35 Must-See Enchanting Fairytale Castles

Holiday Contest: 3rd Place Winner. Kudos to Mathilda for her exceptional list, which earned her the third-place prize of a $25 iTunes gift card.

As per Wikipedia, “A castle is a fortified structure, often seen as a quintessential symbol of the Middle Ages. While the term has sparked academic discussions about its precise definition, it is generally understood to differ from terms like fort or fortress. Specifically, it refers to a building that served as the residence of a medieval monarch or noble and held authority over a particular region.” For this list, I applied my own criteria: if I were a fairytale princess, would I desire to live there? Consequently, I disregarded interior conditions, prioritized exterior settings, and overlooked any dark historical events. To ensure diversity, I limited the selection to one castle per country, though many equally stunning castles were left out. (I made an exception for England, as I couldn’t resist including two castles I’d love to call home.)

1. Baku’s Wedding Palace Azerbaijan

11. Fasilides Castle Ethiopia

12. Olavinlinna

13. Chateau D’Usse France

14. Neuschwanstein Castle Germany

15. Eszterháza Palace Hungary

16. Khas Mahal India

17. Falak-ol-aflak Castle Iran

18. Kilkenny Castle Ireland

19. Bardi Castle Italy

20. Himeji Castle Japan

21. Petra Jordan

22. Vaduz Castle Lichtenstein

23. Muiderslot The Netherlands

24. Malbork Castle Poland

25. Belem Tower Portugal

26. Hunedoara Castle Romania

27. Kazan Kremlin Russia

28. Eilean Donan Castle Scotland

29. Alcazar of Segovia Spain

30. Orebro Castle Sweden

31. Chillon Castle Switzerland

32. Krak Des Chevaliers Syria

33. Rumelihisar? Turkey

34. Kamianets Ukraine

35. Boldt Castle United States