Regions: Which is Europe's Most Charming?

[Loddfafner]

Which is the most charming region in Europe? The landscape, historical monuments, and present culture must all be interesting. There are too many to list in a poll. A few contenders to get this rolling: Tuscany, Dordogne, Bavaria, Southern Bohemia, Northwest Wales.

[safinator]

South Italy

[Nglund]

La Franche-Comté!

[Alex Delarge]

Since i'm very biased, i won't count my own country. ;)
From what i had the chance to see i would say Tuscany. Florence is really beautiful.

[Zankapfel]

The North German Lowlands and Schwarzwald regions, out of personal bias ;]

Toscana, no doubt. Firenze is one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities I've ever visited, and a rich cultural experience.

I also find Danish landscape architecture elegant and sharp. Copenhagen's Nyhavn, Kanalrundfart and Søerne are a sight to behold, not to mention I love its streets and cycling paths.

Central Bohemia also gets a special mention from me. Praha is absolutely amazing.

[Ouistreham]

Auvergne, hands down.

http://www.guidex.com/images/Lyon_Auvergne/Cantal%20Scene.jpg
http://johndenugent.com/images/village-du-cantal.jpg
http://www.hce.asso.fr/local/cache-vignettes/L472xH354/cantal-a258d.jpg

Old Celtic regions have a charm that cannot be equalled.

The Scottish Highlands come as close second.
Oh well, it's a draw.

[Talvi]

Transylvania.

http://kaotic.ro/kaotic.ro/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/transilvania.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Panoramic-Sibiu.jpg

[Loddfafner]

Please note that this thread is about regions as opposed to cities (unless you are talking about cities as focal points for a region) or whole countries (unless they are effectively independent regions such as Slovenia).

[Aces High]

If any of you get the chance and like being up in the hills and mountains and eating good food and decent wine at quite low prices and like being in outstanding scenery......i suggest a visit to the Monte Sibilini area of central Italy.

Very much off the beaten track,not too far from Roma and very few tourists.One of the most beautiful and best kept secrets in Italy....;)

http://www.sibillini.net/

[Treffie]

The Cotswolds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotswolds), England

http://www.villavillas.com/getimage.php?resortid=558&type=lex_image1

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/tm/2008/09/cotswolds2_428x269_to_468x312.jpg

http://www.royalsignalsassociation.co.uk/WebSite/images/stories/PageFiles/Branches/sw/Cotswolds/cotswolds-3.jpg

[Osweo]

Which is the most charming region in Europe? The landscape, historical monuments, and present culture must all be interesting. There are too many to list in a poll. A few contenders to get this rolling: Tuscany, Dordogne, Bavaria, Southern Bohemia, Northwest Wales.

Our Lake District should be a contender.

Landscape:
Not too extreme, but rugged enough to impress. The scrunched up scale of the place means that there's tons of amazing views to be charmed by, and even better ones if you walk ten minutes up the hill! Mountains are always best when coupled with standing water, to reflect the sky above and add complexity to the scene. It's a very lush and verdant place, of course, and the manmade aspects heighten the charm without overly restraining Nature or turning the place into an inaccessible wilderness.

Historical Monuments:
Megalithic stone circles, Roman forts, Old English runestones, Norse heathen sculpture, Norman castles, Mediaeval churches, early modern townscapes, Victoriana in abundance! Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter lived here.

Present Culture:
Cumbrians are not TOO dissimilar to myself, culturally speaking. :D It's where Lancashire merges into Northumberland, England into Scotland, Yorkshire into the Irish Sea litorral... Great people, with a good accent.
http://www.edenarts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/castlerigg2.jpg
http://www.english-lakes.com/images/lakes_4/long_meg_2.jpg
http://www.richard.alun.org/images/150603Keswick-Harogate_0004.jpg
http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Travel/Tours/England/Keswick/Keswick.jpg
http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/understanding_-_history_hardknott_fort.jpg
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/attachments/f13/2218d1179302296-hardknott-pass-img017.jpg

[Loddfafner]

Lake District vs Auvergne: charming cage match.

[Logan]

The English South-West and Wales, but the most magnificant I have seen leave no wonder at Burns, non feminine, inspiration.

Scotland's Western Highlands.

http://www.concierge.com/images/destinations/hotels/europe/scotland/highlands/inverlochy_castle/highlands_hotel_001p.jpg

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/00/14/5e/85/urquhart-castle-on-loch.jpg

http://www.a-ztours.com/images/Scotland.JPG

http://www.absoluteescapes.com/images/escape-to-highlands-top.jpg

[Treffie]

Oh dammit, I'll put historical heavyweight Pembrokeshire in here too. :D

Solva
http://thedrunkbirder.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/solva_14_6_10.jpg

Tenby
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/09/b6/25/tenby-at-sunset.jpg

Apart from the two oil refineries at its mouth, the Cleddau Estuary is pretty quaint.

http://education.gtj.org.uk/storage/Components/257/25720_2.JPG

[Verchar]

Carpathians

[Albion]

I'd say the Lake District, Peak District, Snowdonia or Yorkshire Dales. However there are a lot of smaller, less well known beautiful places scattered around, I quite like the Southern Pennines and the "Old English hay meadows" dotted around.

[Barbarossa]

Istria casa mia! :D

Pirano: http://www.socaelite.si/userfiles/images/piran.jpg

Koper/Justinopolis/Capodistria: http://travel.over.net/svet/galerije2/albumi/album176/Koper_4.sized.jpg

http://cdn1.siol.net/sn/img/09/191/633828143798248109_se%C4%8D.jpg Salt fields in Sečovlje/Sicciole

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2931934228_48f515a512.jpg Byzantine basilic in Parenzo/Poreć

http://welcome-to-croatia.com/wp_new2010/wp-content/gallery/croatian-cities/pula-arena-istria-croatia.jpg Roman arena in Pula/Pola

http://www.tzpazin.hr/foto/Cicarija.jpg landscape of Ciceria/Čičerija

[beaver]

North Italy and Alpes

[Lithium]

Personally for me the most charming country is Ireland.

[Libertas]

Montenegro and Dalmatia

[Argyll]

The Scottish Highlands and Western Hebrides, of course ;D

[billErobreren]

I think
Asturias, Spain is pretty admirable

[ficuscarica]

Alsace, Palatinate and Baden, Cotswolds, Scottish Highlands, Cornwall, Tuscany, Burgundy, Northern Sweden and Gotland, Neusiedler Lake (Austria/Hungary).... sooo many.

[ficuscarica]

Alsace, Palatinate and Baden - the very centre of Europe:

Enjoy! :thumb001:

http://www.goingwimax.com/wp-content/uploads/alsace-wimax-2.jpg
http://www.group-trotter.net/images-t/136_PAGE-A.jpg
http://www.group-trotter.net/images-t/136_PAGE-A.jpg
http://cdn.geolocation.ws/geolocation_media/panoramio/02883/p-028839245.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/tm/2008/02/alsace2MOS_428x269_to_468x312.jpg
http://www.riquewihr-zimmer.com/Viticulture/images/r_CM097699.jpg
http://www.uwendler.de/pfalz/b/birkweiler/images/hohenberg2_g.jpg

[dandelion]

The Cotswolds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotswolds), England

http://www.villavillas.com/getimage.php?resortid=558&type=lex_image1

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/tm/2008/09/cotswolds2_428x269_to_468x312.jpg

http://www.royalsignalsassociation.co.uk/WebSite/images/stories/PageFiles/Branches/sw/Cotswolds/cotswolds-3.jpg

Amazing!

Well, I am biased, but I think I am objective mentioning my country, Greece.

From all the exotic islands, to all the amazing places with monuments and sightseeings.

I will include Meteora as well, as something Unique
http://www.greek-tourism.com/winter/thessalia/trikala/images/meteora_1.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CCSoQjcuhko/TJPNoyzGJII/AAAAAAAAAEk/tD7auMRgxWY/s1600/meteora_greece.jpg
http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Meteora-greece-585495_1024_768.jpg
http://www.the-travels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Beautiful-Monasteries-at-Meteora-Greece.jpg

Apart from my own country, I will also like to add the Norwegian Fjords, Ireland in general, Black Forest in Germany, Rome....

[BiałaZemsta]

The Balkans, as well as Italy and Greece.

[Treffie]

Well, I am biased, but I think I am objective mentioning my country, Greece.

From all the exotic islands, to all the amazing places with monuments and sightseeings.


You've missed out my favourite part, the picture really doesn't do it justice.

http://www.bookableholidays.com/images/country/greece/rhodes/lindos/lindos.jpg

[AntonyCapolongo]

Prouvènço.

[Peyrol]

You've missed out my favourite part, the picture really doesn't do it justice.

http://www.bookableholidays.com/images/country/greece/rhodes/lindos/lindos.jpg

I learned swimming in this bay :thumbs up

[dandelion]

You've missed out my favourite part, the picture really doesn't do it justice.

http://www.bookableholidays.com/images/country/greece/rhodes/lindos/lindos.jpg

True. I just posted the most ''unique''

If I were to post anything nice in Greece, I ll use many pages.

Ok, just some

http://paxosinfo.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/9-sivota-caves.jpg

http://www.tourstravelpackages.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Fira-Santorini-Greece.jpg

http://www.skygr.gr/wp-content/uploads/%CE%91%CE%9A%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%A0%CE%9F%CE%9B%CE%97.j pg

http://pixdaus.com/pics/BU1k8S1CtKE2BPyb9d.jpg

http://thebesttraveldestinations.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Melissani_Lake_and_Cave_Kefalonia_Greece_02.jpg

[Gratis]

Provence.

[Peyrol]

Most beautiful european regions, btw, are indeed Toscana, Provence and Dodecanese.

[Lahtari]

I will include Meteora as well, as something Unique
http://www.greek-tourism.com/winter/thessalia/trikala/images/meteora_1.jpg

"Nikitas! Did you visit the grocery store already, what took you so long? The moussaka is almost finished, I just need the youghurt..."


You've missed out my favourite part, the picture really doesn't do it justice.

http://www.bookableholidays.com/images/country/greece/rhodes/lindos/lindos.jpg

Minas Tirith? :D

[Libertas]

Dalmatia and the Aegean islands of Greece

[ficuscarica]

Tuscany, Provence and so on are well known. But please, don´t miss the less well know regions. I have seen many famous places, but I still have to say that the Rhine valley around Straßbourg is unrivaled in its flair. Take some Black Forest flair, some Burgundy and a hint of Southern Europe and you geht Alsace, Baden and Palatinate and a very a unique feeling. Enjoy those pics and try to understand what I´m explaining to you:

http://www.pfalz.de/files/assets/154_Geilweilerhof.jpg
http://img.fotocommunity.com/Alsace-Elsass/Colmar/Klein-Venedig-in-Colmar-a21504723.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/5607579.jpg
http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/files/photos_villages/Riquewihr%20Vignes%20Vertes%20Vue%20Village%20_%20 Mairie%20Riquewihr.jpg
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1074344.jpg
http://www.willi-enns.lvps83-169-43-224.dedicated.hosteurope.de/Reisen2007/Dahn/D0519/T1120%20Weissenburg%20DAS%20Motiv.jpg
http://v8.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39100626.jpg?redirect_counter=1

[ficuscarica]

Some more... they remind me of my childhood when we used to have family celebrations in an old, traditional restaurant in the neighbouring village, where they have an old castle built by a noble French family in the Mediaeval times... Next to the village there´s a steep hill where the nobles used to hunt and where vine is grown. My sister, my brother my cousin and I used to go to an idyllic small creek where people used to wash their clothes, meet and talk a few decades ago.

http://www.planet-wissen.de/laender_leute/frankreich/elsass/img/intro_elsass_wein_g.jpg
http://www.all-free-photos.com/images/alsace/IM1392-hr.jpg
http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/cmfotoworks/cmfotoworks0908/cmfotoworks090800196/5425449-kleines-l-ndliches-dorf-in-elsass-frankreich.jpg
http://img.fotocommunity.com/Kulturlandschaften/Weinberge/Kientzheim-im-Elsass-a21972459.jpg
http://www.augensound.de/l46377-architekturfotografie-altes_haus_im_elsass.jpg

[Argyll]

I don't really care for the Med. that much at all. I'm more of a northern, rainy, green, woodsy, and mountainy kind of person.

[ficuscarica]

You guys seem to like it, so here´s more... Alsace, Baden and Palatinate - around Straßburg, the heart of Europe. :)
Dang, I can´t believe that´s all about an 1 hour away or even closer.

http://img.fotocommunity.com/images/France/Alsace-Elsass/Alsace-Eguisheim-a25157524.jpg
http://www.thewanderingpalate.com/wp-content/uploads/trimbach-vineyard-alsace-france-647x326.jpg
http://www.francetoday.com/articles/images/2010/10/1319-2593.main_f.jpg
http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/data/images/1006561.jpg
http://www.umfulana.com/media/tour/large/90.jpg
http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/france/alsace-lorraine/pic.jpg
http://marksquires.com/Images_Photos/alsace89_hunawihr.jpg
http://www.vse-vino.ru/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/alsace.jpg
http://watermarked.cutcaster.com/cutcaster-photo-801145301-Winding-road-in-the-vineyards-of-Alsace.jpg
http://view.stern.de/de/picture/845518/helmuthess-2007-Schwarzwald-Kinzigtal-Gengenbach-Gengenbach--1--510x510.jpg
http://img.fotocommunity.com/images/Baden-Wuerttemberg/Ortenaukreis/Gengenbach-Engelgasse-a22802802.jpg
http://0.tqn.com/d/gogermany/1/0/X/2/-/-/kaiserstuhl_vineyards.jpg

Black Forest:
http://tourism-zones.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Black-Forest-Schwarzwald.jpg
http://img.fotocommunity.com/Jahreszeiten/Winter/Winterstimmung-in-Gengenbach-a19724106.jpg
http://djtravel.homestead.com/files/black_forest.jpg
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/6624476.jpg

[Argyll]

The Isle of Man is also quite beautiful:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Sound_IOM.JPG/235px-Sound_IOM.JPG
http://www.newspapers24.com/images/category/isle_of_man.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01871/isleofman_1871322c.jpg
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/03/17/031764_8be17e4f.jpg
http://photos.travellerspoint.com/65254/ireland.jpg
http://www.cruisetimetables.com/pictures/douglasisleofman.jpg

Kernow/Cornwall is breath takingly beautiful too.
http://media.nowpublic.net/images/f8/9/f89a67759ef58e8eff37f4367b0ff6d9.jp
http://img.skysports.com/10/06/496x259/10thhole-stmellion-kernowcourse-small_2463697.jpg
http://www.old-picture.com/europe/pictures/Boscastle-Cornwall-003.jpg
http://magikalkingdoms.webs.com/boscastle-cornwall.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Men-an-Tol.jpg