Destinations That Look Like They’re Straight From A Fairy Tale

While some people travel so they can explore other cultures and experience new adventures, others like to travel so they can escape into a new destination, like you would escape into a fairy tale.

Whether you’re looking for your Prince Charming or you’re looking for the place to hold your next great duel, there’s the perfect magical backdrop somewhere in the world for you to find. You don’t have to plan a trip to Disney World to step into a storybook!

The Clock Tower, Tbilisi, Georgia

A somewhat creepy crooked clocktower seems like the perfect setting for some sort of Brothers Grimm tale that all of us would read to our children before bed for years to come.

clocktower in Tbilisi Georgia
Photo Credit: Mikhail JaparidzeTASS via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Mikhail JaparidzeTASS via Getty Images

Paro Taktsang (Bhutan)

Perched on the side of a cliff, Bhutan’s Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger’s Nest monastery, looks like the hideaway for a villain who’s plotting the course to world domination. You can picture the hero scaling the side of the cliff to sneak inside…

paro taksang buddhist monastery bhutan
Photo Credit: Flickr / Mashrik Faiyaz
Photo Credit: Flickr / Mashrik Faiyaz

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

You can’t take about fairy-tale destinations and not talk about Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle. The castle is the inspiration is for Disney’s Cinderella castle at the Magic Kingdom, and no matter what time of year you visit, you’ll be able to feel the magic.

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Photo Credit: Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images

Multnomah Falls, Oregon, United States

If you say that you can’t picture some grand sword fight happening on this bridge at the pivotal moment when the prince is trying to save the princess, you’d be lying.

Multonomah Falls footbridge near portland oregon
Photo Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images

Avenue Of The Baobabs

Madagascar’s Avenue of the Baobabs looks like it’s been pulled out of a Dr. Seuss story. The grove surrounding the road contains approximately 20 trees, which are estimated to be up to 2800 years old.

baobab alley madagascar
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images

Admont Abbey Library

The oldest remaining monastery in Southeast Austria, one look inside the library of the Admont Abbey and you’ll see why it would be the perfect place to escape into a new story.

admont austria abbey library
Photo Credit: Imagno/Getty Images
Photo Credit: Imagno/Getty Images

Fairy Pools, Isle Of Skye

Coming from a country whose national animal is the unicorn, is it any surprise that Scotland has the Isle of Skye, filled with destinations such as the Fairy Pools (pictured here), Fairy Glen, and a Giant’s Thumb?

isle of skye scotland fairy pools
Photo Credit: Flickr / Vincent Leroy
Photo Credit: Flickr / Vincent Leroy

Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

There’s never a bad angle to look at a waterfall from, especially one as impressive as Iceland’s Seljalandsfoss. As amazing as it is from the front view, you can also hike up behind it to get a view like this one.

seljalandsfoss waterfall iceland
Photo Credit: Flcikr / Bernd Thaller
Photo Credit: Flcikr / Bernd Thaller

Melissani Cave

Nothing says “fairy-tale destination” like taking a trip through the crystal blue waters of Greece to have the sun shine down on you from the opening of the cave you’re floating in.

melissani cave kefalonia greece
Photo Credit: Flickr / Sanshiro KUBOTA
Photo Credit: Flickr / Sanshiro KUBOTA

Lake Bled

Slovenia’s Lake Bled is a popular tourist destination, so you can’t expect to experience the magic of the beautiful clear water or amazing scenery on your own, but that doesn’t make it any less magical.

shot of lake bled slovenia center
Photo Credit: Flickr / Hotice Hsu
Photo Credit: Flickr / Hotice Hsu

Las Lajas Sanctuary

In Ipiales, Colombia, the Las Lajas Sanctuary is a basilica church built inside the canyon of the Guaitara River. Also known as the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Las Lajas, the name comes from a number of legends of the basilica surrounding the Virgin Mary.

las lajas sanctuary colombia
Photo Credit: Flickr / Bethany Ciullo
Photo Credit: Flickr / Bethany Ciullo

Angel Falls

Known for being the highest waterfall in the world at a height of more than 3,200 feet, you can picture some great battle happening atop Venezuela’s Angel Falls, resulting in someone plummeting to their death over the edge.

venezuela angel falls
Photo Credit: THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images
Photo Credit: THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images

Colmar, France

If you’re a Beauty and the Beast fan, then the Alsace region of France is the place for you to visit, considering it was the inspiration for Belle’s town in the Disney movie version of the tale.

colmar france alsace region
Photo Credit: Flickr / Iso Brown FR
Photo Credit: Flickr / Iso Brown FR

Rakotzbrücke Devil’s Bridge

The Rakotzbrücke or Rakotz Bridge was commissioned in the 1800s by a knight of the local town in Germany, with the intention for the bridge to be built as one half of a perfect circle, with the other half appearing in the reflection.

rakotz bridge germany kromlau
Photo Credit: PATRICK PLEUL/DPA/AFP via Getty Images
Photo Credit: PATRICK PLEUL/DPA/AFP via Getty Images

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

There’s a reason that people come from around the world to see the beauty that is Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The grove is made up of several paths for you to get lost in as you wind your way among the tall stalks.

arashiyama bamboo forest japan
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Sometimes called the blue pearl of Morocco, Chefchaouen has no shortage of color thanks to the blue-washed buildings and flower pots lining the streets of the cities old town area.

chefchaouen morocco
Photo Credit: Fabrizio Crippa/Archivio Fabrizio Crippa/Mondadori via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Fabrizio Crippa/Archivio Fabrizio Crippa/Mondadori via Getty Images

Bojnice Castle

Castles and fairy tales go hand in hand, right? Well, European countries have no shortage of old, beautiful castles, and Slovakia’s Bojnice Castle is one of them. The Bojnice Castle is home to the International Festival of Ghosts and Spirits if you’re feeling particularly spooky one year.

slovakia's bojnice castle
Photo Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images

Angel Oak

Believed to be one of the oldest living trees east of the Rockies, the Angel Oak sits on Johns Island near Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Standing at approximately six stories tall, it’s believed to be around 500 years old, and it looks like it’s straight out of Pan’s Labyrinth.

angel oak johns island south carolina
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Dark Hedges

If you watched Game of Thrones, you might recognize the covered road of Northern Island’s Dark Hedges as the King’s Road. The covered pathway makes it seem as if you’re walking right into some sinister trap, and you very well might be.

northern ireland dark hedges
Photo Credit: Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Unlike much of Eastern Europe, Cesky Krumlov is a town in the Czech Republic that was not affected by any bombings or significant battles during World War II. The town is also home to Cesky Krumlov Castle, the second-largest castle in the country.

view of cesky krumlov czech republic
Photo Credit: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images