The enchanting European rural towns and villages to watch in 2025

From Tuscan towns to Provencal villages and Spanish resorts, Europe’s best known second-home destinations have achieved global fame for their beauty and charm. But how about the lesser known but equally picturesque locations, ones that still pack an authentic punch of local life and often have the added bonus of better value properties. It's just a question of knowing where to look, says Nicola Christinger from Knight Frank’s International Department, who regularly advises clients on these more hidden areas to explore.

“Many clients, especially those based in towns and cities for most of the year, want a holiday home that offers something different, a contrast to their everyday working life. For them, getting off-the-beaten path is the goal,” says Christinger. “Homes that work across the generations are also in demand today with most buyers eager to ensure that there are activities to amuse and entertain all ages. They crave homes that offer the best of both worlds: authentic local life, immersed in nature but never too far from airports, TGV stations, sports facilities, markets, restaurants and year-round life.”

4-6 bedroom farmhouse for sale in Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes. Guide price €2,275,000

Provence, France

Provence’s appeal includes the beauty of views across lavender fields and vineyards, glorious countryside to explore on bike or by foot and villages and market towns with year-round life.  And while the Luberon and the Alpilles capture most Provencal headlines for their outstanding beauty and international fame, consider also Vaison La Romaine and neighbouring areas in the Vaucluse, suggests Laetitia Hodson from Knight Frank’s International team. You’ll find the same lifestyle and striking nature but with the added benefit of property values that are around 25% below those in the best known villages in the Luberon - Gordes or Bonnieux for example.

“Vaison La Romaine is north of the Luberon and around 90 minutes from Marseille airport and encircled by several beautiful villages where you are immersed in the very best French countryside,” says Hodson. “Buyers love this area because it has a permanent and strong community with an authentic Provencal atmosphere. There are weekly markets throughout the year and regular music, theatre and food festivals: Après les Vendanges in Séguret and the famous truffles market in Richerenches every December for example. Cyclists will know this area because it is in the shadow of Mont Ventoux, one of the most famous mountains in the sport, and there’s great hiking in Dentelles de Montmirail.”

6 bedroom house for sale in Sablet. Guide price €1,800,000

Villages to bookmark include Sainte Cecile les Vignes where Hodson is selling a restored stone farmhouse with separate fully contained guest accommodation, expansive gardens and swimming pool for €2,275,000. In the fortified village of Sablet, an 18th-century stone house with blue Provencal shutters and a swimming pool, is for sale at €1,800,000.

“Both these properties display the appeal of Vaison La Romaine, whether it’s overlooking the vineyards or immersed in the history and romance of the region,” says Hodson. “Other villages of note include the medieval village of Séguret and Malaucène where we recently sold a home to two British buyers.”

5 bedroom chalet for sale in Montriond. Guide price €3,350,000

The French Alps

Views are top of the list for buyers in the French Alps who look for the perfect balance between a mountain location away from the busiest resorts along with good connectivity to the lift network. Montriond in the vast ski region of the Portes du Soleil on the French and Swiss border, and Argentière at the end of the Chamonix Valley are two Alpine resorts that deliver.

6 bedroom chalet for sale in Montriond. Guide price €1,895,000

“Tree-filled Montriond is the little brother to well-known Morzine, just a few kilometres away and connected by shuttle bus and within 90 minutes of Geneva airport,” says Hodson. “There’s a beautiful lake for summer activities, walks, picnics, swimming or paddleboarding and prices are a little more affordable than in Morzine. Argentière is a pretty Alpine village with good access to the slopes and a little higher than Chamonix itself. A new lift to replace the Grand Montets lift, connecting Argentière to the summit, is planned to start operating in 2026 and this looks likely to influence property values. Argentière is already popular with those who know the Chamonix Valley. I have several clients who will only consider buying there.”

7 bedroom villa for sale in Montalcino, Val d'Orcia. Guide price €2,900,000

Tuscany, Italy

The trends shaping demand for rural property today in central Italy include a focus on health and wellness, a clear connection with nature and the desire for family-orientated living, says Isabella Foster from Knight Frank’s International team.

“Today’s buyers in rural Tuscany and Umbria want a classical farmhouse, preferably one that has been renovated or requires only superficial work, and one that comes with multi-generational appeal,” she says. “Ideally it would be within 45 to 60 minutes of an airport, 90 at most. The firm focus on wellness means access to nature is very important, a continuing trend from lockdown times helped by the ability to work remotely. A swimming pool is always in demand, possibly a spa and sauna too, and a manageable amount of land. Sustainability is increasingly high on clients’ list too, an increasing interest in an eco-friendly home.”

4 bedroom farmhouse for sale in Perugia, Umbria. Guide price €1,150,000

Finding homes that offer this away from the prime areas is perfectly possible. Foster tips the rolling hills and tree-lined backdrop of the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a good place to start. “Towns including Pienza and Montalcino offer classical architecture, good views and plenty of space,” she says. “You do need a car to get around and you are slightly further from Pisa airport compared with areas around Siena, but this is a place of great beauty.”

Cortona, close to the Tuscan-Umbrian border east of Siena, and Orvieto, in Umbria to the south, have beautiful estates in carefully preserved countryside, and consider Lucca, easily within 45 minutes from Pisa airport and under one hour on the train from Florence. Countryside homes offer good value there compared with prime Chianti, says Foster.

“Perugia, the capital of Umbria, is a vibrant university city with an international airport,” says Foster. “Buyers focused on wellness like being close to Lake Trasimeno, ideal for water sports, with Castiglione del Lago on the southwest bank a favourite location. Throughout this region villages hold regular fiestas, big events when long trestle tables are laid out and the community comes together.”

7 bedroom villa for sale in Marbella Club Golf Resort, Benahavís. Guide price €4,500,000

Spain

Fifteen minutes by car from the bright lights and buzz of Marbella, caught between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains and with superb wide rural views, Benahavis is a beautiful, traditional Andalusian village and also a large municipality, one of the wealthiest per capita in Spain. The village itself is affluent with year-round life and surrounded by protected natural parkland, ideal for hiking.

“The unspoilt natural beauty of Benahavis combines with its wonderful location, so close to Marbella and Puerto Banus with all the glamour and beach life that they offer to make an appealing Spanish location for a holiday home,” says Christinger. “Golfers will know it because it is home to many golf estates as well as exclusive, gated Country Clubs such as La Zagaleta, Los Arqueros and El Madroñal but otherwise it is not as well-known as it deserves to be and that’s part of the appeal. It offers clean mountain air, low pollution and a serene pace of life, filled with Andalusian charm.”

6 bedroom villa for sale in Monte Mayor, Benahavis. Guide price €2,475,000

Christinger points to a villa currently for sale in the hills of Benahavis within the exclusive residential resort of Monte Mayor. The substantial six-bedroom property with pool and level gardens, for sale at €2,475,000, has panoramic views throughout, looking over the green hills to the Mediterranean Sea beyond.

Overall, expect to pay around €1,000,000 for good two and three-bedroom quality apartments in smart residences and around €2 - €4 million for detached villas. Unlike in Marbella where there is very little land left for development, Benahavis offers larger plots, and while most buyers today want a turn-key property, some renovation projects are available.

“Benahavis offers the best of both worlds that buyers look for today, with tranquil countryside living and easy access to beaches, shops, restaurants, and international schools,” says Christinger. “For those who want a peaceful, nature-connected lifestyle without sacrificing comfort, it’s perfect.

Contact our International Residential Property team for expert advice on finding your perfect European home.