9 Places Straight Out of a Disney Movie That You Can Visit
Disney’s theme parks do an incredible job of bringing fictional worlds to life—places like Cinderella Castle, Space Mountain, and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. But did you know there are also many real places that look like they could’ve come directly from the pages of a Disney animator’s sketchbooks? Around the world, these charming locales offer the opportunity to live out a real-life fairytale. In fact, many of them served as inspiration for the villages and communities featured in movies such as Beauty and the Beast, Moana, and Mulan. Below, nine charming places that look like they are from a Disney movie.
A version of this article originally appeared in Architectural Digest.
Rolphus/Getty ImagesCastle Hohenzollern
Akershus Fortress in Oslo was said to have inspired Anna and Elsa’s home, Arendelle Castle, in Frozen. However, Hohenzollern Castle in Hohenzollern, Germany, looks like the ice palace Elsa retreats to in the film. The resemblance only grows in the winter, when snow covers the trees that surround it.
Meaghan Skinner/Getty ImagesUpolu, Samoa
Disney’s Moana takes place on a fictional Polynesian island, though it’s safe to assume animators referenced a number of real places in the South Pacific. The To Sua Ocean Trench, pictured here, is among the most famous swimming holes on Upolu in Samoa. It’s hard to deny that the enchanting scene looks like a place where magic is bound to happen.
Wilatlak Villette/Getty ImagesAlsace, France
Full of quaint homes with pitched roofs and half-timbered façades, Alsace, in France, is one of the most picturesque regions in the country. Located on the west bank of the Rhine River, the area inspired Belle’s hometown in Beauty and the Beast.
Mitch Diamond/Getty ImagesAlcázar de Segovia
The Alcázar de Segovia in Spain has existed since the 12th century and is among the most prominent medieval castles in the world. Spanish locals long believed that the structure was the inspiration behind the evil queen’s castle in Snow White and Seven Dwarfs. The Alcázar is unique among defensive structures of its day, as its shape resembles a ship.
Zhang Shuang/Getty ImagesForbidden City
The Forbidden City in Beijing, China, served as a vital muse to the Disney team when working on Mulan. In the movie, Mulan travels to a fictional Imperial City, where she fights against Shan Yu.
Clement Leonard/Getty ImagesMont Saint-Michel
Located in France’s Normandy region, Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island, only accessible on foot during low tide. At the top of the isle is a 16th century abbey, often credited as serving as the inspiration for the castle of Rapunzel’s parents in Tangled.
Ben Nissen/Getty imagesBayou Country, Louisiana
Cypress and tupelo trees, Spanish moss, and murky, near-still water are all mainstays of the bayou in Louisiana. The Princess and the Frog was set here, though the real place proves to be just as enchanting as it’s depicted on the screen.
Anna Om/Getty ImagesCinque Terre, Italy
Dotted with colorful homes and defined by turquoise water, the Italian Riviera has long appeared like the perfect setting for a Disney movie. In 2021 it finally happened. Luca, one of Disney and Pixar’s more recent creations, is set in a seaside town in Italy that bears a striking resemblance to Cinque Terre.
Achim Thomae/Getty ImagesNeuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein, a 19th-century palace near the Alps in Schwangau, Germany, is often credited as the muse for Cinderella’s castle, arguably Disney’s most iconic fictional design. King Ludwig II of Bavaria commissioned the real palace as a retreat and payed for it with his own private funds. However, he died before construction was completed and never had the chance to live in it.