Americans at least when thinking of Europe have dreamy old castles and palaces in their minds' eyes.

What are you favorite, for whatever reason, castles and palaces? (To me the difference between castles and palaces is that castles were built for defense and look impregnable and palaces were built for pleasure domes but were not defensible.)

I'll start

Best Castle - Fussen, Germany Neuschwanstein - say what you want about it and many diss it as Kitsch it's my favorite by far - a surprise at every turn - not your average castle nor dull castle tour

Other favorite castles

UK - Edinburgh Castle
Tintagel Castle
Windsor Castle
Tower of London
Hampton Court Palace
Warwick Castle
Dover Castle
Hever Castle

France -
Versailles - the world's greatest palace IMO with the finest palace gardens and ground

And in the Loire - Loches, Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceaux, Chambord, Uses (the model for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle i believe) and elsewhere - Carcassonne (OK rebuilt in 1800s but as such the finest looking medieval castle)

Germany - Cochem, Burg Eltz and Marksburg (all on Rhine or Mosel)
and Heidelberg, Fussen, Schwerin (sp/), Munich - Nymphenburg (sp/), Potsdam (Berlin) Sans Souci - fabulous castle, two more Mad Ludwig creations - Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee (in the middle of a lake)

Portugal - Sintra's castle a few miles out of town on the hill

Switzerland - Chateau Chillon, on Lake Geneva, Gruyeres

Denmark - Elsinore - Hamlet's Castle near Copenhagen, Fredericksborg - also set in a lake.

Spain - Granada's Alhambra, Madrid's Royal Castle, Segovia

and many many more

What castles/palaces are your favorites

Well, I'm partial to the castle out my window

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/6321454.jpg

Really partial...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/...b85204.jpg?v=0

My favorites are:

Salzburg
Cochem
Burg Eltz
Rheinfels
Kilkenny
Tower of London

Tracy

Forgot to mention Bracciano in Italy!

Well by the palm tree it looks like something either in Spain or Portugal on the coast

Yes a coastal castle is the most romantic type to me.

In Germany, I would add:

- Schloss Nordkirchen (Münsterland)
- Burg Vischering (Münsterland)
- Schloss Waldeck (castle hotel at the Edersee)
- Würzburg Palace

Edinburgh, Windsor. Tower, Dover Hampton Court, Versailles. Castel Santangelo, Bunratty. I am heading to Germany and will be seeing Neuschwanstein and the other Mad Ludwigs soon..and Wurzberg,,and Nymphenberg...can't wait!!!

Some good ones here. I'll add

Fougeres, Brittany

Kidwelly Castle, Wales (particularly interesting because you can see how the defenses were adapted over time.

Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, because it looks perfect standing in its moat.

Not much on palaces or great houses. All ruling families seem to share the same appalling taste -- Imperial kitsch. Seen one and you've seen 'em all.

zeppole that is amazing! I am leaving for Portugal on Monday to spend 12 days just driving around, eating fantastic food and maybe a little port! Well OK I lie, drinking lots of port! Can't wait! Thanks for the picture!

PalenQ,

It's the Castello della Dragonara in Camogli, Italy

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/...2647e2.jpg?v=0

francefling,

Have a great time in Portugal, but my castle in is Italy!

zeppole,
You are so lucky! My father just came back from a wonderful time in your country. I only hope that someday soon I will be able to go. : )

<i>Uses (the model for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle i believe)</i>


I have always been under the impression the model for the SB castle was Neuschwanstein, which is confirmed by Wikipedia (that bastion of all that is true LOL!).

Well i think you could say Neuschwanstein was the actual model but that Usse had a claim as well, kind of - i believe you are right

The Castle of Sleeping Beauty (Chateau d'Usse)

The Disney Studios credit Charles Perrault's version of the Sleeping Beauty as their source for their film version. It is said that Charles Perrault was inspired to write Sleeping Beauty when, upon his visit to the Loire Valley in Northern France, he encountered the Chateau d'Usse. This castle is known as &quot;The Castle of Sleeping Beauty&quot; (and also, &quot;The Castle of Dreams&quot and even contains some of Perrault's manuscripts of the fable. Interestingly, while Disney looked to Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle for inspiration for Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland, this castle inspired Cinderella's castle in Florida.

1. Frederiksborg Slot - Denmark
2. Linderhoff - Germany
3. Beynac - France

Germany:
Moritzburg
Pillnitz
Weesenstein
Pommersfelden
Rastatt and Favorite
Marburg
Kulmbach
Celle
Clemenswerth
Br&uuml;hl
Marksburg
Aschaffenburg
Hohenbaden, Baden-Baden
Schlei&szlig;heim, Munich
Schwetzingen
... and definitely NOT Neuschwanstein.

Austria:
Hochosterwitz

Switzerland:
Chillon
Arenenberg

Italy:
Palazzo T&eacute;, Mantova

Hi,

First - My favorite castle is Burg Eltz, by Cochem on the Mosel. The castle and it's location are tops in my opinion.

Second - Churburg castle in Italy's Val Venosta/Vinschgau in the South Tirol. A real gem here.

Third - Marksburg on the Rhine.

Palace - pretty much a tie between Ludwig's Linderhof and Neues Schloss (Herrenchiemsee).


Paul

Welsh Castles

Beaumarais (seaside location)
Caernaferon (?) Prince of Wales Invested there
Conwy

Krakow Poland

Prague Castle

The castles and castle ruins overlooking the Rhine. Seems like every bend in the river brings more into view. I haven't seen them in many years but there are just so many and as I recall, many are open to visitors.