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If you've ever read A Court of Thorns and Roses and thought
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okay, but where is this in real life? You're in good company. Sarah J Maas' world is so vivid that fans have spent years
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trying to map Prithian onto Earth like it's a fantasy-themed Google Maps project
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Hi, I'm Kara, and welcome to Mental Floss Video. While we can't winnow ourselves into Volaris
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or wander the Spring Court without accidentally getting caught in some High Lord politics
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Earth has plenty of places that feel suspiciously magical. Today, we're taking a tour through real-world locations that looked like they were plucked
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straight out of the ACOTAR universe. From starlit mountain cities to underground
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fortresses that might make you rethink your travel plans. Let's begin in the place that
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fans love the most, the City of Starlight. Zermatt is a tiny alpine village tucked beneath the Matterhorn
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surrounded by mountains that feel like natural walls. In the daytime, it's all wildflowers
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wooden chalets, and crisp alpine air. But at night, the whole town glows like a cluster of jewels
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exactly the way Moss describes Volaris sparkling under the mountains. Zermatt is also car-free
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You can even take a tour by horse-drawn carriage, which really adds to that magical secret city vibe
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Plus, the Matterhorn itself has inspired everything from chocolate bars to theme park rides
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So it's not surprising that it also inspires fantasy worlds. If Zermatt is Velaris by starlight, Halstott is Velaris by water
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This 7,000-year-old lakeside village sits between towering mountains, with houses that look like they're stacked on top of each other
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The calm water gives major Sidra River energy, and the whole place feels like it's been frozen in time
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In the magical way, not the amarantha way. Halstatt is so picturesque that China literally built a full-scale replica of the town in Guangdong
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The village is also home to a centuries salt mine again with the magical secret city vibe The day court is described as a place of sunlight palaces and thousands of libraries Alexandria fits the bill perfectly especially
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considering it was home to the ancient Library of Alexandria, one of the most famous knowledge
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centers in human history. The modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina can hold 8 million books and includes
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a planetarium, museums, and a research center. The city's bright desert landscapes and sun-washed
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architecture match the day court's warm, golden aesthetic. The Spring Court is all about manors
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gardens, and a slightly unsettling amount of perfection. Ashridge House fits the bill
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almost too well. It's a sprawling estate with 5,000 acres of forest, immaculate gardens
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and a manor that looks like it was built especially for a high lord with control issues
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The estate was once home to both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, which feels appropriately dramatic
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The Winter Court is basically a Scandinavian postcard come to life. Bergen, especially in winter, is a perfect match. Colorful houses dusted with snow
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evergreen forests, and mountains that look like they're hiding ancient magic. Brighen is one of the rainiest cities in Europe, with over 200 days of precipitation a year
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Perfect for a moody winter court vibe. And its historic wharf, Brighen, is a UNESCO World Heritage
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site that looks straight out of a fantasy novel. The Dawn Court is described as softly lit
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eternally summery, and almost heaven-like. Chiang Mai comes close, with its cloud-covered temples
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waterfalls, and warm golden light. Doi Anthanon National Park is home to Thailand's highest peak
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often surrounded by sunrise clouds. Plus, the region's temples are decorated with
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gold leaf, intricate carvings, and mirrored mosaics. Very eternal sunrise. If you've ever seen a photo of Santorini, you already know why it's the summer
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court real twin White domes blue seas cliffside palaces It basically Adriata with fewer sea creatures and more tourists The island iconic white buildings weren originally aesthetic They
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were painted with lime to reflect the heat and disinfect during cholera outbreaks. Plus
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the cliffs were formed by a volcanic eruption so massive it may have inspired the legend of Atlantis
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Outside Valaris, the Night Court is described as mountainous, wild, and filled with dangerous
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forests. That's the Siberian taiga, the largest forest on Earth. Winters can last up to six months
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and temperatures can drop below negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Very don't wander alone
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at night. The autumn court is perpetually fall, something Earth can't quite replicate
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but New England in October comes pretty close. Woodstock, Vermont is especially on theme. Gold
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red, and bronze leaves. Rolling farmland. Cozy villages. The region's fall colors are so bright
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because of its sugar maples, which produce some of the brightest reds in the world
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Amarantha's underground fortress is terrifying, but the real world has its own subterranean
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strongholds. Brézé, beneath a chateau in France's Loire Valley, contains over three kilometers of
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underground tunnels. Some tunnels are so deep they're called underground castles. The fortress
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was used as a shelter during sieges, and not for imprisoning Faye. If you picture the human
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villages in Akatar as medieval, quaint, and slightly too charming to be safe, Rotenburg
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Olde-Torber is your place. Cobblestone streets, timbered houses, and a layout that looks like it
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hasn't changed in centuries. It's the kind of town where you'd expect to see a fairy bargain go
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terribly wrong. This town inspired the look of Pinocchio and several Studio Ghibli backgrounds
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The Illyrian camps are described as rugged, dramatic, and very vertical. The Dolomites deliver
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exactly that Jagged peaks narrow passes and cliffs that look like they were designed for winged warriors to launch off of If any place on Earth feels like it should come with a Watch for Flying Soldiers sign it this one And the Dolomites
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glow pink at sunset, a phenomenon called Alpenglow. The Court of Nightmares is carved into a mountain. Dramatic, imposing, and a little unsettling
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Cappadocia has entire underground cities and cave palaces carved into the rock. Some are
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multi-level labyrinths, with twisting tunnels and hidden chambers. It's beautiful, but also
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eerie enough to feel like a place where someone might demand you kneel. Its underground cities
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once held up to 20,000 people. The Bonecarver's cell is described as dark, echoing, and full of
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ancient secrets. The Waitomo Caves, with their glowworms, underground rivers, and cathedral-like
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chambers. Feel like a place where you'd meet a slightly terrifying creature who only speaks in
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riddles. Oh, and the glowworms aren't actually worms. They are bioluminescent fungus gnat larvae
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But the glowworm light is so bright in some chambers that it reflects off the water like
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stars. A perfect setting for a creepy prophecy. Dense woods? Check. A reputation for folklore
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and creepy stories? Check! A place where you absolutely should not touch anything. Double
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check. The Black Forest is a perfect real-world stand-in for the Weaver's Domain. It's
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the birthplace of Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and the Cuckoo Clock. The
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forest is so dense in some places that sunlight barely reaches the ground. Ideal conditions
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for a creature who definitely does not want visitors. So, while we can't step into Prithian
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At least not without a portal, a bargain, or a very questionable deal
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Earth has plenty of places that feel just as magical. From alpine cities that sparkle at night, to underground labyrinths that might make
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you rethink your life choices, the real world is full of ACOTAR energy if you know where
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to look. Comment which court you would visit first, and we'll see you next time on Mental Floss
