Fall in New England is the stuff of fairy tales. The sweat of summer is behind you, and the frost of winter is ahead. The transition between the two seasons becomes a vibrant spectacle, with trees changing from emerald green to burnt orange, crimson, amber, and deep purple. It’s a place where holiday cheer is near mandatory from Labor Day through Christmas. By the time fall rolls around, hot apple cider is flowing like a river across the Northeast.

You’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by the little streets of Paris, the palaces of Vienna, or the twisting canals of Venice. After all, there’s a reason these iconic cities are as timeless and popular as they are. However, Europe is more than just these well-known destinations. In fact, some of Europe’s most beautiful and exciting cities are often also some of the continent’s smallest or most unassuming.