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[wakingdream]

Budget travel has a feature on the World's Most Beautiful Castles



A few featured castles are;

Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland

Eilean Donan, Dornie, Scottish Highlands

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, Orschwiller, Alsace

Château de Chillon, Lake Geneva, Montreaux

Check out the list if you have a moment. There's a decent slide show.

I think the only castle I've ever been to is CasaLoma in Toronto so I'm intrigued by them and want to explore a few at some point.

So, who out there likes castles? Any notable ones you've been to?

[kitkatgo]

Oh, I LOVE castles! I admit it fully. I'm a princess at heart.

The one I really want to go to, but haven't yet, is Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. It's the one the Disney castles were modeled from. And, speaking of Disney castles, I've visited them at Disneyland (California), Disney Paris, DisneyWorld (Florida), and Tokyo Disney.

From the list, I've been to Leeds, which is really quite something. If you like the Tudor period, then it's a great place to go.

I've been to Kensington Palace, Windsor, Warwick and Tower of London also in England, of course. Warwick was amazing, but I'm afraid they've made it rather Disneyesque which ruins it a bit to me. [If I want Disney...I'll go to one of the parks!]

There's Hearst Castle in the U.S. (California) which is fun to visit...I went as a kid and hope to go back with my kids someday.

I have also been to Casa Loma in Toronto...it was ok.

Prague Castle was nice (but you can't actually go INSIDE). But Cesky Krumlov Castle in the southern part of Czech Rep was very different and interesting to see as was the medieval town surrounding it.

Himeji Castle in Himeji, Japan is amazing; it is the best example of Japanese architecture and structure of the time (1300s).

In France, we recently went to the fortified city of Carcassonne and explored the old walls and "castle" inside. There wasn't much to the castle, but the walls and everything else were incredible.

I'm looking forward to many more castle visits...

[cheli]

Casa Loma is NOT a castle, he just wanted it to be!!

My first castle/palace was the Residenz in Munich - probably pretty forgettable as castles go, but I loved it cos it was my first. That, and it's incredible to wander through and reflect on the skill of those who remade pretty much most of the castle after it was destroyed in WWII off a bunch of black and white photos...

Neuschwanstein was fantastic Kitkat - you'll love it! I went on a tour that took me to another of Ludwig's castles that was modelled off Versailles and it was so 'cute' and 'cosy' - if a palace can be called that!

Other stand out castles/palaces in my opinion:

Stirling castle, Scotland

Chenonceau, France

Chambord, France

Rheinstein, and Rheinfels Germany - you can't visit Rheinstein but you can see it from a river cruise. Rheinfels is a ruin but its incredible when you get your head around what it was like in its prime (in fact, the whole Rhein is pretty cool - I counted 12 castles on a 1 hour cruise! And at least two of them are available as hostels, but you have to book really early. I tried two weeks ahead in October and they were full!)
Wurzberg Residenz, Germany (Georgeous frescos)


umm...I have to go to dinner now, but I'll come back but that's most of the best anyway!

[wakingdream]

Haha, Casa Loma is the closest thing to a castle I've ever been to! I thought it was really neat when I was a kid, with the secret trap doors and such but I'll admit it's nothing compared to all these other beauties!

Well Kit, you've been to so many castles, you really are/should be a princess!!!

[jeremystravels]

I think I will be quite content with my life when it comes to castles if I can visit Eilean Donan. Ever since seeing Highlander it has been on my list.

I've only been to Windsor, Tower of London, and Prague Castles, but I hardly would call them a castle when compared to the ones on that list. You can actually go in Prague Castle, but they only have a couple rooms and the church (St Georges) open to visitors - St George's Basilica was the only part worth seeing - even on student prices.

[stereobread]

Devin Castle just outside of Bratislava, Slovakia is pretty impressive looking and it's got a great setting on a cliff overlooking the Danube.

[uktokyoite]

Himeji castle when the cherry blossoms are in bloom thanks to this Blog by K Kabegami

[wakingdream]

Wow! That is absolutely stunning!

[starfish]

Scotland has a few castles worth considering, but IMO the most stunning is Dunnottar Castle, just outside Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire. It was used in the Zefirelli version of Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson, as the set for Elsinor.

[wakingdream]

That one is a beauty too!

[travelmonster]

I go to castles everywhere I go if there is one - I love em. I still think that Dover castle in England takes some beating.

[darrenstravels]

I go to castles everywhere I go if there is one - I love em. I still think that Dover castle in England takes some beating.

I love the Tunnels down there! I also really like Bodium Castle.

Saying that, those Japanese castles were stunning!

[wakingdream]

For something a little less touristy and truly unique is Castle Stalker in the West of Scotland..it's the one that was used at the end of Monty Python and the Holy Grail!! Situated on an island on Loch Laich it's almost surreal..you can visit it but you have to book in advance and even then it depends on various other factors - mainly weather and tides. Worth it though!

Hey, that sounds really nice! I'd go for a look around one day when I manage to get myself over to Scotland....won't be too long!

BTW, welcome to the forums. Are you from Scotland?