The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses

Hilltop fortress on a steep cliff 112 metres above the river in northern Slovakia. Visitors climb many stone and wooden stairs through the Lower, Middle and Upper Castles, past furnished halls and exhibitions.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop Japanese castle complex above Himeji in Hyōgo Prefecture, with a white plastered keep. Visitors remove their shoes, climb steep narrow stairs inside the keep, and walk through gates and baileys.

WebsiteDirections

Restored Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, Romania, with tall towers, stone walls and a long entrance bridge. Visitors walk through large halls, narrow corridors, staircases, courtyards and viewpoints, with exhibitions in several rooms.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress at 757 metres above the Alsace plain, rebuilt in the early 1900s. Visitors walk through restored rooms, weapons halls, a medieval garden and terraces with wide views.

WebsiteDirections

Coastal fortress on the Mediterranean shore beside the Anamur road, with walls and towers built on ancient foundations. Visitors walk the ramparts and climb steep, narrow stairs to the towers, with sea views from the top.

WebsiteDirections

Walled medieval castle at the mouth of the River Seiont, facing the Menai Strait. Visitors climb polygonal towers, walk the battlements and wander a maze of corridors, stairs and halls.

WebsiteDirections

Clifftop ruined castle on a rocky headland above the North Sea near Stonehaven. Visitors walk down a long stepped path from the car park, then climb to the gate and wander through the ruined rooms, with information panels explaining each area.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the Alentejo plain, crowning a quartzite cliff with a walled village inside. Visitors climb the ramparts, walk the towers and a cistern, and see views stretching into Spain.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a 50-metre limestone hill in the centre of Aleppo's Old City. Visitors cross a stone bridge over a deep moat, pass large gates, and walk the towers and terrace above the city.

Directions

Moated brick castle in Heerlen, Limburg, with a mix of building styles from several centuries. Visitors walk freely through many rooms, a dungeon and an attic cinema, using a digital key for stories.

WebsiteDirections

Medieval castle beside the Conwy estuary, built for Edward I. Visitors climb narrow spiral stairs in the towers and walk the battlements, with views over the harbour and town walls.

WebsiteDirections

Pentagonal 17th-century palace-fortress ruin in Ujazd, Świętokrzyskie, built by Voivode Krzysztof Ossoliński. Visitors walk halls, corridors and underground passages along four colour-coded routes, with most ceilings collapsed.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above Siklós with museum rooms in its halls and cellars. Visitors walk along the castle walls and climb many stairs past a panopticon, a prison, a torture chamber and a terrace view.

WebsiteDirections

Cliff-top castle on a rock above the Zschopau River, a medieval tower castle. Visitors tour the museum rooms, walk the inner courtyard and cross the bridge for views from the riverbank.

WebsiteDirections

Lakeside castle on a rock in Lake Geneva, reached through many rooms, underground vaults and towers. Visitors walk through halls, a prison, courtyards and the keep, with explanations in each room.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above Stirling and the Forth valley, with a royal palace inside its walls. Visitors climb to the walls for wide views, then walk through restored royal rooms, the Great Hall and the kitchen, often with costumed staff.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a red jasper spur above the Ceno valley, built by the Landi family around 1200. Visitors walk courtyards, towers, walkways along the walls, a torture chamber and furnished, frescoed rooms.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop Gothic castle above the village of Nedvědice, reached by a forest path or a small train. Visitors pass the forecourt, the walls and courtyards, then join a guided tour through the interior rooms and the five-storey Barborka tower.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above the Guadalquivir valley near Almodóvar del Río, rebuilt in the early 20th century on an earlier Islamic-era structure. Visitors walk through restored rooms, climb several towers and walk the walls for views over the town and river.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle keep on Mount Katsuyama, overlooking central Matsuyama city. Visitors ride a lift or ropeway, walk past stone walls and gates, then climb steep interior stairs to top-floor views.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a volcanic mountain above Mukachevo. Visitors walk through the courtyards, bastions and several museum halls, with a cartoon film screened in a small cinema.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a rocky peninsula above the Smotrych River canyon, reached by a bridge from the old town. Visitors walk along walls, towers and stairs, and see views over the canyon and city.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a sandstone hill above Gwalior city. Visitors walk ramparts, palaces, temples, sculptures and water tanks across a long complex.

WebsiteDirections

Riverside stone fortress on a high bank of the Dniester, built in stages from the 13th century with later Moldavian expansion. Visitors walk the ramparts, thick walls, inner courtyard and exhibition rooms, with views over the river.

WebsiteDirections

Medieval fortress in the town of Fougères, Brittany, with towers, ramparts and walls around a large courtyard. Visitors walk the ramparts, climb several towers and watch trebuchet and crossbow demonstrations.

WebsiteDirections

Moated ruined castle near Monmouth in the Welsh Marches, begun in the 1430s by Sir William ap Thomas. Visitors walk through courtyards, towers and gatehouse, and climb steep stairs for views over the countryside.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress in the Sahyadri hills near Pune, the first Maratha capital and a site Shivaji developed. Visitors climb rocky trails to reach ramparts, water tanks, palace ruins and the Balekilla summit.

Directions

Hilltop castle above the town of Karlštejn, near the Beroun River southwest of Prague. Visitors climb a steep village street, walk the courtyard and ramparts, then join a guided tour of the interior.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress at the confluence of the Boeza and Sil rivers in Ponferrada, built by the Knights Templar and expanded over later centuries. Visitors walk the walls and towers, climb to views over the city, and pass rooms showing how people lived.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress in the Sahyadri mountains near Mahad, the former capital of the Maratha Empire. Visitors climb stone steps or take the ropeway to walk the royal durbar, bazaar and memorial areas.

Directions

Hilltop fortress above the Füzér settlement, built on a volcanic mountain with a medieval castle core. Visitors climb about 250 steps through the lower castle to the upper rooms, chapel and panoramic terraces.

WebsiteDirections

Star-shaped castle on a hill above the town of Belmonte, Cuenca. Visitors walk the rampart and outer walls, then move through cylindrical towers, dungeons and palace halls with coffered ceilings.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a limestone promontory above the Huesca plain, built in the Romanesque period. Visitors climb uneven steps and walk the walls, passageways and rooms, with views across the countryside.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on the Mount Hermon slopes above Banias, built by the Ayyubids and expanded by the Mamluks. Visitors walk through towers, halls, passages and stairs, with views over the Hula Valley.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above the town of Vianden in Luxembourg, largely rebuilt after a restoration begun in 1977. Visitors walk through furnished rooms, courtyards, towers, a chapel and a Romanesque gallery, with views over the valley.

WebsiteDirections

Octagonal castle on a hill in the Alta Murgia, built by Frederick II. Visitors see bare octagonal rooms on two floors and an inner courtyard, reached by a paid shuttle from the lower car park.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the North Sea coast at Bamburgh, with views over beaches and the Farne Islands. Visitors walk through the state rooms, a Last Kingdom exhibition and the Armstrong museum, then climb to the battlements and grounds.

WebsiteDirections

Moated concentric castle on the Menai Strait coast at Beaumaris, built by Edward I and never finished. Visitors walk the walls, ramparts and galleries around the moat and ground floor areas.

WebsiteDirections

Moated brick castle on flat land in Coca, Segovia, built of red Mudéjar brick with a deep moat. Visitors walk the walls and battlements, climb the towers and see a few restored rooms.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above the town of Sümeg, on a steep rocky hill north of Lake Balaton. Visitors climb to the gate, cross the drawbridge and walk through restored rooms, towers and walls.

WebsiteDirections

Moated medieval castle in a wooded valley above the Eltzbach stream near Wierschem, owned by the same family for centuries. Visitors walk a forest path or shuttle bus up to the courtyard, then see the interior only on a guided tour.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle ruin above Bornhagen in the Eichsfeld region, with views over the surrounding landscape. Visitors walk through the courtyards, cellars and dungeon, and climb narrow spiral stairs in the towers to the viewing platforms.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a table mountain above the Elbe River near Königstein, Saxony. Visitors walk the ramparts and circular path, and pass museums, courtyards and a deep well.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a limestone cliff above the Dordogne River in Beynac-et-Cazenac. Visitors walk the keep, great hall, kitchens and ramparts, with wide valley views from the terraces.

WebsiteDirections

Clifftop medieval castle above Gorey harbour on Jersey's east coast, reached by a steep climb from the pier. Visitors wander a maze of rooms, spiral staircases and courtyards, and reach roof and parapet views across to France.

WebsiteDirections

Moated medieval castle in Caerphilly, Wales, set in a lake and water defences. Visitors see the great hall, leaning tower and wall towers, and walk narrow spiral stairs and ramparts.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above the River Gwendraeth in Kidwelly, with towers, walls and a gatehouse. Visitors climb stone stairs to the towers and walls, walk through the courtyard, kitchens, great hall remains and dungeons.

WebsiteDirections

Island castle on a rock where three sea lochs meet near Dornie, rebuilt in the early 20th century. Visitors see the stone bridge, the outside walls and grounds, and walk through the restored rooms inside.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the Homs Gap in western Syria, reached by road from Homs. Visitors walk through dark interior galleries, climb to the walls and towers, and look out over the surrounding valleys.

Directions

Hilltop castle above the town of Stará Ľubovňa, reached by an uphill climb from the parking area. Visitors walk through exhibition rooms, dungeons and courtyards, climb the tower for views and watch falconry shows.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a rocky outcrop above Launsdorf in Carinthia. Visitors climb a path through fourteen defensive gates, with information boards at each, then reach a courtyard, a small museum of armour and weapons, and a restaurant.

WebsiteDirections

Brick castle on the Nogat River, built by the Teutonic Knights. Visitors walk through courtyards, Gothic halls and museum rooms, following a route set by an audio guide.

WebsiteDirections

Moated brick castle on the Gulf of Morbihan coast near Sarzeau, surrounded by marshes, a wooded park and a pond. Visitors walk through rebuilt medieval rooms across two sections, with ramparts and courtyards along the way.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a rocky spur above Cucugnan in the Corbières, reached by a short, steep climb from the car park. Visitors walk through the ruined walls, vaults and stairs of the keep, with wide views to the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above Sedan town on the Meuse, with massive walls and ramparts ringing a large inner complex. Visitors walk through lit and animated rooms, cellars and spiral staircases, with horse shows and knight demonstrations in the courtyard.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress at about 2,300 metres above the Arasbaran region near Kaleybar, with walls built on almost vertical rocks. Visitors climb a steep stone stair and forest path to reach the ruined walls and structures at the summit.

Directions

Red sandstone fortress on a rocky spur in Teruel province, built into the rock outcrops. Visitors climb three levels of walls and towers, pass siege engines in the courtyard and see an exhibition in the residence.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the old town of Trenčín on the Váh River, built on a 1067 rotunda site. Visitors climb to the courtyards, walls and Matúš Tower, with views over the city and surrounding countryside.

WebsiteDirections

Riverside medieval fortress on a steep rocky hill above the Danube, at the entrance to the Iron Gates gorge. Visitors climb towers and walk through the walls, with stairs and views over the river.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above Lake Bracciano in Bracciano, Italy, built by the Orsini family and still privately owned. Visitors walk through frescoed rooms, courtyards, kitchens, prisons and along the walls and towers.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle ruin above the Isenach Valley near Bad Dürkheim, reached on foot through woods. Visitors walk through towers, courtyards, vaults and a garden, with viewing platforms over the valley and a small museum.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, climbed by steep stone steps through massive gates, walls and dark passages. Visitors walk the winding route up to viewpoints over the surrounding hills and the Chand Minar.

WebsiteDirections

Medieval castle in the village of Chillingham, Northumberland, set among gardens and parkland. Visitors walk through rooms crammed with antiques and collections, the dungeon, a chapel and a rooftop reached by spiral stairs.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress in the Aravalli Hills near Rajsamand, built by Rana Kumbha. Visitors climb steep paved ramps past temples and palace courtyards, and walk along the long outer wall with views over the hills.

WebsiteDirections

Cliff-top castle above the Sázava River, still owned by the Šternberk family. Visitors tour the furnished representative rooms with a guide, then walk the courtyard and viewpoints over the river.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the Volga and Oka confluence in Nizhny Novgorod. Visitors walk the brick wall and climb through towers with views over the rivers and city, with administrative buildings and churches on the grounds.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a long narrow ridge above the Adige Valley near Besenello. Visitors walk the ramparts and battlement walkways for valley views, then move through courtyards, towers and rooms holding weapons and armour.

WebsiteDirections

Riverside castle on a rocky rise above Pembroke town, built by the Normans and later home to the Tudor line. Visitors climb spiral towers, walk the curtain wall and ramparts, and pass rooms with mannequins and exhibitions.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the Dordogne Valley, with a rocky approach from the village below. Visitors climb the steep slope, walk the ramparts and tour the rooms, which hold armour, weapons and war machines.

WebsiteDirections

Medieval castle ruins on a hill in Cēsis, Latvia, with a park and moat bridge. Visitors carry candle lanterns through dark spiral staircases, towers, and dungeons, then cross into the adjacent 18th-century New Castle museum.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle above the Val di Non, reached by a gravel path through woods from paid car parks. Visitors walk through furnished rooms on several floors, the kitchens, the carriage gallery and the gardens.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on Bonnet-à-l'Évêque mountain above Milot, northern Haiti, built by Henri Christophe between 1805 and 1820. Visitors walk through its thick walls and bastions, see the rows of bronze cannons, and take in views over the surrounding north.

Directions

Hilltop fortress above Eger with surviving walls, several towers and a Renaissance palace building. Visitors walk the courtyards and ramparts and tour the museum on the 1552 siege.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the Dniester Estuary in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, covering about 9 hectares. Visitors walk the long defensive walls and towers, with views over the bay and the ruins of the ancient city nearby.

Directions

Hilltop citadel in the ancient city of Byblos on the Lebanese coast, with a Crusader-era castle over older ruins. Visitors walk through the citadel courtyards and climb the towers for sea views over the port and city.

Directions

Circular fortress in the heart of Nizwa, beside the traditional souq. Visitors walk through the tower, rooms, passages and defensive features such as false doors, and climb to rooftop views.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on a rocky ridge in forest near Saint-Front-sur-Lémance. Visitors walk rock-cut moats, drawbridges, barbicans, towers, ramparts and underground galleries.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop double castle above the Moselle vineyards near Alken, partly ruined and partly preserved. Visitors walk the grounds, gardens and rooms, and climb the tower for views over the valley.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop mud-brick fortress above the Bahla oasis in Oman, with walls and towers rising from the high ground over the palm groves. Visitors climb steep stairs and walk through courtyards, narrow passages and rooms, and walk along the ramparts for views over the town.

Directions

Peninsula fortress on a rocky spit between Bodrum's two harbours, built by the Knights of Saint John. Visitors climb its towers, walk stone walls and courtyards, and pass through exhibition halls with views over the harbour.

WebsiteDirections

Star-shaped Vauban-style fortress in Alba Iulia, Romania, with seven bastions and Roman, medieval and Habsburg layers. Visitors walk the ramparts, pass monumental gates, gardens and fountains, and reach two cathedrals.

WebsiteDirections

Hill fortress of granite rock in Chitradurga, Karnataka, ringed by seven concentric stone walls. Visitors walk through gateways, old temples, water cisterns and rock-cut passages, and climb steep sections to viewpoints over the town.

Directions

Hilltop fortress above Alcalá la Real in Jaén province, with a walled village inside. Visitors walk through streets, houses, cellars, cisterns, military quarters and the church, and climb towers for views over olive groves.

WebsiteDirections

Coastal fortress on the European shore of the Dardanelles Strait, built with the narrow strait at its foot. Visitors climb stone towers and walls, walk through the cloverleaf inner citadel and its exhibition rooms, and look out over the water.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress on Trikuta Hill in the Thar Desert, built from yellow sandstone. Homes, shops, temples and cafés fill its lanes, with ramparts and carved balconies to walk along.

WebsiteDirections

Moated brick castle in 's-Heerenberg with an outer bailey, a keep and a surrounding park. Visitors walk the courtyard, the tower and the cellar, and many rooms hold religious paintings rather than furnished interiors.

WebsiteDirections

Hill fortress in the Sahyadri range near Nashik, reached on foot from Nirgudpada village. Visitors climb a near-vertical rock-cut staircase of about 80 steps with iron railings, then reach the summit with 360-degree views.

Directions

Cliff-face castle built partly into a cave near Postojna, Slovenia. Visitors walk through rock-built rooms, a cave beneath the castle and exhibits on its owners.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above ancient Corinth, rising on a rocky summit that overlooks the Isthmus. Visitors climb past triple walls and gates, then explore ruins, a Byzantine church, an Ottoman tower and a theatre.

Directions

Moated red-brick castle in the village of Mir, Grodno Region, beside a lake. Visitors see towers, ramparts and bastions, walk the courtyard, cellars and dungeon, and climb narrow tower stairs.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop fortress above the Rudkhan River in the forests near Fuman, with towers and ramparts on the heights. Visitors climb about 1,600 stone steps past waterfalls and vendors, then walk the walls and reach the Shahneshin section.

Directions

Mud-brick fortified residence in the Skoura palm grove, with a wadi crossing on the approach. Visitors walk through courtyards, rooms with household tools, and climb towers for views over the palms and the Atlas Mountains.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle ruin on the Königstuhl slope above the Neckar and Heidelberg's Old Town, built of red sandstone. Visitors walk the courtyard, terraces and ruined halls, with views over the rooftops and river.

WebsiteDirections

Fifteenth-century fortress in Bunratty village, County Clare, near Shannon. Visitors climb narrow spiral stairs through furnished rooms and halls, then walk a reconstructed folk village of period houses.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle in the village of Lipnice nad Sázavou, partly ruined and being restored. Visitors wander freely after a short guide introduction, through cellars, halls, a chapel and tower interiors.

WebsiteDirections

Flatland castle keep in black and white lacquer beside a wide moat, with the Northern Alps behind. Visitors climb steep wooden stairs through the keep's floors, see firearms and displays, and walk the moat and grounds.

WebsiteDirections

Medieval castle rebuilt in the 19th century, standing above the village of Pierrefonds on the edge of the Compiègne Forest. Visitors walk through lightly furnished rooms, painted ceilings, Empress Eugénie's apartment and a crypt of recumbent effigies.

WebsiteDirections

Hilltop castle on a rock spur above Campo di Trens, reached from a free car park by a short steep path. Visitors walk through the courtyard inside the walls, then the kitchen, dormitories, green room and king's chamber, with QR-code audio at each room.

WebsiteDirections

Clifftop ruined fortress above the North Sea and Firth of Forth, east of North Berwick, built by William Douglas. Visitors walk the courtyard, climb narrow spiral stairs to the battlements and look out to Bass Rock.

WebsiteDirections

Fortress in Rustaq, South Al Batinah, built in the late 17th or early 18th century under Imam Sultan bin Saif Al Ya'arubi. Visitors walk through thick-walled towers, hidden passages, rooms on several floors and a falaj channel running inside.

Directions