Fraeylemaborg castle in Slochteren, The Netherlands
Fraeylemaborg, a charming historical estate house and garden in the northern Netherlands, is well worth the visit both for the period interior and the lush gardens.
Search Results for: castle
Visiting Cesky Krumlov Castle and UNESCO site
On your trip to Czechia, besides Prague, I highly recommend visiting Cesky Krumlov and the imposing Czesky Krumlov Castle.
Hluboká Castle,South Bohemia, Czechia: Wow!
Hluboká Castle is a 19th-century castle in Czechia crammed with a stunning collection of furnishings and exceedingly accomplished workmanship.
Rhine Valley castles near Bacharach, Germany
Charming Bacharach Germany is the perfect home base to visit the Rhine Valley castles of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO site.
Heeswijk Castle near Den Bosch
I’ve written about two contrasting castles in the Netherlands before: Muiderslot and Castle de Haar. Muiderslot is the archetypal medieval castle: square with towers in each corner and crenellated walls between them. Castle de Haar,…
Castle De Haar: An extravagant vision of the medieval
Castle de Haar is one of the most fanciful castles I’ve ever seen, if you discount Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland. It’s got a moat, a formal garden, towers and turrets galore. Stunningly ornate, especially…
Muiderslot Castle (a.k.a. Amsterdam Castle)
When you were little, did you ever draw a picture of a castle? If you were like me, the castle in your picture was square, with a tower in each corner, crenellations along the walls…
Visiting Karlstejn Castle from Prague
It took me three tries before I got to visit Karlstejn Castle in Czechia. I’d wanted to see it ever since my terrifying flight in a teeny-tiny airplane from Czech Airport, when I got, quite…
Crathes Castle in Scotland
A so-called “tower house”, Crathes Castle in Scotland has been added to and changed over the centuries. First built in the mid-16th century, it was the home of the Burnett family of Leys, who lived…
Dramatic Dunnottar Castle
As I wrote in my overview of Aberdeenshire castles, my expectation was that the Dunnottar Castle ruins would be worth about a half-hour’s visit. I’d seen photos, and its setting – on a cliff-edged finger…
Balmoral Castle tour: a review
If you’ve ever seen a film involving Queen Victoria, you’ve heard of Balmoral Castle. This is the place the queen used as her escape: her place in the country. She loved Scotland, and this location…
Craigievar Castle, Scotland
There’s something about the fact that Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire is pink that makes it conjure fairy-tale visions. Or maybe it’s that it’s taller than it is wide: think “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”…
Aberdeenshire castles worth visiting
If you happen to be a regular reader of Rachel’s Ruminations, you’ll know I love castles. Scotland has plenty of them, and, conveniently, my son is currently studying in Aberdeen. That gives me a great…
Dunrobin Castle, Scotland
In my last post – about the Scottish Highland heritage tour that I took with my friend, Kate – I mentioned Dunrobin Castle as one of our stops. In reality, we stopped there twice: once…
Should you visit Dracula’s castle?
As the crowds shuffled through the castle, some tourists tried to stake out spots where they could take pictures of each room without people in the photo. Others posed for selfies, their backs to the…
Lovely Burghausen Castle
I love castles, especially the medieval kind. As a result, I visit castles pretty much whenever I can. So this summer, as we were on our way to a vacation in Romania, we decided to…
Not visiting Deva Castle
We weren’t even planning to go to Deva Castle. My husband and I were just driving along, minding our own business, on a road trip in the western Carpathian mountains of Romania. The GPS was…
Gripsholm Castle and Two Charming Towns
It surprised me that the lovely town of Mariefred is only about 40 kilometers east of Stockholm, Sweden. It seems much further because it is so different. “Only” 40 kilometers is a bit misleading, however, given…
What to do in Himeji on a day trip from Kyoto: Himeji Castle and Engyoji Temple
As I stepped off the train for my Himeji day trip from Kyoto, I said to myself, “I’ll look for the tourist information office first and ask how to get to the castle.” (Yes, traveling…
Matsumoto: My first Japanese castle
I chose to visit Matsumoto because I love castles. I’ve seen many in Europe, so this was an obvious choice in Japan. There are a few other things to see in Matsumoto, but the castle…
Gala Dali Castle: Dalí’s Gift to his Muse
If you like Salvador Dalí’s art—even if you’re not such a fan of his work—the Gala Dali Castle in Púbol, Spain, is something you should not miss. This is not a Dalí museum. Dalí bought the…
One day in Oslo itinerary: All the highlights
This itinerary for one day in Oslo, Norway, includes all the sightseeing highlights, grouped by location to help you choose which to see.
All about tower houses in Ireland with tips for visiting
Everything you need to know about tower houses in Ireland – a variety of castle – before visiting: what to look for, which to see, and more!
Experiencing slow travel with UnTours: A review
Considering an UnTour? Read this review of the unique UnTours formula for slow travel – in this case in Switzerland.
Things to do in Figueres: A one-day itinerary
In this complete one-day itinerary, you can read about all the things to do in Figueres, Spain: not just the Dali Theater-Museum!
The 8 best Hamburg Christmas Markets (+ 11 more!) for 2023
Tips for visiting the best Christmas markets in Hamburg, Germany, plus a listing of all the rest: 19 in all!
Review of Audley Travel: Luxury bespoke travels
Considering booking Audley Travel to arrange your itinerary? Read this review of my experience with Audley on a tailor-made trip in Greece.
Euphoria Retreat Wellness Resort destination spa review
Considering a stay at Euphoria Retreat wellness resort in Mystras, Greece? Read this detailed review before you decide!
How to choose a destination: Tips to consider before travel
Sometimes it’s hard to choose a travel destination. Say you have only two weeks’ vacation, and you want to get the most out of it. Here’s some advice.
Beginner’s guide to the top historic sites in Rome
Historic sites in Rome that any first-time visitor should see: from the ancient Romans to the Baroque and Renaissance.
Fortified Churches of Transylvania
Seven of the 150 castle-like fortified churches of Transylvania make up a UNESCO World Heritage site, built by Saxon settlers in the Middle Ages.
Things to do in Pass-a-Grille, Florida
Beaching, shopping, eating, sightseeing, drinking: the best things to do in Pass-a-Grille, Florida, a charming alternative to St Petersburg.