As stereotypical as this might be, my favorite is Bruges. When I started the article, I hoped you would include it. When the sea retreated in the 13th century (or was it the 14th?) and froze the port town into its medieval self for all the centuries that followed, people mourned.

But today, we can experience transcendent beauty like stepping back in time.

And those perfectly mirror-smooth canals! When the moon is full and the wind is low, the buildings rising up from the canals reflect perfectly in the water below, creating an effect that is nothing short of mysterious and magical.