Ribe

Ribe, Denmark—the oldest surviving town in Scandinavia—is one of the prettiest villages we’ve ever seen. Although popular with tourists, it doesn’t feel hokie or crowded (even in August). A stroll around town reveals a pretty little riverfront, where pleasure boats are moored; museums about Danish art and about the Viking presence in Ribe; and lots of colorful buildings from the late 1500s. Ribe began as a coastal trading center in the 700s, but a century later it became the site of the first Christian church in Scandinavia. The current cathedral, which dominates the town square, is a fun mishmash of architectural styles from the 1100s through 1300s.