The entire village is surrounded by ramparts in an oval shape, protected by fourteen towers. To give you an idea of size the wall is 570 meters long (compared to the 4km of Rothenburg). It is a small village; you can walk around it in an hour. It is a place that feels frozen in time.
Gamers may recognise the name as Monteriggioni is used in the game Assassin’s Creed as the meeting place for the Assassin’s brotherhood. You will find various merchandise based on the game in the shops.
Like Obidos, the town holds a medieval festival in 2025 this was held on the 4-6 July. The streets fill with people in costume, musicians, shows and kiosks depicting life in days gone by. Falconers and medieval food stalls complete the scene making it one of the most authentic festivals of its kind in Italy.
Why you should include a Medieval town in your Europe trip
Whether you are just looking for a pretty place to wander round, or you want to experience what life was like in the middle ages in Europe, adding a small medieval town or village to your itinerary is a great way to add some contrast to a Europe trip full of big cities.
Often car free, and somehow more human, they give a feel of life from a simpler time. They are both familiar, we intrinsically know them from fairy tales and history books, and other worldly. They can feel like time travel.
But for the same reasons they are also extremely popular. If you visit you will need to share the cobbled streets with other tourists, and accept that the shops and restaurants are catering to the modern visitors and are not a real representation of what once was.
Speaking of cobbled streets, make sure you pack sensible shoes.
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