It have always been places over which particular atmospheres hover and are often home to myths and legends, thanks to their mysterious and suggestive aspect: the forests bring to mind the fairy tales we listened to as children but also some of our worst nightmares. Some are made up of dense vegetation, others continue for miles and miles hosting only one species of tree. They are the home of many animals that find their refuge in ravines, caves, holes and rises created by roots and branches.
The world is dotted with forests: immense green expanses full of trees where you can reconnect with the environment and rediscover peace and tranquillity. Are you a nature lover? Discover with us the 15 most beautiful forests in the world where you can immerse yourself!
Most beautiful forests in the world
Black Forest, Germany
The Black Forest stretches along a mountain range and is located in the southwest corner of Germany, in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg. This ancient mountain range is famous for its legends and the black fir trees that make up much of the landscape. The Romans called it Silva Nigra or Silva Carbonara due to the thick vegetation which prevents the light from penetrating between the branches.
It is the largest forest in Germany and also the most fascinating, so appreciated by the Germans as to give the same name to a typical cake.
Hallerbos Forest, Belgium
Hallerbos forest, BelgiumThis forest is located right on the border of Flanders and Wallonia, in the municipality of Halle, 30 by car from Brussels. From late April to early May, a few acres of forest are covered in a splendid carpet of bluebell hyacinths , offering a view capable of filling the soul with its beauty.
Rata Forest, New Zealand
Remember the Treebeard protagonist of an episode of The Lord of the Rings ? The Rata is a very common type of tree in New Zealand, with a typical “gnarled” shape. This forest is located on the island of Enderby, which is full of gnarled trunks , whose branches create a fairytale tangle.
There are plenty of trails in the forest and on the island itself, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in this bookish atmosphere.
Stanton Moor, UK
This beautiful forest is located on Stanton Moor in Northern England. The moor is home to four mysterious stone circles dating back to the Bronze Age, the most famous of these circles being nicknamed ‘ Nine Ladies ‘, the others being called ‘ Stanton Moor I ‘ (the Northern Circle), ‘ Stanton Moor III ‘ ( the central circle) and ” Stanton Moor IV ” (the southern circle). These other circles are largely abandoned and destroyed, only a few stones remain. Although some of these formations are of natural origin, there are many legends surrounding the forest and its stones, almost all related to the Druidsand to the cult of some ancient divinity, even if there is no archaeological evidence to support this thesis.
Tsingy integral natural reserve, Madagascar
Known as the Forest of Knives, the Tsingy Forest is an incredible area that is made up of sharp limestone rocks that protrude from the earth and reach heights of up to 70 meters. Although it is perhaps one of the most dangerous national parks that you can visit, it is really worth it!
In fact, this locality has some unique characteristics: in addition to the limestone conformations, in fact, it is the home of mangrove forests, many species of wild birds , different populations of lemurs. The reserve was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990.
Forest of Otzarreta, Spain
Located in the Basque Country in Spain, the Otzarreta Forest represents the most fascinating and spectacular part of the Gorbea Natural Park . The ancient trees, together with the misty atmosphere , give this forest a very mystical feel.
Caddo Lake, Louisiana – Texas (USA)
This forest takes its name from some Native American populations who inhabited the area, called precisely Caddo . It covers an area of 25,400 acres and is internationally protected under the Ramsar Treaty . Caddo Lake is the largest cypress forest in the world , the presence of the lake’s waters actually makes the area a bit creepy, even if the atmosphere is undoubtedly magical.
Arashimaya Sagano bamboo forest, Japan
To the west of Kyoto there is a real green district, that of Arashiyama . Originally it was a place of relaxation for the imperial family, later the residences were transformed into Buddhist temples and monasteries. In this place there is a spectacular bamboo forest , which can be visited via a path that winds among the tall trunks that seem to whisper when moved by the wind.
Gryfino crooked forest, Poland
This forest is made up of around 400 uniquely curved trees . They are normal pine trees which, under normal conditions, would have nothing special. Instead they are all curved in the same strange way. Nothing is known about the origins of this forest, the causes of the curvature of the pines still remain a mystery today : human intervention or freak of nature?
The sunken forest, Kaindy lake, Kazakhstan
And if one of the most suggestive forests in the world was even underwater? This is precisely the case of this forest of evergreen Asian spruce submerged by the waters of Lake Kaindy, in the Tien Shan mountains, in Kazakhstan.
In 1911, an earthquake caused a large landslide that blocked the entrance to a canyon, which was later filled by the waters of a river. The name of the lake, keindy , means ” falling stones “. The water here is very cold (the lake is about 2000 meters above sea level) and this prevents the submerged trees from perishing. The tops of the fir trees emerge from the surface of the lake, creating a unique and surreal effect.
Yili Apricot Valley, China
In northwest China is Xinjiang Province, and in northwest Xinjiang is Yili. It’s a remote and difficult area to reach, but that doesn’t stop visitors from going to enjoy the show. In fact, this valley has been attracting intrepid tourists for years who are eager to admire the majestic expanse of pink and white , the typical color of apricot flowers that bloom every spring.
This area is home to the largest apricot forest in Xinjiang, the natural show starts in June and continues until the end of September.
Spiny forest, Madagascar
On an island filled with weird and wonderful living things, the spiny forest is arguably Madagascar’s most unusual ecosystem. Endemic to the south of the island, the forest stands out for its plants, belonging to species of the didiereaceae family, which represents 95% of the species found in this particular ecosystem. To look at they are very similar to cacti, even if the thorns here are born directly to protect the leaves, which in turn grow directly on the branches of the plant. Although it is very important for the life of numerous living species, such as the ring-tailed lemuror the dancing lemur, the forest is endangered due to deforestation, due to the manufacture of charcoal and construction wood.
Goblin Forest, New Zealand
The name speaks for itself: the scary Goblin Forest is truly unique and if you are lucky enough to visit it, you will never see anything like it anywhere else. The trees appear covered in moss in a truly disturbing way: the area is often foggy and humid, for this reason the moss almost completely covers the vegetation, creating precisely the effect that recalls the Goblin monsters.
Dancing forest between Lithuania and Russia
Enchanted forest or dancing forest , it seems that the name by which this wooded area is commonly known is quite clear. Here, pines and firs do not grow straight as usual, but take on strange and bizarre shapes : the trunks seem to dance, they twist and tangle on themselves, zigzagging against the sky or crawling on the ground like huge snakes. The silence that reigns in this place is almost unearthly and hypnotizing, so much so that even the birds do not dare to sing their song , fearing perhaps to break some spell.
The explanation to the mystery of the dancing treesit hasn’t been found yet, but legends and fantastic stories related to this place abound, handed down by the elders of a small Orthodox community that lives near the forest. Legend has it that many years ago a beautiful young girl called Predislava lived here, who one day began to be courted by a Prussian prince. He was a pagan while she was a Christian: she devised a ploy to convert her future husband, inviting him right into the depths of the forest. Here she, with her sweet song of her, she made the trees and other plants dance, until the Prince, convinced of the power of the Christian faith, converted and converted all his people. When all the Prussians were baptized, the trees stopped in the very bizarre positions they are in today.
Painted forest, Maui – Hawaii (USA)
At the painted forest, Maui – Hawaii (USA)It’s hard to believe your eyes walking through this forest: along the way you will find groves of Rainbow Eucalyptus , a very special species of plant that is found only on this island of Hawaii. As the name suggests, due to the bark that falls off in the summer, this tree takes on many different colors , with shades ranging from red to yellow, green and brown. When the trees are wet from the rain, everything looks even more brilliant and incredible.
