How many times have we heard about a magical sword called Excalibur or a mermaid princess who wanted to become a human? What if you could visit the places where these myths and stories are set? If you are curious to learn about some must-see mythical places, keep reading!

Eilean Shona – Scotland

Once there was a mischievous little boy who never wanted to grow up. So, he escaped to live on a beautiful faraway island called Neverland, where he lived many magical beings. But where is this magical place found?

The directions given by a certain boy were: “second star to the right, and straight on till morning!”

However, the real location of the place which inspired the creation of Neverland is found in Loch Moidart, Scotland. The tidal island called Eilean Shona was leased to a Scottish writer named J. M. Barrie and it was used as his summer holiday retreat. It is the place where the author wrote his screenplay for Peter Pan. Today, the island belongs to the Devereux-Branson family and is used as a tranquil retreat.

It is a heaven-like place with a diverse flora and fauna where you can easily encounter animals such as red deer, otters, porpoises, seals, pine martens and sea eagles. The island also encourages green living through the following features:

• Adopting plastic-free measures

• Be carbon-neutral with no use of cars on the island

• Electricity coming from hydro-electric power stations

• Water supply coming from hills

• Using bio-cleaning products

You might not come across the popular Captain Hook and there might not be any Never Land Plains where the Indians reside. But you will be amazed by the peaceful and eye-pleasing scenery. And, who knows, you might even find some mermaids lounging in the lagoon, some fairies fluttering in the wild or hear the famous tick-tock of a crocodile.

Trendelburg Castle – Germany

Who remembers the girl with the long and magnificent golden hair?

Researchers have never been able to prove the origins of the Trendelburg Castle, except for the fact that it was built in the 13th century. Later in the 18th century, it was captured by some soldiers and was rebuilt and used as a revenue office and then as a courthouse. Then, after the Battle of Stalingrad, it was opened as a hotel. In the contemporary world, the castle was renovated to give it back its medieval look and is considered a real fairytale location. Why fairytale?

It was believed that Mother Gothel uttered the following words, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” by standing at the bottom of the picturesque towers of the Trendelburg Castle. Hence, the towers were rumoured to be the place where the captive princess was locked away and this is what attracts visitors to the historical place.

Sherwood Forest – England

Found in Nottinghamshire, England, the Sherwood Forest is a royal forest and evidence collected indicated that some prehistoric hunter-gatherers previously used it. For instance, during the ancient Roman periods, farming and hunting were common on the Sherwood land.

After the Norman Invasion in the 11th century, the Sherwood forest was titled as a royal forest as it hunting place shared by many Norman kings such as King John and King Edward 1. As a result, the forest became an area subjected to specific royal laws. Today, it is a heritage site that receives approximately 350,000 individuals per year.

However, the most surprising and interesting story behind the Sherwood forest is the Robin Hood connection. Yes, Robin Hood, the legendary heroic outlaw, used to steal from the rich and give to the poor. While we know that Robin Hood was a real person, the veracity of his exploits and whether he really lived in Sherwood Forest alongside his band of Merry Men is still subject to a great many debates.

If you are visiting this rich woodland, don’t forget the huge English oak tree, which was allegedly the place where Robin Hood hid his most precious treasures.

Will you visit these interesting places? Please share your comments!