Long before the era of McMansions, ages before the age of skyscrapers, there were castles. They were the end-all, be-all status symbol, the sort of investment you’d make once you reached the top of your career path and hierarchy of needs. Europe is awash in these bygone bastions of civilization; you often can’t get very far in any direction before you come across one. But not all castles warrant the same amount of “oohs” and “ahhs” — some are simply more intriguing, more aesthetic and more memorable than others. Here are four that rise to the occasion of “can’t-miss” the next time you’re planning a trip to Europe.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Set atop a forest-covered hill in Bavaria, Germany, Neuschwanstein Castle is the most quintessential fairytale castle you could imagine … so much so that it served as the inspiration for Disney’s ever-iconic Cinderella Castle. It’s a masterpiece of 19th-century Romanesque Revival architecture, with the works of Albert Wagner serving as the muse, though only 14 of the 65 rooms are finished and furnished — such as the king’s bedroom, the Singer’s Hall and the cave-like grotto. As stunning as the ornate interiors are, as gorgeous as the silhouette is cutting across the backdrop of the Bavarian Alps, the context of history adds a delicious pinch of appreciation.
Picture it: It’s the late 1860s — the Industrial Revolution has been happening or over 100 years. The time of castles and knights is well in the past. Prussia has just won the Austro-Prussian War, forcing Bavaria to accept an alliance with the new empire. Now, imagine the King of Bavaria: Ludwig II, often described at best as “eccentric” and “reclusive.” His subjects referred to him as “The Fairytale King.” What is a monarch to do in these precarious times? If you guessed “spend your entire fortune on lavish palaces and go into deep personal debt to the point of being deposed by your cabinet,” you’re correct! This refuge of opulence and serenity is the pet project of an obscenely wealthy man; the 19th-century equivalent of a private space exploration company. Ludwig II passed away before his vision could be completed, but you can still stroll the grounds and appreciate his vision today.
Mont Saint Michel, France
Not a castle in the sense of, “Oh, royalty lived here,” but more of a castle in the sense of, “Oh, this place could withstand a siege,” Mont Saint Michel is built atop a tidal island off the coast of Normandy. It’s been plenty of things throughout time: A monastery (for the first six centuries or so), a prison (for the French Revolution), a lookout post (for WWII) and now a tourist attraction, with some of those stints lasting several centuries longer than others. Through it all, the rocky behemoth has stood unmoved, seemingly uneroded. Sitting atop the isle like a crown, the abbey is one of the primary draws for visiting. Even the most casual “Game of Thrones” viewer is bound to have goosebumps strolling through such immaculately preserved, historically hallowed grounds. The other primary draw? The tide. Watching the ocean envelop the way in (and out!) really drives home both what used to count as a security system, and what must’ve warranted it.
Palácio da Pena, Portugal
If there was any palace that could claim to be more whimsical than Neuschwanstein, it’s Pena. Once a 15th-century monastery, the estate got a serious facelift from King Ferdinand II in the 1800s,, updating the remains of the monastery into a palace fit for, well, royalty. Combining elements of German medieval, Oriental, Portuguese Manueline and other Romantic-style architecture with a brilliant patchwork of color, the National Palace of Pena seems to answer the question, “What if Willy Wonka had a medieval castle?” The interiors are just as fantastic — you’ll find intricately carved ceilings and walls within Queen Amelia’s apartments, a fully furnished palace kitchen plus a stunning all-white reception room (just to name a few of the highlights as you peruse the inside). Weather permitting, you can stroll the terraces and gaze out at the regal grounds: Nearly 500 acres of enchanting forest, filled with cypress, magnolia, western cedarwood and scores of ferns stretched across the hilly terrain, creating a true fairytale setting.
The Rock of Cashel, Ireland
Castles have a life span; a spectrum of unconquerability, with “invincible” on one end and “a funny collection of rocks” on the other. The Rock of Cashel is on the back half of this timeline — the wear and tear of the centuries bringing its resilience into sharp context. First claimed by the Eóghanachta clan in the 4th century as a simple fortress atop a hill, it became the Seat of the High Kings of Munster in the 5th century; legend has it that St. Patrick himself converted King Aengus to Christianity here. Fast forward a few centuries, and the castle was gifted to the church in 1101. A cathedral, tower and chapel were all built in the 1200s, then sacked by English Parliamentarian troops in 1647. Fast forward again to 1749, and Archbishop Arthur Price removed the cathedral’s roof. Lightning took the cathedral’s high cross in 1976. Through it all, this ebb and flow of power and history, the bones of the structure still stand atop the green rocky hill. A hefty wall surrounds the Rock’s perimeter, with ancient, intricate headstones popping up within the grounds like stone mushrooms. A stroll through surviving structures still provides plenty to marvel at. The chapel contains the only surviving Romanesque frescoes in Ireland.
The Halls of the Vicars Choral feel almost haunted with the laymen’s chants for cathedral services. The cathedral itself seems to have taken on a new hue of spirituality, with patches of moss replacing the pop of color once reserved for the stained glass, the wide-open sky the new vaulted ceiling. There’s only so much left to see at the Rock of Cashel, yet you can still easily get lost among it all. And again, these are just some of the best castles we could think to recommend — the entire continent is filled with them. The best way to find fortresses worth seeing on your next European holiday is to partner up with a travel agent; their treasure trove of regional insight and industry wisdom translates to a trip filled with hidden gems.