North Carolina is one of the oldest states in the United States, and is the place where settlers first arrived from Europe in 1492 – so it’s no surprise that there are many quaint towns in North Carolina that look just like Europe! From mountain towns that resemble the Swiss Alps to the high-country escapes that resemble the Scottish Highlands, if you’re dreaming of a European adventure but you’re unable to board a plane – this guide is for you!
These towns in NC have a quintessentially European vibe in both history, architecture, and surrounding nature, so you don’t need to board a plane to see Europe, just hop in the car!
Little Switzerland
- Distance from Raleigh: 4 hours, 30 minutes | 240 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
Of course, we must begin our list with the aptly named Little Switzerland, which is a small town on the Blue Ridge Parkway (mile marker 334) that’s named after Switzerland for good reason. If you cast your mind to what you imagine of Switzerland, your mind conjured up scenes of rolling hills, Swiss-inspired chalets, and the cool mountain air blowing scents of wildflowers across the meadows. This is what Little Switzerland in North Carolina offers.
It’s most famous for the Switzerland Inn, an alpine-style lodge set atop a grassy mountain with panoramic views reminiscent of the Alps. It was built in the 1960s and is more than a hotel, but a resort surrounded by hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic viewpoints, and scenic drives.
Morganton
- Distance from Raleigh: 3 hours | 198 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
Morganton is a small, historic town that would not feel out of place in the French/Italian Alps. Inspiration for its European vibes may extend back to its first inhabitants, who were European settlers who came here in 1784, making Morganton the first chartered town in North Carolina! Europeans didn’t just settle in Morganton but in other towns and villages in Burke County. It’s said that in 1893, Waldensian pioneers from the Cottian Alps on the Italy/French border came to reside here and built the church in nearby Valdese.
There are many notable landmarks in Morganton that resemble Europe – from the baroque architecture of Historic Burke County Courthouse, which resembles the highly ornate styles found in Italy to the Broughton Hospital Historic District, which has a classic Victorian-era design from England.
It’s not just the buildings that inspire European vibes, but the landscape. Morganton is surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards, paired with its mild climate, it feels reminiscent of small towns in Tuscany or the Loire Valley in France. Morganton has a relaxed pace and a focus on local food and wine, which you would find in charming villages in the Dordogne or Loire Valley of France. Morganton also made our list of cutest small towns in NC.
Davidson
- Distance from Raleigh: 2 hours 35 minutes | 159 miles
- How many days to spend there: 1-2 days
Sitting on the edges of Lake Norman, Davidson could easily be compared to a small town on the edge of Lake Geneva or Sigtuna in Switzerland. Just like how Sigtuna sits just north of the biggest city in Sweden, Stockholm, Davidson sits just north of the biggest city in North Carolina, Charlotte, and is comparable for its pedestrian-friendly downtown and brick-lined sidewalks.
Just like in many European towns, life goes by slowly in Davidson, and days are spent in cozy cafés, shopping in boutique stores, and dining outdoors. Davidson also has many classic historic homes and buildings, with red brick exteriors and churches with high steeples, an echo of European towns such as those found in Germany, England, or the Netherlands. Davidson College would not look out of place in England and has a Georgian/neoclassical architecture that’s typically found in the UK.
Asheville
- Distance from Raleigh: 3 hours 45 minutes | 255 miles
- How many days to spend there: 3-4 days
Asheville is one of our favorite towns in North Carolina, and coincidentally, it reminds us of our favorite country in Europe – France. As one of the gateways to the Great Smoky Mountains, this quaint town resembles a European mountain village found in the French Alps. Backed by the scenic vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which look like the alpine hills of the French Pyrenees, Asheville’s scenic beauty is reminiscent of regions like Provence, especially when you get out onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and explore the winding roads and panoramic views.
To further add a flair for France, Asheville is also where you will find America’s largest home, The Biltmore Estate, which was even inspired by a French-Renaissance château in both its architecture and design. This historic castle would not look out of place in wine country in Southern France, nor does it look out of place here in North Carolina.
Another reason Asheville reminds us of France is more in its community than its architecture. It has an artsy vibe where creativity and uniqueness are celebrated, as well as a deep love of good food and drink – though you’ll be swapping escargot for biscuits and barbecue and sauvignon blanc for craft beer.
Fun fact: Asheville has more breweries per capita than any other town in the USA and with roughly 100 craft breweries! We also had a reader say the River Arts District, with its vibrant street art reminded them of Shoreditch in London – I can definitely see that! Important to note that it may look very different now thanks to Hurricane Helene, but we’re sure it will return to its former beauty.
Read more: How to enjoy a weekend in the Great Smoky Mountains from Raleigh and a review of a stay at the Inn at Biltmore (we loved it)
Beech Mountain
- Distance from Raleigh: 4 hours 20 minutes | 240 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
Beech Mountain is the highest-elevation town in the Eastern United States and has the look and vibes of an Austrian ski village. It’s the coldest and snowiest town in NC and the place to go for a winter getaway on the slopes. It’s known for Beech Mountain Ski Resort, which has chalet-style vacation homes with scenic vistas overlooking the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, which evoke the Alps.
In the summer, Beech Mountain looks like an alpine scene from the Sound of Music, and the ski runs become adventurous trails for mountain biking enthusiasts. It’s also often recognized as a festive Christmas town in North Carolina not to miss!
Old Salem
- Distance from Raleigh: 1 hour 45 minutes | 105 miles
- How many days to spend there: 1-2 days
Old Salem is a small settlement in Winston-Salem, which looks like an old Bavarian village or a small town in the Czech Republic. It’s the best place to go in North Carolina to see authentic German-style houses. This may be due to the fact it was originally settled by Moravians from Germany, who once lived in what was Bohemia and now forms the core of the Czech Republic.
Old Salem is around 30 hectares in size and made up of well-preserved 18th-century half-timbered buildings, and features a living history museum with horse-drawn carriage rides and authentic craftsmen practicing their trade in period costumes. Walk along the cobblestone streets, and dip into the stores where you can buy authentic goods and sweet treats from traditional bakeries. Top Tip: why not visit Old Salem as a stop on a Raleigh to Great Smoky Mountains road trip!
New Bern
- Distance from Raleigh: 2 hours | 130 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
New Bern resembles a Dutch/German riverside town and has many European-style gardens and red-brick historic buildings. It was founded by Swiss and German settlers and is the second-oldest European-settled colonial town in North Carolina and named after Bern, Switzerland, which itself was named after the bear. “Bern” is a Germanic word for bear, so the town’s bear connection goes way back. Straddling the Neuse and Trent Rivers, it could easily be confused with Bern’s Altstadt in Switzerland.
Both towns are known for their brilliant waterfront views and walkable downtown areas, where the river views are overshadowed by the myriad of cute cafes, cozy restaurants, and quirky antique shops.
New Bern was actually named after Bern, Switzerland and “Bern” which leads us to the quirkiest part of New Bern which draws a lot of visitors. There are more than 50 fiberglass bears scattered around the city, all uniquely designed and decorated! We’re going on a bear hunt…
Another notable attraction worth visiting for Europe-vibes is Tryon Palace, also known as the Governor’s House and the Governor’s Palace, which is a reconstructed stately home originally built by John Hawks – an English American architect. It’s built using Flemish-bond brick, a traditional style in England. New Bern is an underrated destination in North Carolina.
Highlands
- Distance from Raleigh: 5 hours 25 minutes | 330 miles
- How many days to spend there: 3-4 days
As the name suggests, Highlands will transport you to the Scottish Highlands and looks as though it was picked up from the English countryside and transported to North Carolina. This upscale mountain town is filled with stone cottages, cozy tearooms, and quaint inns. It is surrounded by the lush greenery of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, which have misty peaks, waterfalls, and rugged beauty reminiscent of Scotland.
Some must-see sights are Bridal Veil Falls and Whiteside Mountain, which would not look out of place in the foothills of Ben Nevis. Highlands is high on my bucket list, and is a place often spoken about by people we meet in Raleigh. Dry Falls also made our list of NC waterfalls that look like Bali – it’s quite the global star!
Lake Lure
- Distance from Raleigh: 4 hours| 237 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
Lake Lure or Hallstatt? Lake Lure is a resort town that takes its influence from mountain resorts in Europe and is all about outdoor adventures – whether that’s hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing, boating, or kayaking. With turquoise waters and a mountain backdrop, this quaint town could easily be confused with Hallstatt, a quaint town on Lake Hallstatt’s western shore in the Austrian mountains.
With chalets and cabins to stay in as vacation rentals, Lake Lure is the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation. On its doorstep, the Chimney Rock State Park is surrounded by lush hills reminiscent of the French or Italian countryside. As well as looking like a European lake town, it also has a Riviera-like feel with its warm summer climate and relaxed way of life.
NOTE: Lake Lure is slowly progressing toward normalcy, and businesses are opening after Hurricane Helene caused historic damage. However, it is extremely unlikely that Lake Lure will be able to open for the 2025 summer season due to ongoing recovery efforts. Visitors should be aware of work taking place around town and on the Lakee. And check before you make any plans to see what is open!
Banner Elk
- Distance from Raleigh: 3 hours 35 minutes | 206 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
Another town that looks like an Austrian alpine town is Banner Elk, which is known for its ski resorts and cool climate that mimics alpine villages in Switzerland or Austria. There are two ski resorts here, Sugar Mountain Resort and Beech Mountain Resort, both feature chalet-style homes and rolling green meadows, not dissimilar to ski resorts found in the Alps.
As well as looking like a small alpine village, Banner Elk is also the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains and is within easy reach of Grandfather Mountain and the Mile High Swinging Bridge.
Roan Mountain & Grandfather Mountain
- Distance from Raleigh: 3 hours 50 minutes | 242 miles
- How many days to spend there: 2-3 days
The Roan Mountain area on the North Carolina/Tennessee border is another area that resembles the Scottish Highlands. The rolling grassy balds blooming with wildflowers and rugged landscape look similar to the Glencoe Valley in Scotland. A particularly beautiful spot is the Rhododendron Gardens, a high-elevation botanic garden with hiking trails and panoramic views helping to make it one of the most beautiful areas in North Carolina.
While the landscape looks like Scotland, the gateway town of Bakersville, itself looks like typical backcountry America with only a handful of streets and only a few places to eat, but is charming, nonetheless. Not far from this area is Grandfather Mountain, often said to be more reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands than any other. What’s exciting to know, if you really want to connect to Celctic Spirit is that every year in July this area is the home of America’s grandest Highland Games at MacRae Meadows.
Throughout the four-day weekend you can enjoy Scottish music, dancing, foods, costumes, Highland field games and much more, and you can shop for tartans and kilts in the vendors’ tents.
Fayetteville
- Distance from Raleigh: 1 hour | 65 miles
- How many days to spend there: 1 day
Fayetteville is only an hour away from Raleigh, but it has a strong resemblance to a market town in the United Kingdom. This is most evident in the architecture of the Market House – the crown jewel of Fayetteville which sits right in its center. It was built in 1838 on the site of the former state house and Town Hall, which burned down several years prior. Its architecture of exposed red brick arches, along with the arcaded open ground level, is typical to British market towns such as Abingdon-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.
The Market House is not the only part of Fayetteville that reminds us of England – The Museum of the Cape Fear along with the other museums in the Cape Fear Historical Complex such as 1897 Pope House and Arsenal Park, are all built in Victorian-era style, and would not look out of place in the UK. This Victorian style originated in Great Britain during Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901), and was popular across the whole of the Eastern United States – not just New England! Fayetteville is a great budget destination in NC for families.
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Not sure of the date of this piece, but the author is either out of touch, or just didn’t do her homework regarding the continued disruption to Lake Lure from Hurricane Helene. The town and restaurants are open, and welcome your patronage. It is definitely the desire of all this county’s residents to see people return to our area. Be aware that the Village of Chimney Rock, and Chimney Rock State Park, are not yet open to tourism, and only residents, workers, and volunteers (still needing volunteers) with a pass can enter the area.
Lake Lure was also hit really hard by Helene. A lot of the town was destroyed.