![\"Swimming](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Isle-of-Skye-01-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
You’d think somewhere called the “Isle of Skye” must be an enchanted fictional place, but the wing-shaped island in Scotland<\/a> is very much real, and its fairy-tale landscapes are brimming with folklore. Spend a meditative moment in the Fairy Glen, which resembles Scotland’s mountainous countryside in miniature and just the sort of place you might spy some fae folk. Then, hike to the pretty Fairy Pools at the foot of the Black Cuillins Mountains. Hopping across stepping stones along the way, you’ll reach a series of cascading waterfalls and amazingly clear pools where you can reward yourself with a swim. But beware, the water is quite cold.<\/p>\n Round out your trip with a visit to The Old Man of Storr\u2014a jutting rock formation said to be the thumb of a long-dead giant buried there. Make the most of your visit and join a guided tour of the Isle of Skye<\/a> to see all the tucked-away places and learn all the folk tales from a local.<\/p>\n It’s easy to quickly feel as though you’ve been transported to a fantasy land\u00a0wandering beneath the glowing lanterns of Jiufen<\/a>. But foodies also flock to this\u00a0mountain village\u00a0outside\u00a0Taipei<\/a>\u00a0for some of the best street food in Taiwan. The mouthwatering smells of Jishan Street invite you to try everything from tea eggs to grilled snails to the famous peanut ice-cream wraps.<\/p>\n Be prepared to climb a lot of steep stairways through the very Instagrammable Old Town, then settle in at the beautiful\u00a0A-Mei Tea House<\/a>\u00a0to rest your tired feet. This vine-covered building serves tea and snacks on a cozy rooftop deck with sweeping views of the nearby coastline.<\/p>\n Perched on a hilltop with its towers and turrets reaching towards the sky and the majestic Bavarian Alps as its backdrop, Neuschwanstein Castle resembles a storybook illustration brought to life. King Ludwig II of\u00a0Bavaria<\/a>\u00a0commissioned the opulent castle in 1868 to be his future home, but his untimely death meant he never saw the ambitious project finished. Now one of the most visited castles in the world, you’d be right in thinking its\u00a0fa\u00e7ade is more than\u00a0a little familiar\u2014it also served as the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s castle in\u00a0Disneyland<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can\u00a0tour through Neuschwanstein Castle’s<\/a>\u00a0intricately decorated and lushly painted rooms, including the grand throne room and the king’s bedroom. And while it is a popular spot, it really is worth taking the extra time and effort to hike up the nearby hillside to Mary’s Bridge\u00a0where you can marvel at the unobstructed view of the entire castle in all its glory.<\/p>\n From soaring above the chimney rock formations in a hot air balloon to traversing the tunnels of an underground city, the Cappadocia region of Turkey<\/a> offers fairy-tale views around every corner. Ancient settlers literally carved their homes into the area\u2019s unique stone pinnacles. Explore cave dwellings and rock-cut churches painted with vibrant frescos at the Goreme Open-Air Museum. And don\u2019t miss the breathtaking views from the top of the Uchisar Castle.<\/p>\n Up the wonder factor by staying in a luxurious cave suite in a hotel carved right into rocky landscape<\/a>. You can even sip Turkish coffee on a rooftop terrace while watching the hot air balloons take flight at sunrise.<\/p>\n Imagine this\u2014nothing but the unfurling fronds of ferns line your path. A little wren sings from a huckleberry bush, then flits into the undergrowth. Ent-like trees, furred in thick, green hanging moss, spread their branches above you. It might sound like a fantasy tale, but you only need to journey to the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Park<\/a>\u00a0of Washington State to experience it.<\/p>\n Take a\u00a0day trip to from Seattle to explore the Olympic National Park’s<\/a>\u00a0unique ecosystem. Misty or rainy weather adds to the area’s allure. Just be sure to pack some rain gear because the Hoh Rainforest is, well, a rainforest after all.<\/p>\n Belle may have wanted to escape her provincial life in Disney’s\u00a0<\/span>Beauty and the Beast<\/span><\/em>, but the charming villages in the Alsace Region of France make for the perfect fairy-tale getaway. The region’s towns of Riquewihr and Ribeauvill\u00e9 were the artistic inspirations for Belle’s hometown. Sing a cheery\u00a0<\/span>bonjour<\/span><\/em>\u00a0to the local baker as you stroll past colorful timber-framed houses decorated with a bounty of hanging flower baskets.<\/span><\/p>\n Plus, the Alsace Region is famous for its wine.\u00a0<\/span>Visit local vineyards<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to sample vintages like Pinot Gris, Riesling, Muscat, and Gewurztraminer. You could easily spend your whole vacation relaxing in this dreamy setting or take in\u00a0<\/span>Alsace’s castles and villages on a day trip from Strasbourg<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n In books and movies, places like caves typically house dragons or magical artifacts. But in New Zealand<\/a>, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves<\/a> beckon you with a different kind of enchantment.<\/p>\n Descend below ground and past stalagmites and stalagmites formed millions of years ago. Test out the amazingly pure and resonant acoustics of the naturally formed Cathedral chamber. Then, board a small boat and glide across a dark underground river. As if by magic, the cave ceiling twinkles with the turquoise light of hundreds of tiny glowworms. Learn about the Maori folklore surrounding these mystical caves and their glowing inhabitants before returning to the daylit world.<\/p>\n Ta Prohm Temple’s crumbling ruins in Siem Reap,\u00a0Cambodia<\/a>\u00a0have slowly transformed over the years into an incredible combination of the natural and architectural. The roots of enormous strangler figs snake over, around, and through the remaining buildings, creating an impressive sight to behold.<\/p>\n The temple is part of the Angkor Wat complex, which contains dozens of awe-inspiring temples, and many\u00a0tours include a stop to the enchanting Ta Prohm Temple<\/a>.\u00a0You can easily spend multiple days exploring the area on an exotic adventure.\u00a0Be sure also to check out the Angkor Wat temple’s detailed carvings and the huge serene faces of the\u00a0Bayon Temple.<\/p>\n Head south from Rome to seek out the spectacular\u00a0Garden of Ninfa<\/a>. Only open to the public on set days between March and November, the romantic garden is considered one of the\u00a0world’s most beautiful\u00a0by the\u00a0New York Times<\/i>. Walking around the\u00a0ancient ruins covered in blooming flowers, it feels like you could meet dancing nymphs or mythical tree spirits around every corner.<\/p>\n And what’s a fairy tale without a few monsters? The\u00a0Park of Monsters<\/a> in the Garden of Bomarzo is a few hours north of Rome and was commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini in 1552 to be an expression of grief after the death of his first wife. This surreal garden contains massive sculptures of dueling giants, strange creatures, and a screaming stone monster whose mouth houses a lovely picnic table inside.<\/p>\n From the Dragon City<\/a> of Ljubljana to the romantic Lake Bled<\/a>, Slovenia is full of fairy-tale places. Journey to the Julian Alps, not far from Ljubljana<\/a>, and for\u00a0some the best views of the lake\u2019s iconic island, head to Bled Castle. You can tour the museum, enjoy a meal at the restaurant, or go wine tasting in the castle wine cellar.<\/p>\n No trip to Lake Bled would be complete without a boat ride to Slovenia\u2019s only true island. After docking, ascend 99 steps to the beautiful Church of the Assumption of Maria. According to legend, if you ring the church\u2019s bell three times, your wish will come true. And, of course, you can\u2019t leave the area without trying its famous cream cake. Both fluffy and custardy, it\u2019s sure to send your taste buds on their own delicious adventure.<\/p>\n Start planning your perfect fairy-tale vacation to these enchanting locations around the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2162,1778,1780,1774,1800,1793,1776,1985],"tags":[],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-29856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bucket-list","category-features","category-inspiration","category-occasions-and-seasons","category-romance","category-things-to-do","category-type-of-vacation","category-valentines-day","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n2. Jiufen, Taiwan<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Jiufen](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Jiufen-06-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n3. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Neushwanstein](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Neushwanstein-05-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n4. Cappadocia, Turkey<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Hot](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Hot-air-balloons-flying-over-Cappadocia-Turkey-at-sunrise.jpg\")
<\/p>\n5. Hoh Rainforest, USA<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Hoh](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Hoh_Rainforest-01-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n6. Alsace Region, France<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"One](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Charming-town-streets-in-the-Alsace-Region-of-France-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n7. Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Green](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Green-glow-of-the-Waitomo-Glowworm-Caves-in-New-Zealand.jpg\")
<\/p>\n8. Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Tree](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Ta_Prohm-03-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n9. The Garden of Ninfa and Park of Monsters, Italy<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Blooming](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Garden-of-Ninfa_82369750_Marzia-Giacobbe.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n10. Lake Bled, Slovenia<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Island](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Island-in-the-middle-of-the-lake-in-Bled-Slovenia-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThis article was written by Camille Meyers, an activities expert at Expedia.<\/em><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"