The most charming historic streets in Europe

Visit these picturesque small streets in Scheveningen if you want to get an impression of what this fishing village looked like at the end of the 19th century. The tiny houses you find here, were built for the fishermen’s families in a time that Scheveningen was growing rapidly due to the scale increase of the fishing industry.

The group of streets known as la campagne à Paris is a building block located on a hill to the east of Paris. The roads are lined with small red brick houses with rose bushes on the façades. They originally were intended as low-income housing: they were built on the land of an old quarry. Take the staircase to rue Irenée Blanc and explore this idyllic pastoral neighbourhood.

This street of Georgian worker’s cottages is incredibly well-preserved. The small, dark-bricked terraced properties were built by developer and landlord John Roupell in 1824. Today the street is often used for period film and television sets. The Kings Arms pub dates from the same time and is worth a visit.

Its name, meaning ‘New World’, refers to the contrast with the pompous architecture of the neighbouring Castle. The street’s tiny houses were the homes of the poorest families and artists. Go before 7 pm and pop into a family cafe in number 2 after taking a sneak peek into the public garden opposite number 11.

The lucky people living here are keen to point out that their street really is a village within the city. This dike was built in 1516 and seamen and captains used to live in the charming wooden houses with clock gables. It still has a historical feel to it though, contrasting beautifully with the more modern parts of North.

Recently named the most beautiful lane in Ghent, Korhoenstraat was originally a modest street of 19th-century houses occupied by textile workers employed in a nearby factory. Locals have planted the little front gardens and added creative details to make an appealing urban village.