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Press · The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses
The best castles and fortresses in Europe: Orava Castle in Oravský Podzámok leads
Orava Castle in Oravský Podzámok, Slovakia, is the highest ranked of The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026 in Europe, at N° 1 in the world. Europe has 75 of the 100 entries, from 24 countries; the United Kingdom has the most, 13.
Source: The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, Worth a Journey, https://worthajourney.com/castles/
Orava Castle in Oravský Podzámok, Slovakia, is N° 1 in Europe and N° 1 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Corvin Castle in Hunedoara, Romania, is N° 2 in Europe and N° 3 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg in Orschwiller, France, is N° 3 in Europe and N° 4 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Caernarfon Castle in Caernarfon, United Kingdom, is N° 4 in Europe and N° 6 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Dunnottar Castle in Stonehaven, United Kingdom, is N° 5 in Europe and N° 7 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Marvão Castle in Marvão, Portugal, is N° 6 in Europe and N° 8 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Hoensbroek Castle in Hoensbroek, Netherlands, is N° 7 in Europe and N° 10 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Conwy Castle in Conwy, United Kingdom, is N° 8 in Europe and N° 11 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Krzyżtopór Castle in Ujazd, Poland, is N° 9 in Europe and N° 12 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
Siklós Castle in Siklós, Hungary, is N° 10 in Europe and N° 13 in the world in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026, published by Worth a Journey.
| Europe | World | Venue | Place | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N° 1 | Orava Castle | Oravský Podzámok | Slovakia |
| 2 | N° 3 | Corvin Castle | Hunedoara | Romania |
| 3 | N° 4 | Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg | Orschwiller | France |
| 4 | N° 6 | Caernarfon Castle | Caernarfon | United Kingdom |
| 5 | N° 7 | Dunnottar Castle | Stonehaven | United Kingdom |
| 6 | N° 8 | Marvão Castle | Marvão | Portugal |
| 7 | N° 10 | Hoensbroek Castle | Hoensbroek | Netherlands |
| 8 | N° 11 | Conwy Castle | Conwy | United Kingdom |
| 9 | N° 12 | Krzyżtopór Castle | Ujazd | Poland |
| 10 | N° 13 | Siklós Castle | Siklós | Hungary |
| 11 | N° 14 | Kriebstein Castle | Kriebstein | Germany |
| 12 | N° 15 | Chillon Castle | Veytaux | Switzerland |
| 13 | N° 16 | Stirling Castle | Stirling | United Kingdom |
| 14 | N° 17 | Bardi Castle | Bardi | Italy |
| 15 | N° 18 | Pernštejn Castle | Nedvědice | Czechia |
| 16 | N° 19 | Almodóvar del Río Castle | Almodóvar del Río | Spain |
| 17 | N° 21 | Palanok Castle | Mukachevo | Ukraine |
| 18 | N° 22 | Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle | Kamianets-Podilskyi | Ukraine |
| 19 | N° 24 | Khotyn Fortress | Khotyn | Ukraine |
| 20 | N° 25 | Château de Fougères | Fougères | France |
| 21 | N° 26 | Raglan Castle | Raglan | United Kingdom |
| 22 | N° 28 | Karlštejn Castle | Karlštejn | Czechia |
| 23 | N° 29 | Ponferrada Castle | Ponferrada | Spain |
| 24 | N° 31 | Füzér Castle | Füzér | Hungary |
| 25 | N° 32 | Belmonte Castle | Belmonte | Spain |
| 26 | N° 33 | Loarre Castle | Loarre | Spain |
| 27 | N° 35 | Vianden Castle | Vianden | Luxembourg |
| 28 | N° 36 | Castel del Monte | Andria | Italy |
| 29 | N° 37 | Bamburgh Castle | Bamburgh | United Kingdom |
| 30 | N° 38 | Beaumaris Castle | Beaumaris | United Kingdom |
| 31 | N° 39 | Coca Castle | Coca | Spain |
| 32 | N° 40 | Sümeg Castle | Sümeg | Hungary |
| 33 | N° 41 | Eltz Castle | Wierschem | Germany |
| 34 | N° 42 | Hanstein Castle | Bornhagen | Germany |
| 35 | N° 43 | Königstein Fortress | Königstein | Germany |
| 36 | N° 44 | Château de Beynac | Beynac-et-Cazenac | France |
| 37 | N° 45 | Mont Orgueil Castle | Gorey | Jersey |
| 38 | N° 46 | Caerphilly Castle | Caerphilly | United Kingdom |
| 39 | N° 47 | Kidwelly Castle | Kidwelly | United Kingdom |
| 40 | N° 48 | Eilean Donan Castle | Dornie | United Kingdom |
| 41 | N° 50 | Ľubovňa Castle | Stará Ľubovňa | Slovakia |
| 42 | N° 51 | Hochosterwitz Castle | Launsdorf | Austria |
| 43 | N° 52 | Malbork Castle | Malbork | Poland |
| 44 | N° 53 | Château de Suscinio | Sarzeau | France |
| 45 | N° 54 | Château de Quéribus | Cucugnan | France |
| 46 | N° 55 | Sedan Castle | Sedan | France |
| 47 | N° 57 | Peracense Castle | Peracense | Spain |
| 48 | N° 58 | Trenčín Castle | Trenčín | Slovakia |
| 49 | N° 59 | Golubac Fortress | Golubac | Serbia |
| 50 | N° 60 | Orsini-Odescalchi Castle | Bracciano | Italy |
| 51 | N° 61 | Hardenburg Castle | Bad Dürkheim | Germany |
| 52 | N° 63 | Chillingham Castle | Chillingham | United Kingdom |
| 53 | N° 65 | Český Šternberk Castle | Český Šternberk | Czechia |
| 54 | N° 66 | Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin | Nizhny Novgorod | Russia |
| 55 | N° 67 | Castel Beseno | Besenello | Italy |
| 56 | N° 68 | Pembroke Castle | Pembroke | United Kingdom |
| 57 | N° 69 | Château de Castelnaud | Castelnaud-la-Chapelle | France |
| 58 | N° 70 | Cēsis Castle | Cēsis | Latvia |
| 59 | N° 71 | Castel Thun | Vigo di Ton | Italy |
| 60 | N° 73 | Eger Castle | Eger | Hungary |
| 61 | N° 74 | Akkerman Fortress | Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi | Ukraine |
| 62 | N° 77 | Château de Bonaguil | Saint-Front-sur-Lémance | France |
| 63 | N° 78 | Thurant Castle | Alken | Germany |
| 64 | N° 81 | Alba Carolina Citadel | Alba Iulia | Romania |
| 65 | N° 83 | Fortaleza de la Mota | Alcalá la Real | Spain |
| 66 | N° 86 | Huis Bergh Castle | 's-Heerenberg | Netherlands |
| 67 | N° 88 | Predjama Castle | Predjama | Slovenia |
| 68 | N° 89 | Acrocorinth | Corinth | Greece |
| 69 | N° 90 | Mir Castle | Mir | Belarus |
| 70 | N° 93 | Heidelberg Castle | Heidelberg | Germany |
| 71 | N° 94 | Bunratty Castle | Bunratty | Ireland |
| 72 | N° 95 | Lipnice Castle | Lipnice nad Sázavou | Czechia |
| 73 | N° 97 | Château de Pierrefonds | Pierrefonds | France |
| 74 | N° 98 | Reifenstein Castle | Campo di Trens | Italy |
| 75 | N° 99 | Tantallon Castle | North Berwick | United Kingdom |
