People have been fascinated with castles for centuries. Visiting castles is like traveling back in time and diving into the history. There are thousands of castles throughout Europe.
Get ready to discover the most spectacular castles in Europe.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Neuschwanstein is the fairytale castle of Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, one of the most visited castles in Germany and one of the most popular tourist destination in Europe.
Construction of Neuschwanstein broke ground during the summer of 1868, but the first foundation stone wasn’t laid until September 5, 1869.
This charming castle served as inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. Before Walt Disney began constructing his Californian theme park, he and his wife took a trip to Europe that included a stop at Neuschwanstein.
Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Edinburgh Castle is simply magnificent . It is one of the oldest and most famous fortified places in Europe. The oldest part, St Margaret's Chapel, dates from the 12th century.
The Castle provides visitors with impressive views of the city. It gets especially beautiful at night, dominating the city of Edinburgh and lighting up the skyline.
This famous Scotland's Castle is also a popular filming location and appears in the film adaptation of the Irvine Welsh novel Filth, starring James McAvoy.
The Chateau de Chambord, France
Chambord is the most impressive of the castles in France. It has 426 rooms, 83 staircases, 282 fireplaces, and an exceptional number of towers, high ceilings, pointed domes and graceful pinnacles.
The Chateau de Chambord can be considered as an old French castle, decorated with an Italian Renaissance style, and it presents one of the most striking of the buildings of mixed style to be built in France.
The Scaliger (Sinking) Castle, Italy
Scaliger Castle is a 13th-century medieval stronghold, one of the best-preserved castles in Italy. This ancient fortification is surrounded by the waters of Lake Garda.
Although it was originally used as a port, it was modified into a castle to serve a dual purpose and to defend the Southern lands of Lake Garda against enemies.
It got nicknamed "Sinking Castle," due to the rising waters of the lake.
The Scaliger Castle is considered one of the finest examples of medieval fortifications
Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle), Romania
Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legends, Bran Castle is one of the most beautiful tourist areas of Romania. It's definitely worth a visit.
Though Dracula is a purely fictional creation, there was a real person, living in Transylvania, who happened to have a taste for blood: Vlad III or Vlad the Impaler. The facts tell us though Bran Castle was never his residence.
The historians think it's named "Dracula's Castle" because the castle is in the mountains in this foggy area and it looks spooky.
Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Trakai Island Castle is an incredibly unique castle in Lithuania. It is the only Eastern European castle that has been built on an island it is located in Trakai, on the shores of Lake Galve, only 14 miles west of Vilnius.
The Castle was built in the 14th and 15th centuries and was a home to all the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
Every year, Trakai Island Castle holds a very special event. It lasts for a few days in August and takes everyone back to medieval times introducing people to ancient arts and crafts.
Ashford Castle, Ireland
Your royal adventure in Ireland begins when you enter through the grand stone gates of this iconic 800-year-old castle.
Initially built in 1228 on an old monastic site by a prominent Anglo-Norman family, Ashford Castle was expanded upon greatly after it was bought by the Guinness family in the 19th century and sold to the Irish state in 1939.
Nowadays, Ashford Castle serves as a 5-star luxurious hotel. It has hosted a long list of celebrities and high profile political figures.
Chateau de Chillon, Switzerland
Chillon Castle is a fairytale Swiss castle, located on a rock on the eastern side of the picturesque Lake Geneva.
The first known written mention of Chateau de Chillon comes from 1150 when the Counts of Savoy controlled the fortified castle.
This beautiful water castle was a source of inspiration for many artists throughout centuries. Jean-Jacques Rousseau made it famous when he based the story of his novel "New Heloise" here in the 18th century, the Chillon Castle then attracted the poet Lord Byron, inspired by a true story to write his most famous poem, "The Prisoner of Chillon".
Swallow’s Nest Castle, Crimea
Swallow’s Nest Castle (“Lastochkino Gnezdo” – Russian spelling) is a Crimea’s Fairytale Castle on a Cliff. This elegant building is considered to be one of the most beautiful architectural and historical monuments on the peninsula.
Before the castle was built in 1911 by Russian architect Leonid Sherwood, it was actually a small wooden cottage called "Love Castle". The owner's name had been remained unknown till nowadays. The stories tell us that a wounded in Russian-Turkish war general came to be cured in Crimea. For his heroism, the empire awarded him a land by the sea. On the high rock, the warrior built a small wooden house and called it "The Castle of Love".
Among other owners were the Russian merchant Rakhmanina, as well as the oil industry Baron Steingel, who created the modern exterior of the picturesque castle. The Baron has begun the great reconstruction in the early 20th century.
Burg Eltz, Germany
If there is one castle in Germany that can rival the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle in terms of beauty and popularity, it’s definitely Burg Eltz (Eltz Castle). It sure looks like a fairytale castle, surrounded by magical forrest.
This remarkable German castle is located in a rural area, not too far from the winding river Rhine. It was built in 1157 and has never been destroyed. It is still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago.
