Fairy tale kingdoms and wonderlands are not just places seen in movies and books, they can also be found in real life. Many fairytale kingdoms in movies were even inspired by real-life locations one can visit. While some of these fairy-tale sites are the works of nature, others are man-made but they still evoke that fairytale imagination in the minds of explorers. Writers will be inspired, painters will be stunned, explorers will be mesmerized, and the imaginative minds will wander into a fantasy world at these wonderlands around the world.
8 Wistman’s Wood, England
The mere sight of Wistman’s Wood is enough to leave the impression that there’s something more unusual about this place than just the oakwood trees and a large population of venomous snakes known as adders. This forest dates hundreds of years back and is one of Britain’s most unique oak woodlands. The moss-covered trees stand on unstable and rocky ground with lots of holes by the sides where a person’s feet can get trapped in. It is also speculated that this forest is haunted by ghosts and unusual activity. With all these in mind, one could lose their mind here to spooky thoughts, especially at night.
7 Alnwick Castle, London
Many locations were used for the famous Harry Potter movie but Alnwick Castle was one of the most popular. This charming castle located in Northumberland is endowed with centuries of English history but is now best known as a place of broom flying lessons and poison gardens as it was used as Hogwarts Castle in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. While the sights of the outer parts of the castle are amazing, walking into the halls of the epic castle just feels magical and might inspire visitors to bring out their magic wands to perform some spells.
6 Hobbiton, New Zealand
New Zealand forever remains popular for its role in the filming of the iconic Lord of the Ring movie and the Hobbit. While there are many places from the movie one can visit in real life, Hobbiton remains the most popular. This unique landscape filled with green pastures and hobbit homes feels like one is stuck in the world of Frodo, about to embark on one of the world's most epic adventures.
5 Goblin Forest, New Zealand
Located in Egmont National Park, this unusual forest is home to unique sights capable of stimulating one’s mind to think they're in an actual fairy tale land. The forest rests on the slopes of Mount Taranaki and features a huge population of curved trees covered in dense moss and unusual dampness. The forest dates back to approximately 400 years ago when an eruption from Mount Taranaki destroyed the previous forest that sat at the same spot. While there are no actual goblins to find here, walking the trails in this creepy forest is an enchanting experience capable of triggering the creativity and imagination of a person.
4 Mont Saint-Michel, France
Located in Normandy - a region in northern France, this medieval island fortress features all the qualities of a fairytale kingdom with an impressive abbey at the top. While the island is located in a remote part of France more than 100 meters away from land, it remains one of the most popular historic sites in the country. The island’s unique architecture, the gothic buildings, and its long years of history are some of the reasons it has inspired some well-known movies in the world including the popular Disney movie - Tangled.
3 Hoh Rainforest, Washington State
The sights of the unique Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park in Washington State are just like somewhere out of a fantasy world. Hor Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States and has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage and Biosphere Reserve Site. The forest features gigantic trees covered with moss and fern and while this feature makes the sights of the forest inspiring, it also makes walking the trails creepy and scary. To be honest, Hor Rainforest just seems like a forbidden land where a wizard wearing a pointy hat might just jump out and cast a spell on an already mesmerized wanderer.
2 Naeroyfjord, Norway
Norway is known for its numerous fjords and Naeroyfjord is perhaps the most scenic among the rest. This unique natural formation in Western Norway is characterized by surrounding towering mountains, beautiful green vegetation, refreshing waterfalls, and a scenic river. The uniqueness and the scenery of Naeroyfjord even made the site inspiration for Arendelle in Disney’s Frozen. It is also one of two fjords now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Norway - the second being the famous Geirangerfjord.
1 Hallerbos Forest, Belgium
Not all forests are creepy. Some are just too beautiful and colorful that they can easily pass as fairy tale wonderlands. Hallerbos forest located in Halle, Belgium is one example of that type of forest with fairytale-like beauty. The forest’s appeal lies in the enchanting bluebells that cover the entire forest from mid-April to late May. The intensity of these colors is even more amplified as the rays of the sunlight reach them, creating an endless sight of purple carpet. Such special occurrences are rare which is why one can only see this beauty for a limited amount of time once a year. That rareness even makes it more appealing.