The Most Gorgeous Castles In The World — Pretend You’re Royalty On Your Next Vacation

Aria Misty | October 3, 2024 4:00 pm

Take treating yourself to the next level by envisioning yourself as the king or queen that you are.

Some of these castles have actually been converted into luxury hotels where the staff aims to make you feel like royalty, and that's something we can all appreciate.

Château Frontenac, Canada

Château Frontenac
Photo Credit: Guylaine BTgin / Getty Images
Photo Credit: Guylaine BTgin / Getty Images

Château Frontenac, converted into a luxury hotel, is the most photographed hotel in the world, and for good reason. It's as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. Plus, it gives a breathtaking view of the surrounding city of Quebec.

ADVERTISEMENT

Çırağan Palace, Turkey

ADVERTISEMENT
Çırağan Palace Kempinski
Photo Credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Picture Turkish baths, saunas, indoor and outdoor whirlpools, a private balcony, plush beds with six pillows, and even a pillow menu. It's complete luxury.

ADVERTISEMENT

If you get hungry, the hotel's Laledan Restaurant is known for its legendary feasts, with made-to-order risotto, Turkish meats and cheeses, freshly squeezed juices, and a mobile Bloody Mary bar!

ADVERTISEMENT

Windsor Castle, England

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Windsor Castle
Photo Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images
Photo Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

When you think of the royal family's home, you might think of Buckingham Palace, but Winsdor Castle has been home to kings and queens for over 1,000 years!

ADVERTISEMENT

It stretches over a whole 13 acres. It's actually the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, but you're welcome to tour it year-round.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rambagh Palace, India

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Rambagh Palace
Photo Credit: Simon de Trey-White / Getty Images
Photo Credit: Simon de Trey-White / Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Here's your chance to be treated like a royal from the past at the home of the Maharaja of Jaipur.

ADVERTISEMENT

The monument is known as the "jewel of Jaipur," and it's a stunning representation of ancient Indian architecture with staples like elegant carpets, intricate wall motifs and textures, and delicate gardens.

ADVERTISEMENT

Himeji Castle, Japan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-Himeji_castle_q
Wikimedia Commons / Floodmfx
Wikimedia Commons / Floodmfx
ADVERTISEMENT

This whitewashed monument is actually often referred to as "White Heron Castle" because it almost looks like a great bird taking flight.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was completed in the early 17th century and stands today as both a Japanese national treasure and World Heritage Site.

ADVERTISEMENT

Xara Palace, Malta

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Xara_Palace_Hotel
Wikimedia Commons / Continentaleurope
Wikimedia Commons / Continentaleurope
ADVERTISEMENT

This castle is steps away from beach resorts on the coastline, but it gives you a taste of 17th-century aristocratic Malta.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was once used as a mess hall for Allied officers during World War II. Now, staying the night is an opportunity for beautiful hilltop views of the surrounding countryside.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hohenwerfen Castle, Austria

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
castle
Photo Credit: De Agostini / G. P. Cavallero via Getty Images
Photo Credit: De Agostini / G. P. Cavallero via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Location is everything, and this one is placed on a rocky mountain with the stunning background of the Berchtesgaden Alps.

ADVERTISEMENT

The castle was built between 1075 and 1078, and it has served as everything from a fort, to a residence, to a hunting retreat, to a state prison! Nowadays, it's a museum that's definitely worth a visit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Château De Chambord, France

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Château de Chambord
Photo Credit: LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images
Photo Credit: LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

If you enjoy luxury, you'll love Château de Chambord 's impressive 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases! The French monarchy didn't cheap out.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was King François I who started its construction as a weekend hunting retreat in 1519. He decorated the castle with beautiful works of art, including some by Leonardo da Vinci. Funny enough, he found the result to be too elaborate and only stayed there for a few weeks throughout his reign.

ADVERTISEMENT

La Mamounia, Morocco

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-La_Mamounia_interior_II
Wikimedia Commons / Pi3.124
Wikimedia Commons / Pi3.124
ADVERTISEMENT

This castle was built in the 12th century, with elegant touches like mosaics and a private-pool. Yet the real attraction is the castle garden, which was a wedding gift to Prince Al Mamoun.

ADVERTISEMENT

It is carefully cultivated with 5,000 rose bushes, 700-year-old olive trees, 21 cactus species, and a 16,145-square-foot vegetable garden!

ADVERTISEMENT

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
castle
Photo Credit: CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images
Photo Credit: CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

This castle was built not out of necessity, but just to show off by Ludwig II of Bavaria, also known as the 'mad king.'

ADVERTISEMENT

This means that it was built to look stunning, with incredible attention to detail on the aesthetics both inside and outside the castle. Did we mention this is the palace that inspired the castle in Disney's Sleeping Beauty?!

ADVERTISEMENT

Castle Of Coca, Spain

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Castle of Coca
Photo Credit: Arturo Rosas/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Arturo Rosas/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

A Spanish aristocratic family with an eye for luxury is behind this 15th-century castle. At the time, it served primarily as their residence. However, the surrounding areas lacked in resources so they resorted to building it with bricks instead of stones. That's why it looks red on the outside.

ADVERTISEMENT

Today, it serves as a school of forestry, but it can be toured.

ADVERTISEMENT

Culzean Castle, Scotland

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Culzean Castle
Photo Credit: MyLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Photo Credit: MyLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

You can actually sleep here, along with a rumored seven ghosts. This castle has been standing along the Ayrshire coast since 1777.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was once home to the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy, but it's now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gravensteen Castle, Belgium

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Gravensteen Castle
Photo Credit: DEA / W.BUSS/De Agostini via Getty Images
Photo Credit: DEA / W.BUSS/De Agostini via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Gravensteen Castle takes its name from Count Philip of Alsace, as the name literally means "castle of the Count."

ADVERTISEMENT

It was built in the late 12th century as a symbol of the influential noble family's wealth and power. It worked, as it's still standing over 800 years later!

ADVERTISEMENT

Castello Di Pavone, Italy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
36_Castello_di_Pavone
Wikimedia Commons / Derbrauni
Wikimedia Commons / Derbrauni
ADVERTISEMENT

Each room in this castle is uniquely decorated. The dining rooms are meant to make you feel like you've traveled back in time. Even if you don't stay the night, the medieval architecture and the cute town of Pavone Canavese are worth a day trip.

ADVERTISEMENT

Eilean Donan, Scotland

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Eilean Donan
Photo Credit: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

This famous castle was made recognizable thanks to the 1986 film Highlander. It's located on an island between three lochs (Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh).

ADVERTISEMENT

It was originally established in the 13th century as a stronghold for Clan Mackenzie. Sadly, it was destroyed in the 18th century during the Jacobite rebellions but then rebuilt again in the 20th century!

ADVERTISEMENT

Ashford Castle, Ireland

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Ashford Castle
Photo Credit: DeAgostini/Getty Images
Photo Credit: DeAgostini/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

This castle, which sits between the counties of Mayo and Galway, is rich with culture while still being surrounded by 350 woodland acres of the Irish countryside.

ADVERTISEMENT

The luxurious Ashford Castle offers beautiful views along with exquisite dining. Although, staying the night isn't exactly cheap, with room rates beginning around $700 per night.

ADVERTISEMENT

Kasteel Huis Berg, Netherlands

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Castle_Huis_Bergh_(136637591)
Wikimedia Commons / Jaap Mechielsen
Wikimedia Commons / Jaap Mechielsen
ADVERTISEMENT

This castle has sadly suffered multiple fires and 80 years of war since it was first built in the 12th century.

ADVERTISEMENT

Its ownership changed hands several times, with each new set of hands reshaping and upgrading the castle. Today, it stands as an art gallery, museum, and hotel all in one.

ADVERTISEMENT

Castle Wartegg, Switzerland

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Rorschacherberg-Schloss_Wartegg-06ASD
Wikimedia Commons / Asurnipal
Wikimedia Commons / Asurnipal
ADVERTISEMENT

This castle was originally built in 1557 for the exiled Empress of Austria, Zita of Bourbon-Parma.

ADVERTISEMENT

Now, it serves as a hotel with 25 rooms equipped with all-natural mattresses, from which you wake to an organic breakfast on the lakeside garden terrace, and finish the day off at the castle's 1920s Persian-glazed turquoise bath.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pousada Castelo De Óbidos, Portugal

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-Pousada_Castelo_Óbidos_(40935660170)
Wikimedia Commons / FlyingCrimsonPig
Wikimedia Commons / FlyingCrimsonPig
ADVERTISEMENT

This seaside castle is hidden behind crenelated stone walls. Once you discover it, you'll feel like you traveled back in time to a medieval fortress, with stone corridors, watchtowers, and secluded gardens.

ADVERTISEMENT

You can spend the night in the authentic castle or spend the day in the cobblestone-lined village nearby.