Disney theme park castles not quite enchanting enough for you?
If you’re craving a more intense storybook vibe, then check into one of these real-life fairytale European castles.
They’re steeped in history and some are former homes of kings, queens and knights. And you can spend the night in them all.
There’s one in France that inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, an English castle that King Henry VI stayed in and a 13th-century Tuscany tower that Dante called home.
They’re all unique, but with one thing in common — pinch-me-I’m-dreaming fantasyland looks.
Château de Rouffillac, Sarlat-la-canéda, Dordogne Valley, France
Even in the Dordogne, the "Valley of 1001 Castles", swoonworthy Château de Rouffillac is a standout structure.
The 12th-century hilltop castle, remodeled in the 19th century, evokes storybook scenes with its fantasyland facade and majestic interiors.
The pick of the rooms is a royal suite featuring its own turret, a sitting area "with magnificent views" and stained-glass windows.
From $17,000 for up to 20 people. Visit chateauderouffillac.com
Chateau de Menthon, Annecy, France
Chateau de Menthon is said to have been the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty, and while you can't stay in the castle itself, you can spend the night in a cottage within the grounds.
The 12th-century castle has belonged to the same family, the Menthons, for 23 known generations.
What was once an austere fortress was transformed at the end of the 19th century by the great-grandfather of the current owners, René de Menthon.
The cottage offers views of Lake Annecy and four suites.
Rooms from $530. Visit chateau-de-menthon.com
Château de Mauriac, Senouillac village, Occitanie region, France
This former 13th-century Knights Templar military fortress, nestled amid vineyards in a part of the Occitanie region of France known as "Little Tuscany", is now an exceptional place to stay, with guestrooms furnished in 17th-century style.
Visit Occitanie remarks that a "meticulous restoration" of the property was carried out in the 1960s by the painter Bernard Bistes that "transformed the castle into a true work of art".
Rooms from $300. Visit chateaudemauriac.com
Château de Mercuès, Occitanie region, France
This 13th-century chateau, located in the Malbec wine growing area between Bordeaux and Toulouse, is described by Visit Occitanie as a "sacred jewel".
Hyperbole? The pictures suggest it would be the crowning glory of any European vacation with a fairytale angle.
The château overlooks the river Lot from a vertiginous cliff, with Visit Occitanie adding: "It is the perfect destination for a timeless break in the heart of nature.
“A majestic site steeped in history, Château de Mercuès invites you on a unique journey to the heart of France's great Malbec wines."
Rooms from $335. Visit chateaudemercues.com/en
Château d'Ouchy, Lausanne, Switzerland
Switzerland is famous for its chocolate, watches and mountains, but is also home to a few eye-catching historical chateaux, such as this one, which is about as striking as they come.
Standing proud on the banks of Lake Geneva like a pop-up storybook castle, 49-room neo-Gothic Chateau d'Ouchy is festooned with luxurious touches and amenities, including a tree-shaded outdoor pool and sauna.
And it's rich in history, beginning life as a single tower in 1177. It was built by Bishop Landri de Durnes, explains Small Luxury Hotels, and a century later, the structure was transformed and fortifications added to provide safe housing for the bishops of Lausanne.
Today, it's safe housing for travelers who like the finer things in life. With an Alpine view.
Rooms from $340. Visit slh.com
Cap Rocat, Mallorca, Spain
What was once a 19th-century fortress built to defend the Bay of Palma, is now a romantic small hotel.
Though the building's past is very much interwoven with its present-day purpose as a luxurious bolthole.
There's a drawbridge, suites in former shooting buttresses and while there's no dungeon, there is a spa that's been dug 40 feet underground in the fortress's protected rock.
Rooms from $900. Visit slh.com
Castle Elvira, Trepuzzi, Italy
No, you're not dreaming. This fantasy-like Italian castle is perfectly real.
Small Luxury Hotels boasts that it's "both rustic and luxurious, magical but equipped with discreet modern technology".
It's not cheap, but they say you get what you pay for, and here, it's seemingly a slice of heaven (with hand-carved Carrara marble bathtubs and a pool).
The hotel, which dates to the late 1800s, is located just 10 minutes away from the picturesque city of Lecce, sometimes referred to as "the Florence of the south".
Rooms from $633. Visit slh.com
Al Jafar, Paceco, Sicily, Italy
This property would please any self-respecting royal.
It comes with views of the sea, the Aegadian Islands and the village of Erice, has a swimming pool in an ancient walled garden and "furnishings and fittings of the highest standard", according to thethinkingtraveller.com, which offers stays here.
The firm explains that Al Jafar has been in the family of the present owners since 1335, with a 1990 restoration project ensuring that "each stone, parapet and crenelation lives on to tell its story".
In 2014, the Sicilian Regional Department of Cultural and Environmental Heritage listed Moorish Al Jafar as a "building of historical, artistic and architectural importance".
Al Jafar villa sleeps eight, with stays from $8,000 a week. Visit chateau-urspelt.lu
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