These adorable cottages have it all – thatched roofs, vaulted ceilings, pretty flower gardens and plenty of history. Feast your eyes on some of the cutest gingerbread houses you can buy right now to live your best fairy tale happy ending.

This English-style cottage painted in lovely mint green was built in 1940 and with its pointed gable roof and brick chimney it's chock full of character. A treasured family home, it’s only had three owners since it was built and still has lots of original features inside. Plus, it comes with a magical stone-covered carriage house, which could be converted into a guest cottage or even rented out to holiday makers.

Inside, the baby blue living room has the original hardwood floors and a stone wall fireplace so you can get cosy on cool evenings. The cottage has three bedrooms and two bathrooms that are all as cute as a button. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places so you know it's the real deal!

The house may have all the style of a cute English cottage but it is still in Florida, so a pool is a must-have. Luckily, there's a sweet little spot for a dip in the back yard, complete with a wooden porch area to watch the sun go down. This pastel cottage sits on 1.38 acres of land, Including majestic mature oaks, pines and some of the largest azaleas in the area.

This historic pretty pink three-bedroom cottage sits within Brookfield's Historic District and was originally built as a barn in 1879 before serving as a dormitory for The Greene School of Music in 1900. It’s been upgraded extensively by the current owner and had a new master bedroom added in 2018 complete with a full ensuite and soaking tub. 

The spacious living room has a stone-faced fireplace as its focal point and soft green walls and woodwork. There are original wood floors throughout. On the main level, there’s also an eat-in kitchen, separate dining room and library/study.

Love this? Check out these incredible fairy tale homes that are actually real

This is one of the two bedrooms on the upper level, which has a staircase leading to a walk-up attic room that is used as a dressing room and has lots of space for storage. Outside there are beautifully landscaped gardens overlooking the surrounding forest, a patio area and a swimming pool.

This custom-built home looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale and is on the market for the first time. It stands on 10 acres of land where there’s also a barn, which offers opportunities for development, guest house and swimming pool. Located in Maryville, nature lovers can enjoy hiking on the numerous trails through the nearby Appalachian Mountains.

The grand open-plan living, kitchen and dining area has vaulted ceilings with wooden beams and hardwood floors as well as a fireplace. This charming English-style home is packed full of quirky details that give it an otherworldly charm but as a new build, it is practical too. In the basement, there is a recreation room and office with an extra space that could be used for storage or turned into another room.

On the main level, you can also find the master bedroom suite featuring a four-poster bed and an ensuite bathroom with a corner bath and walk-in shower. There are also two further bedrooms and bathrooms. Can you imagine living anywhere more idyllic?

This dreamy property actually consists of two cottages in the town of Oak Bluffs on the island haven Martha’s Vineyard. It sits within Trinity Park overlooking the iconic iron Tabernacle – a covered outdoor performance space in the area known as The Campground.

The two-bedroom homes have been restored to maintain their historic charm. This is the living area in one of the cottages, which leads onto a sunny dining area and kitchen and opens out onto the porch. Each cottage is self-contained with a private courtyard between them.

Want to see more? Discover the secrets of these abandoned American stately homes

In the second cottage, there's a charming light bedroom with a vaulted ceiling and an ensuite half bathroom. There’s also a single bedroom and downstairs an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, plus a full bathroom.

This charming thatched brick and weatherboard cottage has an abundance of period features including wood latch doors, exposed timbers and beams, and Inglenook fireplaces. It’s Grade II listed and set in landscaped grounds of almost three acres, surrounded by a perfect white picket fence.

 

The cosy beamed sitting room has comfy leather sofas and one of the cottage’s fireplaces. It leads onto the kitchen, which has modern wooden cabinets and granite worktops. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, including the dual-aspect master bedroom all with their original wooden beams intact.

The large dining room has enough space to seat 10 guests and it’s triple glazed to keep the warmth in. French doors lead out to the garden, which is divided by a stream into two distinct areas – one more formal with a lawn, mature trees and borders and the other filled with secret nooks, a pagoda, duck pond and weeping willow.

With its thatched roof and timbered walls, this cottage could be straight out of a storybook by the Brothers Grimm. Varndells is a historic 17th-century detached home packed with traditional features. The large garden has a terrace leading onto the lawn, a vegetable garden, fruit trees and there's even a detached studio thrown in.

The lovely sunny kitchen complements the character of the house with wooden cabinets and a dresser for storing crockery and jars. There’s a table where you can enjoy breakfast overlooking the terrace and garden, and an adjoining utility and boot room.

Intrigued? Feast your eyes on these beautiful stately homes hiding dark secrets

The house sits within the pretty English village of South Warnborough. Originally divided up into two cottages it now has four bedrooms upstairs including a master bedroom, which has an ensuite bathroom. This is the study that overlooks the garden, which also has exposed timber beams and a traditional fireplace.

This pretty house in Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha’s Vineyard sits on 0.81 acres in a peaceful cul-de-sac. It has a lovely landscaped garden shaded by a variety of trees with flowers gardens, wild flower meadows and a shed. There are plenty of opportunities for enjoying the great outdoors with walking trails and bike paths nearby.

The double-height entrance hall has a fireplace and enough space for a sofa and armchair. There’s also a formal living room, open-plan kitchen/dining room and family room with cathedral ceilings and French doors opening onto a porch. Upstairs, there are two guest bedrooms and a bathroom with the master suite on the top floor.

Stepping outside, you're spoiled for choice with lots of space to play with and a number of small buildings, such as this adorable shed. There’s also a large garage, fitted with solar panels on its roof so you can save on electricity bills, and living space above.

Where better to buy a gingerbread cottage than from the land where it originates? This picturesque country house dates from around 1900 and has the fairy tale look down to a tee. Located within the Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve in the north of Germany near the Baltic coast, you are guaranteed peace and tranquillity.

In contrast to its traditional facade, the interior style is modern and bright, thanks to a renovation in 2018. There's a smart kitchen, which joins onto a dining area, a pantry, fireplace and guest cloakroom as well as underfloor heating. In the basement there is a wine cellar so it’s the perfect house for entertaining.

The living room is light and airy thanks to its large windows and upstair the house has two bedrooms. Outbuildings on the property include a stable, which can be used for storage, a woodshed and a double garage. You even have your own hunting range within the 4.3 acres of land.

Step into the folklore-rich countryside of Strängnäs, which has a history dating back to the Vikings. This colourful four-bedroom house built in 1929 is located in the town of Stallarholmen in the Mälaren Valley, 36 miles west of Stockholm. There’s also a separate annexe with two further bedrooms and a 17th-century building containing three flats that could be let as holiday homes.

As festive as a Christmas sugar cookie, the interior of the house is beautifully designed. The entrance hall has a decorative painted ceiling and double doors with stained glass leading through to the open-plan living area and dining room, which has two spectacular chandeliers.

Every room is a treat in this gingerbread-style house. This room has a pretty fireplace covered in adorable blue and white Delft tiles and the original wooden floors that you can see throughout. The house comes with a massive 7,000 acres of land and there's plenty to see and do nearby, including castles, Strängnäs cathedral and Lake Mälaren.

Built in 1846, this striking Gothic/Greek Revival-style five-bedroom cottage is known to be a former haunt of Bette Davis. While it’s been fully restored and has its original features intact, with high ceilings, large windows and hardwood floors.

This light dual-aspect room joins onto the living room and is being used as a piano room. There’s a lovely original fireplace, large sash windows and plenty of room for bookcases as well as a sofa where you can sit to enjoy a piano recital. Upstairs there are five bedrooms featuring original mouldings and plenty of storage space.

Looking for a majestic project? Check out these castles, forts and mansion fixer-uppers

The Brazilian cherrywood kitchen has a jewel at its heart: a fully functional antique Glenwood stove. It's also blessed with granite worktops and a space to eat – but there’s also a separate dining room. Outside is a lovely multi-level garden complete with a stone fire pit and a fine wraparound wooden porch with hand-turned columns. 

This fabulous old English house used to be two separate homes, so there are two front doors and two staircases. It’s steeped in history – one wall is thought to partly date from the 12th century and there are additions from the 15th century.

There many rooms spread across the two floors – the bottom level has no less than six reception rooms, including this one with wood panelling, a beamed ceiling and a large brick fireplace. There’s also a drawing room with a library alcove.

Like many of the rooms, the kitchen has a vaulted ceiling and the traditional style is complemented by pretty blue cabinets. Among this property’s long list of impressive features are a lower and upper courtyard and an Arts & Crafts summer house. Ripley village is nearby, which is thought to have the largest village green in England.

Read next: mansions for sale that hold massive secrets