10 real-life European castles
Posted 13 August, 2018
Ben Groundwater
Almost too good to be true, you’d be forgiven for thinking these majestic buildings have come straight out of a fairytale. Here are 10 real-life European castles people can wander through. Some you can even stay the night in.
1. Neuschwanstein, Germany
Neuschwanstein (pictured at top) is about as picture-perfect as a castle can be. It’s rumoured to be the real-life inspiration for Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty’s castles in the Disney classics.
Each room tells its own story. There’s a 13-foot-tall chandelier, a bedroom draped in gold and violet silks and ceiling murals depicting sacred forests and armoured knights.
Built in the 19th century atop a hill in a beautiful part of Bavaria, the castle opened to the public almost immediately after the king it was built for, Ludwig II, died in 1886. People have wandered the castle ever since.
2. Eltz Castle, Germany
It’s rare to find a castle from the 12th century that’s still in its original form; it’s even rarer to find a castle inhabited by the same family – 33 generations and counting. But Eltz Castle, perched on a 70m-high rock on the banks of the Rhine River, is such a place.
Many of the original furnishings of the past eight centuries still remain, but the Armoury and Treasury room, in particular, is a collector’s dream. It’s filled with artworks made from gold and silver, coins, porcelain and 850-year-old family weapons.
Part of this historic building is open to the public from April to October. The other part remains off limits given it’s still inhabited.
3. Warwick Castle, England
How do you teach more than 1000 years of history to visitors who flock to the United Kingdom’s Warwick Castle? With a bit of fun and games.
Among many of the interactive tours are actors who re-enact some of the bloodiest and scariest events that occurred in the castle centuries earlier, and a history maze with special effects and obstacles.
For those who want to stay after they play, Warwick Castle has medieval-themed accommodation, including lodges by the river and luxurious tents just five minutes from the castle.
4. Bran Castle, Romania
Okay, so vampires might not be real, but the beauty of this Romanian fortress – known as Dracula’s Castle – will send shivers down your spine.
Perched on a 200-foot-high mountain on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, the creaky 600-year-old rooms, dark underground tunnels and narrow secret staircases are both creepy and intriguing.
The fear of bumping into a blood-thirsty ghoul at every turn is real, as Bran Castle is a popular spot for Halloween parties and there are competitions open for those game enough to stay the night.
5. Château de Chambord, France
If you have a picture in your head of what the grandest and most regally beautiful French château would look like, it’s probably very similar to Château de Chambord.
There are more than 200 fireplaces, 440 rooms and 84 staircases, including a double helix staircase believed to have been designed with the help of Leonardo da Vinci.
The mind-boggling feature has two spirals so two people can use the staircase at the same time without running into one another.
While you can’t stay the night at the château, you can in the four-star hotel that opened just 50m from the castle in March.
