Dryomys nitedula is found from Switzerland in the west through eastern and southern Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus to central Russia and central Asia, reaching as far as 90°E. Many isolated subpopulations occur on the edge of its range, including in Israel, central Iran, Afghanistan, the Tien Shan mountains and Sinkiang (China).
In the Mediterranean, occurs in Italy (including an isolated population in the south), Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Israel. Its vertical range is from sea level to 2,300 m (Kryštufek 1999).