Amazing Fairy Tale Destinations in Europe
Forget Paris or Venice – for the true European fairytale, you have to get off the beaten track! See below for some amazing fairytale destinations picked up straight from a storybook and dropped into Europe.
Untouched by the 21st (or 20th!) century, the timeless beauty of the little village of Pérouges never ceases to amaze or inspire – and it is not hard to envision yourself as part of a fairy tale in this ancient place.
Wander the ancient, buzzing streets of the little town of Santiallana del Mar in Cantabria, Spain. (Though its a misnomer; its not actually on the sea, just near it!)
Birds on the towers of Tallinn, Estonia, one of Europe’s best preserved medieval cities as well as most romantic.
The medieval spires and cobblestones of downtown Sibiu in the heart of Transylvania – a place well entangled with myth and folklore – seems lifted off the pages of a story book.
From overgrown towers to colourful facades, the city where Dracula was born is sure to inspire all manner of tales!
Colourful lights illuminate the charming French-Venetian canals of Annecy like a magical fairytale.
Corvin’s Castle, Romania
It’s hard to get more fairytale-esque than Corvin’s Castle with its soaring towers, ancient walls, sweeping moat, and imposing crinolines, deep in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains.
Snow-covered Megève, nestled deep in the serenity of the French Alps, is something out of a winter’s tale.
What a place for a fairytale wedding! Autumn brushes the bustling village of Kazimierez Dolny, a longtime haven of beauty, art and romance.
Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Adorning a teacup-sized island in the oft-forgotten Baltic gem of Lithuania is the charming Trakai Castle, whose great brick towers are fit for a queen.
Shimmering turrets rise out of the little-visited sun-dusted forests of Latvia’s Gauja River Valley. Not hard to imagine a princess or a king in this enchanted place.
Vajahunyad Castle in Budapest, Hungary
Though just 100 years old and built in four different styles, Vajdahunyad Castle in Hungary is an amazing example of ordinary people making extraordinary fairytales come true.
Ardèche in general is an enchanting place full of sun-kissed landscapes, rugged gorges and timeless villages like the quaint and cobbled village of Largentière.
The south of France is a magical region home to quaint villages where it seems anything could happen. St Guilheim le Desert, an ancient place with a rich history dripped in tragedy and culture is one such place.
Gutenberg Castle, Liechtenstein
Ancient and brooding, the moody Gutenberg Castle is snuggled into the Alps of micro-country Liechtenstein, a place in itself that belongs in fairyland.
Petite France, Strasbourg, France
Petite France, the historic UNESCO centre of Strasbourg, is a place where princesses are real and dreams do come true.
Rivendell or Spain? Ronda and its amazing bridge are something straight out of fantasy classic, The Lord of the Rings.
Soaring turrets and imposing towers adorn the magnificent Kreuzenstein Castle – a castle literally cobbled together from various fairytale monuments all over Europe.
Bright and cheery facades adorn the harbour and fish markets of Bergen, Norway.
Snuggled into Norway’s stunning fjords are little villages like this one in the famous Sognefjord – so perfect they could be part of Anna and Elsa’s Arendelle.
Sant Ambrogio di Torino & Sacra di San Michel, Italy
From a snowy, fairytale village in the Italian Alps, follow a wandering forested path dusted in fluffy snowflakes to the ancient monastery of San Michele – pure magic.
At the top of of the hill is the amazing and impressive Sacra di San Michele – a place that literally inspired modern stories and legends.
The emerald-carpeted towering stacks of the Causeway Coast make for a dramatic landscape – like something out of a wild story! In fact, this coast’s creation story comes from a mythical tale of two giants.
Home to idylic Christmas markets, Gothic cathedrals, great soaring monuments of dark stone, shining rivers and soft snowflakes, Prague is an entire fairytale city.
Sligo’s Hidden Glen feels like just the place a princess or knight might get lost on a quest. Or perhaps the kind of place where one might come upon a swooping dragon or fluttering fairy.
Hidden coves, towering ruined castles, long-lost jewels and death-defying cliffs under a painted sky – a thrilling tale of romance and adventure awaits!
Tucked into the lush emerald valleys of the half-forgotten region of Auvergne, Chateau de la Batisse is as picturesque as it is hidden.
Crowning the rugged Spanish hilltop is the forlorn Xativa Castle – a little bit like Spain’s Great Wall. Not hard to imagine this in a storybook, eh?
Chateau de Chillon, Switzerland
The poetic Chateau de Chillon clings to the sparkling shores of Switzerland’s Lac du Léman.
Brugges is literally the town that invented the term “fairytale town.” Not convinced? Watch the film In Brugges.
Another fairytale town in Belgium is the lovely Ghent. Perhaps less well-known than Brugges, this works to Ghent’s advantage as it means the town stays quieter and more magical.
Ireland, the country of fairies, is full of tiny wee cottages like this one, which seem to have tumbled straight out of the land of fairies…
Cavehill Park, Northern Ireland
They say that these hills helped inspire CS Lewis in his creating the land of Narnia, his famous fantasy world. Need we say more?
Marsh’s Library, Dublin, Ireland
Marsh’s Library in Dublin, Ireland hasn’t changed one bit in the last 300 years. You can just imagine Belle atop that ladder dusting those shelves while looking for her next book to read, eh?
Chalice Well in Glastonbury, England is said to be associated with King Arthur and the sought-after Holy Grail. Even if it’s not true, the gardens surrounding the well are beautiful and stunning.
Les Roches aux Fées in Bretagne literally has fairy in the name. Fairies of old aren’t cute little fluttering flowers, but rather mischievous sprites living in the Other World. Doors to this other dimension are found across Celtic mythology, such as great Neolithic tombs like the Roche aux Fees, “fairy trees” and “fairy forts.”
The stunning turrets of Chateau de Val in rural France rise up from a rocky islet, with the waters lapping at the foot of the castle. It wasn’t meant to be – the whole valley should have been flooded to create a dam, castle and all. Guess the fairies had other ideas, because the castle was saved by a miscalculation, leaving it one heck of an amazing view.
The Gutmanis Cave in the gorgeous Gauja River Valley is the site of a tragic tale of doomed lovers. It is here that the beloved Rose of Turaida once met her lover from the neighbouring castle – and here that she met her tragic end.
There are so many magical bridges – and there’s always one in a fairytale or Disney film – but the pack bridge of Carrbridge, Scotland is one of the most unexpected.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
And to finish off, how about an actual fairytale palace? This mountaintop castle lost in the mist was inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Amazing!?
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