And those hours spent fantasising left us with one thing – the image of the perfect fairytale castle. Perched upon a hill, in a unique and remote destination, complete with turrets and an ornate entrance.
This childhood nostalgia now motivates us to visit real-life palaces and castles all over the world, which welcome millions and millions of tourists through their gates each year.
This is why Oliver’s Travels offers over 200 castles and chateaux to rent because we know people want to experience something truly extraordinary. Something truly magical.
And we’re not surprised either, because these places allow us to recapture that childhood sense of wonder and magic.
That’s why we’ve worked out the formula for the perfect fairytale castle, by taking a list from famous folk tales and analysing the common elements that make them so enchanting.
Using this magical criteria, we have looked at 75 of the world’s most visited palaces and found the best to visit for anyone wanting to live out their fairytale fantasies.
Key Findings:
Five castles scored a perfect seven out of seven for the magical criteria, making them the quintessential fairytale castles.
Perched dramatically atop a 160-metre-high rock in Carinthia, Hochosterwitz Castle epitomises a fairytale castle - so much so that it is said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Snow White.
Hochosterwitz is considered one of Austria's most impressive medieval castles, with dramatic architecture that features multiple looming turrets and winding fortified walls. Visitors pass through fourteen ornate gates as they walk the 620-metre-long pathway that leads to the castle itself, giving an air of grandiosity and magic as you wind up to the impressive building.
Built-in its current form during the 16th century, it has a rich history filled with tales of those who once roamed its halls. It has always been in possession of the Khevenhüller family and, now that the family live nearby, it is open to the public every year from Easter to the end of October.
Hohenzollern Castle, sitting high above Germany’s Swabian Jura mountain range, features intricate detailing, soaring towers and pointed turrets. Often called the ‘castle in the clouds’, its lofty mountain location means that it is surrounded by the mountain mists of the Black Forest - something that, when it happens, truly makes it the quintessential fairytale castle.
Its fairytale status is elevated further by its regal history. Since the 11th century, the castle has been the ancestral seat of the Hohenzollern family, Germany’s last imperial family and a lineage that has produced Prussian Kings and German Emperors. If the country still had a monarchy today, the castle’s owners would be its royal family. It is now one of the most visited castles in Germany, with over 350,000 visitors per year.
Also nestled on Germany’s ‘Fairytale Route’, Lichtenstein Castle was built in the 19th century and features the pointed arches, narrow spires and ornate detailing that is characteristic of a fairytale castle. Its precarious and dramatic position further adds to the feeling that it belongs in a storybook. Giving it another layer of fantasy is the fact that Lichtenstein Castle is based on the novel of the same name by Wilhelm Hauff.
Mont Saint-Michel is a perfect example of a fairytale castle, nestled on a rocky island off the coast of Normandy. Surrounded by vast tidal flats, when it becomes encircled by the sea during high tide, its atmosphere is one of both magic and mystery. Within its exterior walls, narrow and winding streets offer a sense of enchantment that transports visitors to another time and place.
It is said to have been the castle behind Disney’s Tangled. The abbey, which sits at the top of the island, dates back to the 8th century and features intricate arches, vaulted ceilings and beautiful stained glass windows. It’s become one of the most famous tourist attractions in France, hosting nearly 2.5 million visitors each year.
Said to have inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle, Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany’s Bavaria welcomes over 1.4 million visitors each year thanks to its fairytale qualities. It is perched dramatically on a rugged hill overlooking the Alpsee Lake. This, along with its white towers, elaborate balconies and ornate facades, gives it the appearance of coming straight from the pages of a storybook.
Inside is also something of a fairytale. Rooms such as the Throne Room, Hall of Singers and the King's Bedrooms are all adorned with intricate murals, elaborate wood carvings and luxurious furnishings. Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria who lived in it until he died in 1886. The magical castle was then opened to the public as a museum, and it continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany.
Methodology
We took a list of castles from famous fairytales and cross-referenced them to find the common elements among all of them. Using this, we then took a list of 75 of the world’s most visited castles and found out which met the most criteria. A full dataset is available upon request.
So, which fairytale castle was your favourite? These impressive castles across Europe will no doubt have you wistfully longing to swoosh down curving staircases and look out into the distance from a pepper pot turret. Find your dream fairytale castle rental with Oliver's Travels and live out your prince and princess fantasy now! What's more, our friendly concierge team is on hand to advise and help book any magical extras for your trip.
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