Little charming towns: bavarian alps, Alsace or...?

Why not the magnificent Pyrenees, so wild and beautiful, the small towns and villages there feel like they are in a time warp, you'll find 7 languages spoken in and around the Pyrenees, some very old indeed.

Or better yet los Picos de Europa mountain range, a bit like a mix between Switzerland and Ireland, the cradle of Spain itself, dotted with many ancient stone villages and towns. Recently rated by the NY Times in their 2020 52 must-see destinations.

Where are you flying back home from? You are already doing plenty of moving around as it is. Are you driving?

@carlos: thanks for your advice! I’ve never been to Picos de Europa nor the Pyrenees. Can you tell me which towns do you suggest in any of this regions? I am flying back home from Madrid!

Hi Gundersen,
Thanks for the reply. I am flying back from Madrid. For now my itinerary is something like this:
1. Barcelona- Geneve (by plane)-Zermatt (by train)-geneve-
2. Here is where I expect to visit some charming towns
3. Dolomites (I am renting a car here) and taking a plane to Madrid from Venice.

I know for a fact that getting in and out of Zermatt And going to the Dolomites requires a good amount of traveling. We did this exact same journey last year (we love it so much that we are going back to do new hikes because we didn't plan enough time for this 2 places.

I know that I need to take a plane or a trains to add a new region, and even though I will like to do it in the middle of Zermatt and the dolomites to break up the hiking I can do it at the beginning of my journey. I need to take a plane from Barcelona anyway!
Las year we did something like this:
Madrid -Naples -Amalfy coast
Naples- Venice (car) - Cortina d’Ampezzo
Dolomites - Zermatt by car (with a night in Sirmione to rest)
Zermatt -Milan (retun the car)
Milan Paris
Paris Madrid

We are in Europe for 3 weeks!
Thanks in advance

Definitely Alsace.

The alps in June will be cold and still snow covered to some extent. Trails won't be open.

I went to Alsace in May and it was decent. I went to Burgundy first, early May, and it was still too cold. A week later in Alsace was comfortable. Another month and the area would have been glorious.

For little charming towns, you can't beat the area. Burgundy has small stone towns. Alsace has small half timbered towns (think the town at the start of Beauty and the Beast). In both areas each town seems to be prettier than the last.

Thanks a lot Brad, I love Alsace and we visited a long time ago, and I am pretty sure my kids will love as well! I started to look into Bavarian alps to get to know a different place but as you point out I am finding this area full of natural beauty (the alps, the lakes) and some pretty towns but every video I've watched focus on the nature more than the villages and for this part of our trip we are looking into towns and villages more than nature. I know that beauty is subjective and personal, but, after seeing some videos, I am not sure if Bavarian towns are as charming as I was thinking, but i can be wrong.

Hi Natalia, since you will be flying in to Barcelona and out of Madrid it will make more sense to explore the charming towns geographically closer to where your flights will be, I think. Here would be some of my personal recommendations of those points of interest:

Pyrenees: Besalú, Rupit, Vall de Nuria, Queralbs, Puigcerdà, Foix, Vall de Boi (UNESCO), Parque Nacional de Aguas Tortas, Jaca, Castillo de Loarre, Sos del Rey Católico, Olite + more

Picos de Europa (and surrounds): Santillana del Mar, Altamira (UNESCO), Potes, Fuente Dé, Cangas de Onís, Covadonga, Llanes, León, Burgos + more

Hope this gives a few ideas :)

Maybe Neuchâtel or Vevey? Vevey is right on your route to Zermatt, and Neuchâtel is not far off it.

If you go to Alsace, get a car. I cycled part of the wine route years ago. I’ve never seen so many pretty villages in such a small area.

Thanks, everyone. I am looking at all your suggestions to make a decision!

We recently did Germany & Alsace. RS suggests Colmar and we agree wholeheartedly. We did a cycle tour which went through the vineyards and hit the small villages along the way. I'm not a huge cyclist, however the power assisted electric bikes helped on the hills and we pedaled the rest. Our tour had a family with children your girls' age, so it's doable. Really loved our time in Colmar and Alsace.