Many of the most beautiful castles around the world are located in Europe. And, unsurprisingly, most royal-architecture enthusiasts choose the Czech Republic or Austria destinations as a vacation setting, as both are famous for the magnificent well-preserved fortresses and luxurious palaces. And that’s a great choice, there is no arguing that (especially considering that one can easily travel between them on a Prague to Vienna train and cross both Czechia and Austria from a travel bucket list in one go). But these countries are hardly the only ones that boast some interesting castles to explore. In fact, Europe has so many of them that visiting all can be considered a life’s adventure! And it has to start somewhere, so we’ve prepared a list of the best castles in Europe that aren’t located in Czechia and Austria
Windsor Castle, England:
Windsor Castle is just one of the many royal properties in the UK. It’s located just over twenty-five miles west of the capital city, and you can easily get to it by train from London in just over half an hour. Since the castle is a working palace, it is sometimes closed at the last minute so it’s important to check before visiting to ensure that you’re going to be able to visit. In general, it is open most days of the year between 10 am and 4 pm. You can purchase tickets online and skip the queue.
Castel Sant’Angelo, Italy:
Towering over the city of Rome for almost two millennia, the Castel Sant’Angelo was built by Emperor Hadrian as a tomb for himself and his family in 123 AD. Since ancient times, the land that the castle is built on has been used for burial purposes due to its position next to the Tiber River. Many tours to Italy will cover this castle, which is named for the large statue of the archangel Michael located on its terrace.
Lake Bled Castle, Slovenia:
When it comes to both the location and the views around this castle, little beats Bled Castle in Slovenia. Sitting on a hill atop the town of Bled and the stunning Lake Bled, this medieval castle has been around since 1011 and is the oldest castle in the country. With a ticket that can be purchased online to skip the queues, you can get access to both the castle and the top tower where you can see some of the best views in Slovenia.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany:
It’s also worth including the Bavarian area of Germany in your itinerary, so you can visit Neuschwanstein Castle, which is best known for being the castle that inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. It was commissioned by King Ludwig II in honor of the German musician Richard Wagner as a retreat that was intended to be the king’s home. Unfortunately, the king only spent eleven nights in the castle before his death, and the castle was opened to the public just seven weeks afterward. Today it is one of the most popular castles around the world, with over a million visitors every day. It is open every day of the year except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Years Day.
Europe is home to some of the most gorgeous castles in the world and many of them are open to the public on most days of the year.
