Walk into the world’s best castles

1. Windsor Castle, England
Built in 1070 and spread over 13 acres, this castle was originally designed to protect Norman dominance around the outskirts of London. As time passed, it went through several tumultuous periods, especially during the English Civil War in which the castle was used as military headquarters and a prison for Charles I. In recent times, it has evolved as one of the official residences of the Queen of England.

2. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Located in Bavaria, this 19th century castle is the most famous of the three royal palaces that were built for Ludwig II of Bavaria. In 1889, when the castle was nearing completion, King Ludwig II died under suspicious circumstances and his body was found floating in a lake next to his physician's body. Inspite of the unhappy ending, this palace remains a quintessential part of several happily-ever-after fairytales.

3. Hunyad Castle, Romania
Just like other castles, the Hunyad castle has a story to tell too. But what sets this castle apart from the rest, is its association with Vlad III of Wallachia who was commonly known as Dracula. This 13th century castle is located in Hunedoara in Romania and is also the castle where Dracula was held as a prisoner for seven years, after he was deposed in 1462.

4. Kronborg Castle, Denmark
Dating back to the 1420s, Kronborg is one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles. Located next to a strait separating the Danish island of Sjælland from Sweden, it held great strategic power over the sea traffic. Unfortunately, it was conquered by the Swedish in 1658. The castle's other claim to fame includes its mention in the Shakespeare's play - Hamlet.

5. Chateau de Castelnaud, France
Located on the limestone rocks above the Dordogne River, this fortress overlooks a former enemy, the Chateau de Beynac. During the hundred years' war between the two countries, France and England, the English held Castelnaud and the French controlled Beynac. Both nations were trying to control this sensitive border region.

Now-a-days, Castelnaud is known for its Medieval Warfare Museum which displays reconstructions of giant crossbows and trebuchets.

6. Dover Castle, Great Britain
This castle had been in existence, right from the Iron Age. It was used as a military base until the second half of the twentieth century. The underground tunnels in the castle which are cut into the cliffs were used as bomb proof base for military command during the Second World War. Today, the Dover Castle is a major tourist attraction.

7. Chateau de Chambord, France
This palace was used as a field hospital during the Franco-Prussian war in the second part of the 19th century. It was also used as a place for safe-keeping of art collections like the Mona Lisa painting and the Venus de Milo statue, during World War II. Later, this castle was restored and has now transformed into a major tourist attraction of France.

8. Almodovar Castle, Spain
This beautiful castle is situated to the east of Cordova in AndalucÃ*a, Spain. Originally built around 760 by the Moors, the castle has a history of being used as a prison by many of its rulers like Pedro I and Enrique II of Castille to name a few due to its defence and protection facilities. Even today if you're adventurous enough you can tour the mysterious underground dungeons and passages. Exciting right?