8 European Forests Straight Out of a Fantasy Novel

There’s something magical about stepping into a forest, particularly one that has been left to grow as it has for hundreds or thousands of years. Fortunately, despite the ongoing issue of deforestation—which can have terrible consequences for ecosystems, air quality, and pretty much every aspect of life—our blue and green planet is still studded with magnificent woods full of trees, animals, and mysterious shadows that seem to shapeshift when the light is just so.

It’s no wonder that forests around the world have inspired fairy tales and legends for generations, providing the setting for many of our most beloved stories and our most terrifying lore. In Europe, forests have long generated myths about everything from Norse gods and giants to the Grimms’ fairy tales, from Hansel and Gretel to Snow White.

Fortunately, the forests on this list aren’t mythical relics of the past. They still grow today, providing fresh inspiration and even healing for anyone willing to step into their cool, green depths.

1. Black Forest, Germany
2. Fanal Forest, Portugal
3. Crooked Forest, Poland
4. Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland
5. Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania
6. Hallerbos Forest, Belgium
7. Otzarreta Forest, Basque Country, Spain
8. Brocéliande Forest, France

Black Forest, Germany

Germany’s Black Forest is a vast wooded area located in the mountains of the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is believed to have inspired many of the Brothers Grimm’s most famous fairy tales, including Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty, and is also associated with the Pied Piper and many other stories of witches, elves, and other wandering creatures who will whisk you off into the Otherworld if you aren’t careful.

This forest is also full of cultural attractions, ranging from tiny, whimsical villages like Schiltach to delicious restaurants and storied monasteries, but nature is still the area’s top attraction, and places like the Triberg Waterfalls and pristine lakes are sure to spark awe and inspiration in any traveler.

Fanal Forest, Portugal

Nestled on the Portuguese island of Madeira is the surreal, misty Fanal Forest, an ancient laurel forest filled with mysterious curved trees believed to be over 500 years old. The forest is located in the northwestern part of the island in the mountainous Paul da Serra area, and it is notable both for its unique trees and the fog that tends to shroud them, particularly in the mornings. Dense with ferns and moss, this area is definitely most recognized for its collection of strangely humanoid trees, which seem to dance and morph with the wind.

Crooked Forest, Poland

Poland’s Crooked Forest is another natural wonder that seems to be straight out of a dream or a surrealist painting. Its roughly 400 trees are strangely bent at a 90-degree angle near their roots, and even more strangely, no one knows exactly how this happened.

Some believe that the trees began growing beneath a sheet of heavy snow that led them to contort into bizarre shapes, some think those who originally planted them engineered them to grow differently, and others blame Nazi or Soviet tanks that may have been parked on them while they were saplings. Still others attribute the phenomenon to aliens or more mystical causes. Regardless, today the forest is a majestically warped example of the strange magic of life on our planet.

Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

If you’ve seen Game of Thrones, you might recognize Northern Ireland’s Dark Hedges, a row of beech trees that were featured in the show. These trees were actually planted by James Stuart in 1775 to mark the entrance to his home, Gracehill House.

It’s not exactly known where the name “Dark Hedges” came from, but according to local legend, they are haunted by a woman known as the Grey Lady who floats through the trees and sometimes brings more friends from the spirit world to float among the curved beeches alongside her.

Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania

Romania’s Hoia-Baciu forest is one of those places on Earth that, like the Bermuda Triangle and New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, seems to be an absolute hotbed for unexplainable phenomena. “So many people have disappeared here, some say it’s a portal to another dimension,” a tour guide named Marius Lazin told the Guardian in 2025. 

These shadowy woods have long been called haunted, and their name refers to a farmer said to have disappeared along with 200 sheep. This forest also received fresh attention in 1968, when a military technician named Emil Barnea took a photo of a mysterious object in the woods that he labeled a UFO.

Today, the forest is under threat from developers who want to clear it out, but it remains a popular attraction for tourists and anyone interested in mysterious energies, ghost-hunting, haunted places, or meeting another Transylvanian legend: Count Dracula.

Hallerbos Forest, Belgium

Located about an hour from Brussels, Belgium, the Hallerbos Forest is best known for the few weeks during the year when it fills up with vibrant bluebell flowers that blanket the ground and create an atmosphere that looks straight out of fairyland. The blooms emerge at different times each year but are most often seen sometime between late March to early May, and the forest features plenty of beautiful wonders all year round, from oak, ash, pine, and beech trees to songbirds and plenty of other wildlife.

Otzarreta Forest, Basque Country, Spain

Otzarreta Forest is a magical land of moss-covered beech trees that stretch their green branches up to the sky and look a bit like forest gods if you catch them from the right angle. Located in Basque Country, this natural wonderland is lined with sparkling streams and is particularly magical during autumn, when the orange and gold colors of the trees’ changing leaves contrast marvelously with all the moss. Legend also has it that the area is home to the mythical Basajuan, a hulking, hairy creature who wanders the woods and whose purpose is to protect nature.

Brocéliande Forest, France

Brittany, France’s Paimpont Forest is the inspiration for Brocéliande Forest, which is believed to be the setting of most famous legends and stories of all time—the tales of King Arthur and the many legends that accompany him, from Merlin to the Lady of the Lake. Today, visitors can wander the woods drinking in the mystic ambience of the lakes and ancient oak trees, or can also visit majestic sites like the Château de Trécesson, the Gothic-style Abbey of Notre-Dame, or the Fountain of Youth, a stone-circled fountain said to be a Druidic holy site.

Love trivia? Order Mental Floss’s new game, Brain Brawl, to test your knowledge in a head-to-head tournament style.