Castles have fascinating histories, once serving as homes and fortification to royal families and entire towns. Within the walls are portraits, tapestries, weapons, furnishings and other items that showcase life we've only read about in history books.
There are castle ruins scattered about the world, but there are also several that remain fully intact and are lovingly cared for to keep the history alive. Many of these are absolute stunners that bring us one step closer to a modern-day fairytale (hey, we can dream!).
Here, we take a look at 30 of the world's most beautiful castles — and, yes, you can visit them.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Getty
Location: Schwangau, Germany
Nicknamed Cinderella's Castle, as it inspired Walt Disney's castle in movies and theme parks, Neuschwanstein Castle was home to King Ludwig II of Bavaria.
When he died in 1886, the castle was opened to the public and now receives more than 1 million visitors every year.
A Peek Inside
Neuschwanstein Castle
Inside is just as ornate you would expect!
Only 14 rooms were finished before Ludwig passed, and you can see the king's bedroom, the grotto and Singer's Hall on your tour.
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle.
Windsor Castle
Getty
Location: Windsor, England
The Queen of England resides in Windsor Castle, just outside of London, when she isn't fulfilling duties at Buckingham Palace.
The castle has housed the royal family for more than 900 years and is the oldest and largest of the still-occupied castles in the world.
A Peek Inside
Royal Collection Trust
There are a staggering 1,000 rooms in Windsor Castle, which is the primary home to the Queen of England.
A devastating fire in 1992 resulted in much of the castle's east end restoration.
Visit Windsor Castle.
Pena Palace
Getty
Location: Sintra, Portugal
Located atop a mountain outside Lisbon is the Romanticist castle that was constructed in the Middle Ages.
The castle was built for Queen Maria II by Ferdinand II of Germany and is a colorful site that provides panoramic views of Portugal's Riviera.
A Peek Inside
The interior of Pena Palace was set in 1910, and visitors to the castle can tour its staterooms and terraces, taking in the magnificent views.
Visit Pena Palace.
Stirling Castle
Getty
Location: Sterling, Scotland
Presiding atop Castle Hill, Sterling Castle was home to King James IV and is said to be the "brooch" that holds the Highlands and Lowlands together.
A symbol of Scotland's independence, the castle went back and forth between the Scottish and the English during the civil wars.
A Peek Inside
A castle is not without its tapestries, and the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestry found at the castle cost 2 million pounds and years of weaving to create.
Visit Stirling Castle.
Matsumoto Castle
Getty
Location: Matsumoto, Japan
Hirajiros (castles) are five-tiered and six-story castles in Japan, of which there were five. Of these, Matsumoto is the oldest, having been constructed at the start of the 16th century.
Nicknamed Crow Castle due to its black color, this hirajiro dates back to the Sengoku period.
A Peek Inside
It's all about simplicity for the house of the Samurai, and this castle features five keeps (towers) with a design that earned the palace a National Treasure designation.
Visit Matsumoto Castle.
Hochosterwitz Castle
Getty
Location: Sankt Georgen, Austria
Built on a dolomite rock rising 564 feet, Hochosterwitz Castle is a landmark of Austria that dates back to medieval times.
The castle belonged to the Khevenhuller family and features five drawing bridges and 14 gates to keep it secure.
A Peek Inside
Hochosterwitz Castle
The museum within the castle contains an armory with weapons left by Napolean himself.
Visit Hochosterwitz Castle.
Orava Castle
Getty
Location: Oravsky Podzamok, Slovakia
Another castle built onto a rock above a valley was built in the 13th century.
Considered one of the most beautiful in Slovakia, Orava Castle is named for the river it overlooks.
A Peek Inside
The castle is also called the Eagle's Nest, due to its clifftop location. To get to its highest peaks, you'll have to climb a steep and narrow iron staircase.
Visit Orava Castle.
Nesvizh Castle
Getty
Location: Niasviz, Belarus
This World Heritage Site is a National History and Culture Museum and was the home of the Radziwill family.
Found on a peninsula on the Usha River, the castle walls were first formed in the late 1500s.
A Peek Inside
Jackie Kennedy's younger sister, Caroline Bouvier, married Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill, becoming a princess in her own right.
Visit Nesvizh Castle.
Rocca Scaligera Castle
Getty
Location: Sirmione, Italy
One of the country's best-preserved castles, Rocca Scaligera Castle is found on Lake Garda.
Each year, more than 300,000 people visit the castle, which dates back to the 13th century.
A Peek Inside
The water castle features multiple passageways for visitors who arrived by boat.
Visit Rocca Scaligera Castle.
Hohenzollern Castle
Getty
Location: Bisingen, Germany
One of three hilltop castles still owned by Prussian royalty, this neo-Gothic castle was built in the mid-19th century.
Located just south of Stuttgart, the castle attracts more than 300,000 people to walk its halls and get a look at the Prussian King’s crown.
A Peek Inside
There are 140 rooms inside this German castle, and visitors will notice intricate marquetry floors, larger-than-life murals and gilded ceilings.
Visit Hohenzollern Castle.
Chillon Castle
Getty
Location: Veytaux, Switzerland
Chillon Castle was created as both a fortress and a castle with its foundations laid during the Bronze Age.
Located on an island in Lake Geneva, Chillon meant "rocky platform."
A Peek Inside
Chillon Castle
The castle complex is made up of 25 buildings, and you can actually rent space to hold events.
Visit Chillon Castle.
Kronborg
Getty
Location: Helsingor, Denmark
When William Shakespeare wrote of the great Danish Prince Hamlet, he set it in Kronborg (although he called it Elsinore).
Found along the border that separates Denmark and Sweden, the castle was a stronghold from the 16th to 18th centuries.
A Peek Inside
The castle consists of four wings that surround a courtyard, and its Great Hall, used for banquets, is the largest of its kind in Northern Europe.
Visit Kronborg.
Osaka Castle
Getty
Location: Osaka, Japan
Another of the five Japanese castles, this one in Osaka is white in contrast to Matsumoto Castle.
Constructed in the 1500s, the castle was a setting for Japanese unification in the 1600s.
A Peek Inside
Osaka Castle
The inner museum showcases a diorama with 19 scenes from Hideyoshi Toyotomi's life and Panorama Vision screens showing scenes from the Summer War of Osaka.
Visit Osaka Castle.
Prague Castle
Getty
Location: Prague, Czechia
One of the oldest castles on this list as well as a World Heritage Site, Prague Castle's foundations began in the 800s. It served as the house for Bohemia's kings and is still the home of Czechia's president to this day.
Guinness named it the largest coherent castle complex in the world.
A Peek Inside
Prague Castle is a medieval town with multiple churches, a monastery, courtyards, towers, halls and more. A tour includes the Royal Palace, Golden Lane, and both St. George's Basilica and St. Vitus Cathedral.
Visit Prague Castle.
Ort Castle
Getty
Location: Gmunden, Austria
This island castle can be found on the Austrian lake known as Traunsee.
It is said the castle is built upon the remains of an ancient Roman castle.
A Peek Inside
Today, the castle is used as an event center, from weddings to concerts to conferences.
Visit Ort Castle.
Predjama Castle
Getty
Location: Predjama, Slovenia
Built into the mouth of a cave, this Renaissance castle appears in mention as far back as the 1200s.
One of the most famous attractions of Slovenia, the castle's secret tunnels used by plundering knights only add to the legends surrounding this medieval structure — the largest cave castle in the world.
A Peek Inside
There is only one way in and out of the castle that is half nature-made and half human-constructed.
Visit Predjama Castle.
De Haar Castle
Getty
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
The largest castle in Holland, De Haar lies just outside of Amsterdam and was constructed in the late 1800s.
Reminiscent of fairytale castles, the art-filled halls and gardens are open to visitors
A Peek Inside
The rich and famous, including Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot and Roger Moore, have spent time inside this luxurious castle.
Visit De Haar Castle.
Heidelberg Castle
Getty
Location: Heidelberg, Germany
The foundations of Heidelberg Castle date back to the early 1200s, but demolition of the large fortress occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The ruins have partially been restored and the Gothic/Renaissance castle draws in a million visitors a year.
A Peek Inside
Heidelberg Castle
Despite the castle being in ruins, there are many structures still intact, including the Ottheinrich Building. Roaming the grounds, you can visit the gardens, the palace and the Barrel Building.
Visit Heidelberg Castle.
Glamis Castle
Getty
Location: Angus, Scotland
The home of the Lyon family and the current Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Glamis Castle has occupied this land since the 1300s.
The home inspired Shakespeare, who set "Macbeth" within the walls.
A Peek Inside
There may be ghosts roaming the halls of the castle, just as Shakespeare wrote. King Malcolm II and then his son Duncan I both died here under mysterious circumstances.
Visit Glamis Castle.
Castello di Miramare
Getty
Location: Trieste, Italy
Overlooking the Gulf of Trieste, this castle residence was built for the Archduke Maximilian of the powerful Hapsburg family.
Situated on more than 54 acres of meadows, forests and shoreline, the castle's construction began in 1855.
A Peek Inside
A visit to the castle includes its about 55-acre park, the Stables built in the mid-1800s and the small castle built to look like the main building.
Visit Castello di Miramare.
Buda Castle
Getty
Location: Budapest, Hungary
The Hungarians had their own castle palace on Buda hill overlooking the Danube River.
Built in the 13th century, the Baroque castle is the focal building of Budapest's Castle District.
A Peek Inside
Buda Castle now serves as a home to the National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum and the National Library, and each requires its own entry fee. You can, for free, still see the courts of the castle.
Visit Buda Castle.
Alcazar of Segovia
Getty
Location: Segovia, Spain
This medieval castle has the perfect perch on a rocky hill overlooking the confluence of two rivers, making it look like the bow of a ship.
While construction lasted centuries, its initial foundations were placed in the 1200s. Alcazar means fortress, stemming from the Arabic "al'qasr."
A Peek Inside
It is said this castle inspired the Wicked Queen's home in Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." It is also one of a few castles believed to inspire Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
Visit Alcazar of Segovia.
Schloss Vianden
Getty
Location: Vianden, Luxembourg
Another imposing castle built on rock above a river is Schloss Vianden, which overlooks the Rhine.
Dating back to the 10th century, the castle also grew over centuries, with its Gothic transformation completed some time in the 14th century.
A Peek Inside
This castle had to be reconstructed after it was sold in a public auction in 1820. The new owner demolished parts of the building, selling off the roof timbers, copper gutters and other valuable materials.
Visit Schloss Vianden.
Shuri-jô Castle
Getty
Location: Naha, Japan
This style castle of Japan was built for the Ryukyu Kingdom, serving as the palace for 400 years through 1879.
Nearly destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, the castle was brought back to life and named a World Heritage Site
A Peek Inside
This palace was burned down four times over the course of its history, being rebuilt again and again, including as recent as 1992.
Visit Shuri-jô Castle.
Arundel Castle
Getty
Location: Arundel, England
Completely restored, Arundel was the home of Roger de Montgomery, who was made an earl by William the Conqueror in 1067.
It continued through the centuries to be the home of the powerful Dukes of Norfolk, which it remains to this very day.
A Peek Inside
While you can tour the castle, the family still owns it and lives on the property.
Visit Arundel Castle.
Cochem Castle
Getty
Location: Cochem, Germany
With its hilltop location, Cochem Castle is the place to be for outstanding views of the Mosel River valley.
Constructed in the 11th century and serving as a royal home, visitors can take in 360-degree views from its restaurant.
A Peek Inside
Some dismiss this castle as not being authentic because it was razed during the course of its history, but you cannot dispute its distinction, even in a newer building.
Visit Cochem Castle.
Kylemore Abbey
Getty
Location: Connnemara, Ireland
Kylemore Castle was a decorative castle built in the late 1800s by a wealthy politician who outfitted it with nothing but the best for his wife. In 1920, the estate became a Benedictine monastery, of which it remains to this day.
Within the grounds is a 6-acre walled garden, and the 1,000-acre estate outside of Galway is open for visitors to fully explore.
A Peek Inside
As pretty on the inside as it is on the outside, the classic Victorian decor of the abbey's museum shows what life would have looked like before it became an abbey.
Visit Kylemore Abbey.
Bran Castle
Getty
Location: Bran, Romania
The Transylvanian castle that inspired Bram Stoker's "Dracula," Bran Castle is commonly referred to as Dracula's Castle.
This national monument served as a medieval fortress during the 1300s and became a royal residence. Its most famous resident was Vlad the Impaler, son of Vlad Dracul, of whom also inspired the fictional novel.
A Peek Inside
There are 57 rooms and a secret passage within this castle that was restored in the 1980s to become a museum.
Visit Bran Castle.
Château de Chambord
Getty
Location: Chambord, France
The epitome of a French chateau, this Renaissance castle combined French medieval fortresses in its construction that began in the 1500s.
Today, it is one of the most recognized chateaus in France and a World Heritage Site.
A Peek Inside
Château de Chambord
The chateau has 426 rooms, 282 fireplaces and 77 staircases and is the largest chateau in the Loire Valley.
Visit Château de Chambord.
Edinburgh Castle
Getty
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
It's hard to miss Edinburgh Castle, which is situated on Castle Rock and overlooks the entire city.
The home to Scotland and the U.K.'s monarchs, it is one of the oldest fortified places in Europe with evidence of man dating back 3,000 years.
A Peek Inside
Edinburgh Castle
The Great Hall was made for King James IV and was completed in 1511 to be used for banquets. When the English took it over a century later, it was made into barracks.
Visit Edinburgh Castle.
Bonus: Swallow's Nest
Getty
Location: Gaspra, Ukraine
Built by a doctor to the Tsar, this castle was not built to protect but instead was a modern two-bedroom home that was given a castle-like look. Due to its small size, we add it to our list as a bonus out of pure beauty.
Built in the early 1900s, the castle overlooks the Crimea Sea.
Visit Swallow's Nest.