I enjoy these small European towns just as much as my kids.

From Mediterranean beaches to quaint villages in the Alps, here a few of our favorites.

Thats just the start.

Port, Church and colorful houses located in Ascona city near Locarno in the Ticino canton of Switzerland

Port of Ascona, Switzerland.Credit:saiko3p/Getty Images

Where to Stay:Set in an exquisitely restored 18th-century farmhouse,Mas de Torrentis pure magic.

Gentle waves lap the shore at Carvalhal beach, whereSurf in Comportaoffers lessons for children and adults.

(An excellent instructor had my 7-year-old daughter riding waves in an hour.)

Picturesque medieval village of Pals, Costa Brava.

Stone buildings in Pals, Spain.alexsalcedo/Getty Images

For a taste of village life, spend a day in Melides.

Amazing Alpine scenery. Beautiful Dolomites mountains. view of San Giacomo church near Ortisei village. Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Italy

San Giacomo church in Val Gardena, Italy.Freeartist/Getty Images

View of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sasso, in Ascona, Switzerland.

Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sasso, in Ascona, Switzerland.Miguel Angel Soutullo Alvarez/Getty Images

Comporta beach

Beach in Comporta, Portugal.Gabriel Mello/Getty Images

Beautiful view of Alps. Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, more commonly known as Chamonix, is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France.

View of the Alps from Chamonix, France.zukanowa13/Getty Images