Tuesday 29 September 2015

Discover Winter Magic of Beautiful Mountain Villages from Around the World

Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, Japan

Located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time, these villages with their Gassho-style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The large houses with their steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only examples of their kind in Japan. Despite economic upheavals, the villages of Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are outstanding examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people’s social and economic circumstances.
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Bosco Gurin, Switzerland

Bosco Gurin is a municipality in the district of Vallemaggia in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The village is near the end of the valley of Bosco Gurin, near the Italian border.
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Alpbach,  Austria

Alpbach has been voted the most beautiful village in Austria and it’s not difficult to see why. The sweet village is nestled in between a cluster of majestic snow-capped mountains and allows access to the perfect ski slopes while maintaining a strong alpine tradition. Alpbach is full of picturesque wooden farm houses, fields of cattle and locals skilled in traditional crafts. If you fancy a taste of how Austria used to be and enjoying the experience of time standing still then Alpbach is the place for you.
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Wengen, Switzerland

The indigenous population of the village has a little over a thousand people. But for every local inhabitant, depending on the season there is from 5 to 10 guests, so it is always crowded. Here is the famous ski resort and amazing cave Krigsloh, for which is said that can predict the approach of war. Ride a conventional cars is prohibited, not to spoil the clean mountain air. But for tourists there is always a variety of environmentally friendly electric vehicles.
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Hallstatt, Austria

When describing the experience of visiting Hallstatt, one of the phrases most used by travelers was “fairy tale,” and it’s not surprising. This small lakeside village of less then 1,000 inhabitants has gone to great lengths to preserve its status as one of Europe’s most beautiful towns, even going as far as prohibiting cars from the town center lest they break the magical atmosphere of picturesque wooden homes, flower-strewn balconies, and swans fluttering around Lake Hallstatt.
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Olden, Norway

Let’s take a break from the Alps and Pyrenees and head north to Olden, a scenic town of around 500 inhabitants located on one of Norway’s longest and most dramatic fjords. While the town is quiet and sleepy most of the year, it has become a popular stopping point for Norwegian Cruises thanks to its proximity to the spectacular Jostedalsbreen Natural Park and dreamy setting of mountains, waterfalls, and impossibly-blue glacial lakes.
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Notre Dame de Bellecombe, France

France’s Savoy region is full of impressive vistas and charming villages, but the tiny town of Notre dame de Bellecombe manages to combine all the things we love about villages in the Alps into one enchanting little package. Whether it’s waking up to the spire of an 11th century church against the white peaks of the Alps, warming up at the town’s famous wine festival, or hitting the slopes, Notre Dame de Bellecombe has all the ingredients for a perfect mountain escape.
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Gstaad, Switzerland

Gstaad is a village in the German-speaking section of the Canton of Bern in southwestern Switzerland. It is part of the municipality of Saanen and is known as a major ski resort and a popular destination amongst high-class society and the international jet set. The winter campus of the Institute Le Rosey is located in Gstaad. Gstaad has a population of about 3,200 and is located 1,050 metres (3,445 feet) above sea level.
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