Tucked away in the upmarket Berkshires region of Massachusetts, this spellbinding country retreat looks as though it was conjured up by the Brothers Grimm themselves. From thatched roofs to turrets and gingerbread houses, the Santarella estate is a bona fide whimsical wonderland dating all the way back to the 1750s.

On the market with Sotheby's International Realty for £929,000 ($1.2m), the property encompasses an array of enchanting buildings, including a four-bedroom main home, a country cottage and numerous silos and event spaces. With its grand vaulted ceiling and arched windows, this regal banqueting hall is one of the estate's crown jewels. Imagine the dinner parties you could have here!

The cosy fairy tale cabin houses an intimate living area downstairs with a wood-burning fire, while a spiral staircase leads up to the spectacular bedroom. Rustic wood cladding and a towering vaulted ceiling frame the impressive space, which features a romantic canopy bed and a wide picture window that's perfect for soaking up the rural surroundings.

Encircled by a dense forest, this magnificent mansion is Cinderella's castle, à la Disneyland, to a T. Offering 10,000 square feet of accommodation, the dramatic façade features impressive Gothic windows, mock-Tudor detailing and no end of turrets.

Available to rent, the extravagant home doesn't offer style over substance either. The state-of-the-art kitchen is home to an array of luxury appliances and a grand double range cooker, providing everything you need to cook up a storm, while characterful details like the coffered ceiling and carved cooker hood keep the whimsical charm alive. 

With seven luxurious suites situated across the home's numerous levels, there's plenty of choices when it comes to finding a plush spot to lay your head. Personally, we'd opt for this opulent room with a four-poster bed complete with carved wooden posts – surely an essential when you live in a fairy tale castle.

While it may be somewhat on the smaller side, this woodland retreat, currently offered as a holiday let, is no less enchanting. Known as Robin Hood's Hideout, this remarkable home in Dripping Springs, just west of Austin, offers a fantastical break from everyday life. 

The rustic, wood-clad interior is brimming with character, from the bright pops of blue across the weathered woodwork to the beautiful stained-glass windows. Crafted from reclaimed wood and fixtures from around 30 different structures, it has to be the ultimate upcycled tiny home. 

Available to rent out, the tower offers two plush bedrooms fit for royalty, one decked out in pastel blue and the other in blush pink. The master features a hearth and this gorgeous window seat – the ideal spot to get lost in a good book or admire the breathtaking rural vistas.

Built in 1850, this chocolate-box cottage in the south-west of England looks as though it was transplanted from the pages of our favourite fantastical childhood tales. With a quaint thatched roof, lattice windows and a picturesque porch, it's hard not to think of Hansel and Gretel ambling through the forest and stumbling upon this charming home in a clearing in the trees.

Currently on the market with Chancellors for £500,000 ($623k), the Grade II-listed property was built as a summer house in the mid-19th century for Lord Barrington of Beckett Park, who wanted to recreate the cottage he'd honeymooned at in Switzerland. From the blackened brick hearth and original metal door fixtures to the galleried landing, the quaint home wears its history on its sleeve.

Lurking in the woods in Hays County, Texas, this unusual Gothic-style tiny home would give us the heebie-jeebies if we stumbled upon it on dark night. With its eerie weathered door, lattice windows and red and black detailing, it's a dwelling worthy of a fairy tale villain.

Opposite the front door, red swagged curtains make a theatrical statement and Louis XV-style sofas evoke a certain air of faded opulence. The period-inspired home is a treasure trove of the past, with curated antiques and hidden foxes scattered around for guests to find. Available to rent, the property even includes a snug bathroom on the ground floor, complete with a traditional claw-foot tub.

Built in 1917 on seven acres of land, this magnificent castle was inspired by a trip that its prosperous original owners, the Ellington family, took to England. Complete with a turret and regal interior décor, you can live out your own royal fantasy because the castle is available to rent out on Airbnb.

With its decorative wooden cladding and peaked roofs, this whimsical cabin, designed by Hendricks Architecture, channels a hobbit house straight out of The Lord of the Rings, with a dash of Swiss chalet style. 

The characterful exterior is clad in wavy brickwork, creating a remarkable optical illusion. Surrounded by lush green woodland, the cosy 835-square-foot log cabin is located in the unspoiled nature of Harbour Springs, perched on the north shore of Lake Michigan. 

This enchanting tower looks like something straight out of Sleeping Beauty. The Grade I-listed folly is said to be the tallest of its kind in the world and has been recently renovated to include a lovely home, so you can live out a modern day fairy tale. 

On the market with Strutt & Parker, all eight floors are linked by a fully-serviced lift and these beautiful turret staircases, with the seventh and eighth floors providing the finest 360-degree views of the Kent countryside. 

Available to rent through Howard Hanna via Zillow, the house is made up of four 80-ton pods, which sit on reinforced concrete pillars of between 14 and 20 feet in height. The clever design means that the view will never be restricted as each pod features panoramic windows.

Amongst the world's most famous houses, each pod in the property serves a different function. One is the kitchen and family room, another acts as the living and dining area, and two are sleeping areas. There’s also a half-pod with an open deck for the warmer months. 

Located in Akebono Kodomo-no-mori Park in Japan, this woodland home was inspired by the iconic Finnish Moomins series by Tove Jansson. Designed with a distinctive living roof and a curvaceous structure, the dwelling features solar panels to help the property run off the grid.

For nature-lovers looking to escape the hustle and bustle, it doesn't get much more magical that this unique cob cottage, hidden inside a dense forest in Canada. Available to rent, this charming home has no end of kerb appeal with its curved walls and quirky windows. 

This has to qualify as one of the world's weirdest properties! The Boot bed and breakfast in Tasman, New Zealand, is now a hugely popular fairy tale escape for those coming from far and wide. 

Available to rent out via Airbnb, The Boot is nestled amongst hazelnut trees, offering visitors plenty of privacy. Sheltered beneath the canopy is this picturesque courtyard, featuring an alfresco dining area and a large outdoor fireplace – perfect for toasting marshmallows in the colder months.

Living in a gingerbread house is the stuff of childhood dreams, but this spellbinding property could make those fantasies come true. While this house in California is not exactly made from gingerbread (which is the dream, let’s face it), it definitely looks the part, and what's more, it's available to rent out for holidays.

Made from cob, an eco-friendly building material, this unique holiday home was sculpted by Miguel Elliott of Living Earth Structures. While snug, the sleeping space in the eaves, complete with reed-lined walls and a glazed gable window, is one of our favourite aspects of the home. Imagine waking up each morning to the sun rising across the treetops!

Outside, the four-bed property is nestled amongst picturesque woodlands, alongside its very own magical creek. Still hungry for more? Discover the hidden Cinderella castle suite and other secret homes you never knew existed.