14 enchanting places that look straight out of a fairy tale

14 enchanting places that look straight out of a fairy tale
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Step right into your favourite storybook with these stunning and completely real places throughout the world.

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Colmar, France

Colmar, France
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It’s easy to see why this small town in the Alsace region of France is known as “Little Venice.”

Lining its canal – which is just begging for a lazy boat ride – are colourful buildings and cobblestone streets.

Break out into “Little town, it’s a quiet village,” as you stroll.

Fancy spending the Aussie winter in a European castle? Look no further. Rent one of these 9 European castles and live like royalty.

Bibury, England

Bibury, England
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Artist William Morris deemed Bibury “the most beautiful village in England” when he visited in the 1800s, and nothing much has changed.

The enchanting town still has the quaint homes and rustic charm that any fairy tale should start in.

When you live in a town like this, it’s hard to be unhappy.

Got a thing for the English countryside? Take a look at the real-life locations of Downtown Abbey.

Hohenschwangau Castle, Germany

Hohenschwangau Castle, Germany
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This gorgeous German castle is basically the real-life version of a storybook palace.

Crown Prince Maximilian – who would later become King Max II – built it to replace its decaying 12th-century predecessor.

King Ludwig II grew up spending time in this beautiful castle, but still wanted to outdo it when he got older.

Love castles? Love unusual accommodations? From a giant seashell to a tree house to a bus, here are some of the strangest places you can rent on Airbnb right now.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
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That vanity project King Ludwig II used to outshine his childhood home? This is it.

The results were so good, in fact, that Neuschwanstein Castle was actually the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle.

On the top of snow-covered mountains in the winter, we can imagine it as the perfect home for Frozen’s Queen Elsa.

While you are in Europe, you could do worse than checking out these 8 wildly underrated cities.

Manarola, Italy

Manarola, Italy
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Italy’s Cinque Terre is made up of five picturesque villages, but Manarola is among the most dramatic.

The brightly hued homes seem to be hanging precariously onto the cliffs, but they’ve managed to keep from crashing into the sea for almost 700 years. Could it be magic?

Get there before Manarola becomes one of the 15 worldwide places ruined by tourism.

Rakotz Bridge, Germany

Rakotz Bridge, Germany
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Passing under Rakotz Bridge in Kromlau, Germany, you just might feel like you’re on your way to sell your soul.

So it’s fitting that it – along with other ancient bridges – are known as “devil’s bridges.”

When reflected in the water, the structure makes a perfect circle.

While you are in Germany, check out one of the world’s most famous mazes.

Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia
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In the middle of this old town sits a surprisingly new clock tower.

Puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze gathered pieces from abandoned and ruined buildings from Tbilisi, Georgia, to build the higgledy-piggledy landmark.

Quirky as it is, it still tells time.

Bojnice Castle, Slovakia

Bojnice Castle, Slovakia
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If we had to pick a castle for our princess dreams, this would be it.

The medieval castle has everything we’ve always wanted, from tall spires to a moat.

We’ll stay here for our happily ever after, please.

Multnomah Falls, United States

Multnomah Falls, United States
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Can’t you just picture a theatrical fairy tale fight between knights on this bridge stretching dramatically over this waterfall?

Take a road trip to the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon for your own fairy tale moment.

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