Which of these castles is the best?

[purplepoppy]

Travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller has released a new ranking of the 26 most stunning castles in Europe.

The poll is the top six, I don't necessarily agree with it and question if some are actual castles, but hey ho that's what they've come up with.

But which of their Top Six is your favourite

Conwy Castle

Trakai Island Castle

Alcázar of Seville

Bran Castle

Egeskov Castle

Eilean Donan Castle

[Oliverlogan263]

Here are my thoughts on the top six castles from the list:

Conwy Castle in Wales is pretty sweet. I love the stonework and how strategic the locations are. Always wanted to check Wales out.

Trakai Island Castle in Lithuania looks awesome too, being on an island. Bet there were some epic medieval battles there. Pretty unique spot.

Alcázar of Seville has such a cool, historic vibe. I studied European history so I appreciate the older, more authentic castles. Spanish architecture is beautiful too.

Bran Castle in Romania seems wicked. Really gives me vampire/Dracula vibes which is badass. Anyone who's watched those movies has to see it.

Egeskov Castle in Denmark looks modern compared to the others but still really castle-like and cool. Love the moat features. Must be wild exploring all those rooms and passages.

Eilean Donan Castle is so picturesque like something from Braveheart or Lord of the Rings. Scottish highlands are epic too. Great scenery there.

If I had to pick one, I think I'd go with Alcázar of Seville. Just seems like you really step back in time there. Amazing piece of history. Really immerses you. But they're all stellar in their own right!

[AviatorTom]

What? Not one of the 25 thousand castles in Germany made the top 6? How can that be?

Well, of these top 6, I'll go with Conwy Castle in the UK. A castle is built for defense, and that one beats the others hands down... I'd feel much safer in Conwy with marauders besieging the castle.

[purplepoppy]

Surprisingly hardly any German castles made the top 25.

[FellowTraveler]

@AviatorTom. Neu Schwanstein castle is in it's own respect one of the best castles in world - period.

[AviatorTom]

@FellowTraveler That's Disney marketing for you... the basis for Cinderella's castle.

[purplepoppy]

Think it's more of a palace than a castle but it's still very nice. It's a shame we've stopped building nice buildings like that

[FellowTraveler]

Schloss Linderhof is a true Palace. Neu Schwanstein (NS) Castle is a true castle. Taken the NS tour two times thus far, Linderhof only once. NS sits atop a rock face, and part of the castle is hewn from the very rock itself. NS has a throne room which technically labels it as a Castle. Linderhof has no throne room, and in the valley area in which it resides is quite vulnerable to attack. NS Castle can be completely cut-off from 'down below' if needed provided they have enough food storage. For reasons that have everything to do with Ludwig II's insanity, he did not see the FORMAL completion of NS castle. He was however living in NS Castle during the period when he was deposed.

[FellowTraveler]

@AviatorTom - Yes, there is that as well and can't deny Disney used Neu Schwanstein Castle as the model for the 'Magic Kingdom' Castle.

[Insecure2]

Egeskov. IT looks nice and taken care of so you can probably see some interesting things inside or have a na ce walk outsider.

[kevypatyy7]

I loved Trakai castle and Egoski because they are near water and i love water. In my opinion they should be first.

[purplepoppy]

Conwy castle is by water too. You'll find most castles are by water.

[kevypatyy7]

Ohh then I would love to stay in castles 😂

[WhiteSteve]

Bran Castle was the most visually striking to me. Really love the setting of Eilean Donan though.

America needs better castles…

[MrOracle]

I'm honestly not sure, but I'd love to tour all of them. Perhaps I could have an answer if I did. The technology and design of these castles (which reflect the manner of combat and defense at the time they were built) is fascinating to me.

[goaded]

Was that last one in Highlander? Conwy Castle's impressive, too.

[purplepoppy]

Yes it was. The final scene was filmed at Sychnant Pass Road, Henryd, Clwyd, LL32 8AZ which is near conwy and has similar landscape to Scotland.

[MysticDevice]

Eilean Donan Castle. It's surrounded on all sides by water which would make a waterborne assault very difficult and very obvious. The only land avenue of attack is over that bridge which would funnel the attacking force into a bottleneck.

This would allow the defenders to concentrate the defenses on a single vector giving them and enormous advantage over the attacking force.

And it just looks nice.

[integrale77]

The first and last ones are my preference as they are what I see as proper castles the others look like stately home's

[mandyfire98]

I like the last one. It reminds me of game of thrones.

[JacobJordan]

In terms of defense Conway. In terms of aesthetically pleasing Alcázar of Seville. In terms of landscaping/location Bran and Trakai Island Castle tie. Others are decent but pics don't do them justice

[abc3643]

None of those.
This is the best castle...

[Fireguy17]

I know squat about castles, so I like the setting of the Eilean one.

[Date_a_Snob]

probably Conway Castle but Windsor Castle is my favourite and is the worlds oldest inhabited castle

[NathanDavis]

that would depend on the intended purpose...

my cats voted for Seville... though

[Surely]

I chose Conwy Castle. Just because it looks like a typical castle as in books and movies.

[DJB72]

Difficult choice but I'd give Conwy the edge over Eilean Donan Castle just because I love Wales 😘

[andreasderjuengere]

I like Bran castle best out of these.

I'm presently saving up to buy it one day :)

[KostasKouvalis]

Conwy. I prefer ruined castles

[helva]

The one who is haunted.

[purplepoppy]

Every castle has at least one ghost. One of them near me is haunted by a ghost ape.

[shortster]

Conway, it is the most defensible.

[SunnyRS]

Always been a fan of castles over some height.

[LavLavLuv]

I like egeskov

[KrakenAttackin]

Castle Neuchenstein (sp)?

[strateguy632]

.6th

[jaskin777]

The 1st and the 4th

[Kelly6]

Conwy