Australia’s got a reputation for being ridiculously good-looking – from our beaches and bushland to our mountain towns and wine regions. Sure, we’re a little biased – and New Zealand gives us a run for our money – but Australia's natural beauty and picturesque towns easily rank among the world's most stunning landscapes. It comes as a big surprise, then, that Forbes has just released a list of the world’s top 50 most beautiful villages – and not a single Aussie town made the cut.
The team at Forbes curated their list with the help of Unforgettable Travel Company, which it describes as ‘curators of journeys that venture far beyond the tourist trail’. Each village was handpicked for its ‘old-world whimsy and lived-in charm’. And while Australia isn’t the oldest country, it still makes no sense that we were completely left off the map.
The tiny town of Bibury in England’s Cotswolds countryside was named the world’s most beautiful village, with Austria’s fairytale lakeside village, Hallstatt, in the runner-up spot. Third place went to Reine in Norway, famous for its jaw-dropping fjords and Northern Lights views. Perhaps the judges were a little biased, as European villages made up almost 50 per cent of the list. Oceania only scored a handful of shout-outs, with Russell in New Zealand landing 11th and Titikaveka in the Cook Islands coming 39th.
So, which Aussie villages would we add to this list of the world’s most beautiful? I’d have to start with Hahndorf – a leafy gem in the Adelaide Hills filled with fiery foliage, half-timbered buildings, world-class wineries and buzzing beer gardens. Dating back to 1839, heritage-listed Hahndorf is actually Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement – so it ticks all those ‘European charm’ boxes the judges seemed to love.
Recently crowned Australia’s most welcoming town, I’d say Montville – a Sunshine Coast Hinterland charmer – also deserves a spot on the list. Its beauty goes beyond the friendly community and cosy main street, with picturesque scenes found in the surrounding rolling hills, lush forests and stunning waterfalls.
A beauty pageant can only crown so many winners, so I’m handing out three highly commended awards. The first goes to Richmond, a historic town in southern Tasmania, which charms with its Georgian streetscape and an Insta-famous colonial-era bridge (Australia’s oldest). Next up is Daylesford, a quaint spot in the Macedon Ranges, renowned for its natural mineral springs, charming architecture and tranquil lakes. And finally, my personal favourite: Berry, a wholesome weekend village on NSW’s South Coast, where rustic bakeries, boutique streets and a warm country-town welcome await. What would you add to the list?