Hallstatt, Austria

© Jon Arnold Images Ltd/Alam

So nice, they made it twice. Hallstatt, Austria

This tiny, snow-dusted village is Hallstatt, in Austria’s mountainous Salzkammergut region, sandwiched between the shore of Lake Hallstatt and the slopes of the Dachstein Mountains. The salt mines here are thought to be among the oldest in the world and were once the backbone of Hallstatt's economy. Today, they are a popular tourist attraction - this little village draws in so many visitors that it is considered an area of over-tourism. Hallstatt has sought to limit the number of people who can visit each day.

Hallstatt's charms are so considerable that an identical recreation was built in Guangdong, China in 2011. So, if they can’t squeeze you into Hallstatt, perhaps you can pop over to China’s version.