15 Fictional Worlds You Would Want to Visit

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Whoever said that books let you travel without moving your feet is absolutely right. We love to immerse ourselves in worlds that are not our own.

For just a few moments, we can forget about everything and escape somewhere without worry. Maybe it’s why people love reading about fictional worlds that they can explore and experience at their own leisure.

Best Fictional Worlds to Disappear To

From lands of logic and science to realms of sorcery and gods, the human imagination has given us many places we can dream of. Given the chance, we’re likely to visit them too!

Whether they’re from literature or the big screen, below are some of the best fictional worlds you might love to experience firsthand.

Narnia from Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Populated by magic, talking animals, and cantankerous dwarves, Narnia is perhaps one of the most well-known worlds in fantasy fiction. Not to mention the many interesting places you could visit, like an island where dreams come true (unfortunately, also nightmares).

While Lewis’s series has obvious Christian messages that some may not relate to, there’s no denying his world is rich in details that inspire the imagination.

On a side note, what’s your favorite way into Narnia? A wardrobe? Magical rings? A painting? Mine’s definitely not a one-way trip by train.

Randland from The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

The world where the Wheel of Time takes place was never named, so fans have taken to calling it Randland, derived from the central character’s name.

It’s a world full of distinct cultures and societies. One of my favorites is the Aiel, a race of superb warriors exhibiting traits from Zulu, Japanese, and Apache culture.

As the series title hints, Randland undergoes a repeating cycle, specifically seven ages where Light and Dark struggle for supremacy. In fact, through many hints in the series, it’s actually a past and future version of Earth.

Neverland from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Be honest: at one point in your life, you’ve contemplated running away from the responsibilities of adulthood. You reminisce about your childhood and wish to be a carefree youth again.

That’s exactly what Neverland is for. A place where children don’t grow up, fairies abound, and pirates are there for you to prank. The best part? Get a pinch of fairy dust, and you’re suddenly able to fly!

Discworld from Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Hear me out. Take a flat disk of land and balance it atop four elephants. Then have the elephants stand atop a humongous star turtle who swims through the universe. That’s a sight to see.

Within the world itself are plenty of characters and locations from the genius mind of the author. It’s a satirical world where everything you know about fantasy and real-life is parodied for the better.

Oz from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

When you get picked up by a freak tornado, the last thing you expect is to get deposited into a world where witches are real, monkeys fly around, and cowardly lions exist.

Oz is a fantastical land far away “behind the moon and beyond the rain”. Unlike ours, it’s said to be an uncivilized world lying atop enchanted lands. In Oz, anything can happen, such as scarecrows coming alive and cats being made from glass.

Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

While Discworld offers you a zany kind of adventure, Wonderland has a more psychedelic approach. It is simultaneously exciting and terrifying to explore.

Beyond its beauty and fantastical creatures, darkness lurks in every corner: an execution-happy queen, the terrible Jabberwock, and characters who seem a tad out of touch with the world.

However, if you’re into the surreal, you can enjoy neverending tea with the March Hare and the Mad Hatter. Or figure out the meaning behind the Cheshire Cat’s every riddle.

Earthsea from The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Le Guin’s Earthsea differs from most fantasy stories simply because it’s not obsessed with the medieval age. It doesn’t walk you through epic battles between armies, light versus dark, and continents in turmoil.

Instead, you’re given a scattering of islands reminiscent of Southeast Asian countries. Almost every island has its own culture and identity. Technology is at the level of the early Iron Age. And magic is the mysterious force keeping the balance.

Middle-Earth from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Middle-Earth is perhaps the most complicated (and most famous) world in fantasy fiction. Not only is it rich in lore, but the worldbuilding is so detailed that it basically spawned many of the tropes you now commonly find in the fantasy genre.

In fact, Tolkien made an entire history and mythology that you only barely see in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. To fully understand how deep this world goes, you’d need to read its accompanying books such as  The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Adventures of Tom Bombadill.

Azeroth from World of Warcraft

Known more by gamers, Blizzard Entertainment’s Azeroth is one of the best-constructed worlds in the gaming industry. Heavily inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, it features tons of races, cultures, and lore that any fantasy fan will gladly jump into.

The 2016 movie, while not able to show Azeroth in its entirety, shows a decent glimpse into this world. While fans are polarized with the movie itself, it does give you a fairly accurate look at how the people, societies, and creatures look like.

Hyrule from The Legend of Zelda

Hyrule is the medieval-style world where much of The Legend of Zelda video game franchise takes place. Constant in this world is the appearance of a hero (sometimes chosen by the Goddesses themselves) who defends the world from those that threaten to destroy it.

Another constant is the Triforce, an artifact of massive power left behind by the Goddesses who created Hyrule. Much of the conflicts in the franchise revolve around the taking and using of this artifact, for good or for evil.

Also, don’t give the fans an aneurysm. The character you play isn’t Zelda, the princess. His name is Link.

Tamriel from The Elder Scrolls

Tamriel is the most well-known continent on the planet of Nirn. It’s where most of the action in The Elder Scrolls series takes place.

Divided into nine provinces, Tamriel is a medieval-like place with a diverse range of inhabitants, cultures, and traditions. You’ll find humans, elves, orcs, lizard-like Argonians, and the feline Khajit.

Then there’s also the wide variety of flora and fauna native to the continent. In fact, one of the most challenging quests you’ll do in some of the games is to find a rare, glowing plant.

The Pokemon World from Pokemon

The Pokemon World is an Earth-like planet where creatures called pokemon exist. Much of society is centered on human-pokemon relationships. For example, firefighters work alongside water-type pokemon to extinguish fires.

Aside from the plethora of interesting creatures, the world of pokemon offers you many interesting places. There’s Fortree City (an entire city of treehouses), the Safari Zone (kind of like a natural reserve for pokemon), and the Pokemon Tower (a burial ground for pokemon).

Much of the excitement here though, is developing your own pokemon team, challenging gyms, and becoming the Pokemon League Champion.

Fantasia from The Neverending Story

From both the books and the movies, Fantasia is a world fueled by human imagination itself. Unfortunately, it’s being slowly consumed by The Nothing.

It’s a good thing that its plethora of interesting characters are on the case, from an empress who looks like a child to a boulder (Rockbiter basically is that) who speaks. Personally, I’d love to visit just so I can ride a puppy-like dragon who flies.

The Galaxy from Star Wars

Faster-than-light travel, cool weapons, aliens, and the Force—the world of Star Wars has everything that makes science fiction so awesome!

Some people say that space is the final frontier (yes, I know that’s from another space-themed series) and Star Wars takes full advantage of its mystery. It fuels the imagination with countless creatures, tech, and most importantly, that we are not alone in the universe.

Land of Ooo from Adventure Time

The Land of Ooo is a beautifully drawn and whimsical world from the popular Adventure Time series. Part of what makes it so intriguing for me is that it’s a post-apocalyptic world that doesn’t look it.

After the “Great Mushroom War” a thousand years ago, magic has returned and created many fantastical places in Ooo. There’s the Candy Kingdom, Ice Kingdom, Fire Kingdom, and the Nightosphere.

Plus, there’s plenty of interesting characters to get to know, from a vampire rocker to a princess made of lumps.

What is the best fictional world to live in?

Writers, directors, game designers, and other creators have made tons of excellent fictional worlds through the years. And while there are raging debates between fandoms on which one of them is the best, I find that the best one is always the one which you form a strong personal connection to.

Great worlds live in your mind because they offer your imagination plenty of fuel. Their attention to detail, use of unique elements, and consistency in storytelling are are key to helping you immerse yourself in the narrative.

It is a little strange that we’d like to visit these places, given that they’re full of epic battles, unfamiliar situations, and alien cultures. I don’t know about you, but I would probably die within a week of stepping foot on Middle-Earth.

You might be reading these books for simple entertainment or to temporarily escape the pressure of the real world. Either way, if you did enjoy your escape, then it’s only natural that you’d want to visit them if you could.

Which is your favorite fictional world? Share it in the comments below!

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