My girlfriend and I will be travelling around Europe this summer. Can anyone recommend any fairytale style experiences for adults? We are thinking something less dark than the Brothers Grimm.
We have some time in Croatia, Scandinavia, the Baltics, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am not entirely sure what you mean by fairytale style experiences for adults but you could try de Efteling in the Netherlands. https://www.efteling.com/en they also have a themed hotel, but that is pricey I believe.


Hans Christian Anderson was Danish. You can visit his birthplace in Odense.

<i>fairytale style experiences for adults</i>

Like swingers clubs and FKKs?

Europe is not exactly a fairy tale. We have real lives and real problems, so please do not think that you are visiting some sort of Fantasyland.

If you like lovely castles, I recommend a trip to Pierrefonds, which is about 100 kms from Paris. It was used as the setting for Camelot in the Merlin TV series.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ierrefonds.cfm

It may be Disneyland you are looking for

@janisj - might be cheaper to stay home and go to Epcot.

A Sound of Music tour? No wait, things weren't all rosy for the Von Trapps...

Honestly, what are you looking for? Castles? Plenty in the Loire Valley and Germany. But what else? Europe is a real place, not something out of a fairytale.

Neuschwanstein - The Fairytale Castle
neuschwansteincastle.net/

Rothenburg in Germany complete with moat, drawbridges, at least four Christmas stores, cobblestone streets, AND a lot of visitors just like you.

Or one of those many chateaux, particularly Chambord and Chenonceau, in the Loire Valley.

When you say "fairy tale style experiences", do you mean sights--like castles--or activities or what? That's not a typical question, so you'll have to explain a bit.

FWIW, I found Prague to be very fairy tale-like in appearance, but of course Germany and France have castles galore, and Amsterdam has a magical atmosphere as well.

I agree with NewbE regarding at least the "Old Town" part of Prague. Take away the trams and the cars and the whole atmosphere is medieval in a way. Probably one reason that city has been used for so many movie exterior scenes such as "Amadeus."

yes go to India and set up in a drain pipe for a week, and see then, how your fairy tale is waking up each day in the bed you are leaving

Prague is very much "old europe" since it was one of the few cities not bombed to smithereens in WWII. There is a large amount of original architecture that grew organically - places from different ages side by side. And because of the overall look in Prague and nearby castles quite a few historical movies/TV shows are shot there (3 Musketeers and similar).

But if that's not what you mean - if you are looking for some sort of amusement area for adults - don't think there is any such thing (unless you want Disney Paris).

I wonder if there isn't some sort of special interest tour out there?? I've read about the resurgence of costumed balls in Paris--could something like that be what the OP is after?

We have some time in Croatia, Scandinavia, the Baltics, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.>

How long are you going for - to Americans things like castles and palaces are fairy-tale things.

are you going by train presumably and mixing in some cheap flights since your wish list is all over the map - or take overnight trains too - anyway check these sites for lots of rail part planning tips- www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. If taking many trains look into some kind of railpass.

Fairy-tale places for sure - Neuschwanstein Castle, Fussen, Germany; medieval walled towns like Rothenburg in Germany or dreamy Bruges, Belgium and a thousand other places.

Seems to me fairy tales always had ogres or wicked witches/step mothers. I'd rather skip them.

Bruges really is dreamy.

Bruges is especially dreamy at night when the ancient Flemish facades, churches, white wooden drawbridges, etc are wondrously illuminated:

https://www.google.com/search?q=brug...HaVRAb4QsAQIGw

Most folks find Brussels OTOH to be the opposite of dreamy!(Though still an interesting city but if looking for fairy-tale look elsewhere!)