10 Fairytale Locations in the Real World You Can Visit

Some real places look as if they were drawn for a storybook. The best known fairytale locations in the world include Hohenzollern Castle in Germany, Mont-Saint-Michel in France, the glowing beaches of Vaadhoo in the Maldives, Cappadocia in Turkey and Angel Falls in Venezuela, which inspired the waterfall in Pixar’s Up.

Below are 10 such places, with the facts that matter for planning a visit. A few have film links, and two are within easy reach of India.

1. Hohenzollern Castle, Germany

Hohenzollern Castle sits on top of Mount Hohenzollern, about 855 metres above sea level, around 50 km south of Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg. The present castle was built between 1850 and 1867 and is still privately owned by the House of Hohenzollern.

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On misty mornings, the towers appear to rise out of the clouds, which is why photographers love it. More than 3.5 lakh people visit each year.

2. Tunnel of Love, Ukraine

Near the town of Klevan in western Ukraine, trees have grown over a short industrial railway line to form a green arch roughly 3 to 5 km long. The line links Klevan with a fibreboard factory at Orzhiv, and a train still runs on it a few times a day.

Couples have long walked here, and local belief says a sincere wish made in the tunnel comes true. Because of the ongoing war, check India’s Ministry of External Affairs travel advisory before planning any trip to Ukraine.

3. Sea of Stars, Vaadhoo Island, Maldives

On some nights, the shoreline of Vaadhoo Island in Raa Atoll glows blue. The light comes from bioluminescent plankton that give off a glow when the water is disturbed by waves or footsteps.

The effect is not guaranteed on any given night. Locals and tour operators say the darker, moonless nights in the second half of the year are usually the best time. For Indian travellers, the Maldives is a short flight away.

4. The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

This avenue of beech trees on Bregagh Road, between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim, was planted around 1775 by James Stuart to impress visitors arriving at his house. The twisted branches meet over the road like a tunnel.

It became famous as the King’s Road in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Age and storms have taken a toll: of around 150 original trees, a 2023 survey counted 86, and storms in 2024 and 2025 brought down more. The road has been closed to most traffic since 2017.

5. Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland

Harry Potter fans know this curved railway bridge as the route of the Hogwarts Express. Built between 1897 and 1901, the Glenfinnan Viaduct has 21 arches, stands 30 metres high and is about 380 metres long. It is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland.

In summer, the Jacobite steam train runs across it between Fort William and Mallaig. Viewpoints near the Glenfinnan Monument fill up quickly before the train’s scheduled crossing.

6. Cappadocia, Turkey

Central Turkey’s Cappadocia region is known for its “fairy chimneys”, tall cone-shaped rock pillars shaped by erosion of volcanic rock. People carved homes, churches and entire underground towns into this soft rock over centuries.

Göreme National Park and the rock sites of Cappadocia are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sunrise hot air balloon flights are the main draw, though flights depend on the weather and are cancelled on windy days.

7. Mont-Saint-Michel, France

Mont-Saint-Michel is a small rocky island off the coast of Normandy, topped by a medieval abbey. Its religious history goes back to 708 AD, and the abbey and bay are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The island is often linked to the castle in Disney’s Tangled because of the way the town climbs the rock. The bay has some of the highest tides in Europe, so check tide times before walking on the sands.

8. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

This Bavarian town on the Romantic Road still has its medieval walls, cobbled lanes and half-timbered houses. The Plönlein, a small square where two streets split around a yellow house, is one of the most photographed corners in Germany.

Rothenburg’s Christmas market, held every December, adds lights and stalls to the old streets. It gets crowded on weekends, so weekdays are calmer.

9. Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Every year around the full moon of the twelfth month of the Lanna lunar calendar, usually in November, thousands of paper lanterns are released into the sky over Chiang Mai. Yi Peng is often held alongside Loy Krathong, when people float small decorated baskets on rivers.

The custom is about letting go of bad luck and making wishes for the coming year. Mass lantern releases now usually happen at organised, ticketed events, and local authorities have restricted releases near the airport for safety.

10. Angel Falls, Venezuela

Angel Falls is the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall, with a total height of 979 metres and a main drop of 807 metres. It lies inside Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is named after American pilot Jimmie Angel, who flew over it in 1933.

Pixar has said the falls inspired Paradise Falls in Up (2009). Reaching the falls involves a flight to Canaima and a river trip, and travellers should check current travel advisories for Venezuela.

Quick facts at a glance

Place	Country	Known for
Hohenzollern Castle	Germany	Hilltop castle above the clouds
Vaadhoo Island	Maldives	Glowing blue shoreline
Glenfinnan Viaduct	Scotland	Harry Potter train bridge
Cappadocia	Turkey	Fairy chimneys and balloons
Angel Falls	Venezuela	World’s tallest waterfall

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Frequently asked questions

Sources: Wikipedia: Hohenzollern Castle, Wikipedia: Glenfinnan Viaduct, Wikipedia: Angel Falls, UNESCO: Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia.