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The 5 Prettiest Castles in Europe

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No matter how much we (apparently) grow up, there’s always maybe a teensy weensy side of us left that is a sucker for fairytales. Of course, we now like them in their grown-up and mature versions, and we’re even a bit exhilarated in discovering a bit of Disney’s dark side, but we still enjoy the concept of a fairytale even in modified version, even if it’s in an extremely brutal and shocking medieval fantasy show like Game of Thrones. The same thing would apply to castles, or, better said, as a consequence of our soft side for fairytales, most of us also admire the beauty of a castle. There’s something just undeniably majestic and beautiful about them, even in a gothed-up version where they’re abandoned and dark and haunted.

If you agree with this so far, we’ve put together a list of the most spectacular castles in Europe, which you really need to visit if you get the chance. If there’s any doubt about this, perhaps it should be mentioned that putting together such a list is very, very hard, since there are so many beautiful castles to choose from and all offer a little something unique. Anyway, here it goes, in no particular order:

1. Mont Saint Michel (France)

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This breath-taking castle is situated on a little island about 1 km off Normandy’s coast, with a population of only a few dozen people, but visited by more than 3 million people each year. I guess having an exquisite UNESCO-protected castle on your little piece of land really does help with the tourism. And taking a moment to look at this one, even in a picture, somehow makes you easily understand why so many people would travel there to see it for real.

2. Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany)

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This highly poetic castle in the Bavaria region of Germany was conceived in the utmost poetic detail with the help of Wagner. It draws its inspiration from a variety of the artist’s works, as well as pieces and bits of old Germanic lore. It was built in the 19th century by King Ludwig II and opened to the public immediately after his mysterious death. The name of the castle translates as “New Swan Stone Castle” and the king who built it is now colloquially called “the swan king” in Germany precisely because of this masterpiece.

3. Bodiam Castle (England)

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Once glance and you can see why this one deserves its spot into the list of prettiest castles in Europe. It was built in 1385 (isn’t it gorgeous and incredibly well-kept considering how much time has passed?) by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge. Especially because it’s in England, the impression it gives is straight out of a Knights of the Round Table’s tale.

4. Kilkenny Castle (Ireland)

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Another incredibly old building (it was built in 1185), the Kilkenny Castle is today a major tourist attraction has played an important part in the region’s history. Originally commissioned as a better control point over a junction of commercial roads, it eventually influenced the way the vicinity was populated and the settlements that were built on the way to it.

5. Conwy Castle, Wales (England)

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This one deserves a spot as well in the list of prettiest castles. Just look at those 8 towers and behold how solid, yet beautiful they look! It was built by Edward the I in his conquest of Wales in the 13th century and it was the most expensive building he ever commissioned. Even in that era of war and unrest, it was definitely worth every coin spent on it, especially since it stands to this day.

Don’t miss out on the chance to visit either of them if you can; well-preserved medieval beauties like these are a breath-taking rarity.

The Greatest Reenactment Communities to Check Out

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As you’re probably already aware, some people love to role play. Some love it so much that they make a regular thing out of it, or at least a pretty good reason to get together as often as they can and to delve deeper and deeper into their world of choice. Reenactment can have various degrees of professionalism – ranging from a “just for show” approach to a hardcore accuracy approach – and a multitude of themes and universes to reenact. The people performing the characters to be displayed can be amateurs who only do this as a hobby in their spare time, or people who do this as a profession,  as their group becomes more well-known and invited to events.

There are basically two types of reenactment: historical reenactment (meant to bring to life a certain period in a people’s history, also known as “living history”), and fantasy reenactment (which focuses on bringing to life the world described in a fictional book, or movie, or computer game). Basically, the more fans a certain imaginary universe has, the greater the chance for really cool reenactments of it. Yes, that also means that if you were to learn a fictional language, say, Dothraki, there will also be more speakers of that language for you to spend time with. Fun, right? Let’s take a look at the greatest reenactment communities you could get involved in.

1. Civil War Reenactment in the USA

The most popular reenactment in the United States is everything civil war-related. It’s quite a big venture, sometimes generously sponsored by the state because it theoretically promotes a rise in patriotism achieved in a fun way (just so you can get an idea of how mainstream the whole thing is). The most prominent reenactment community that deals with the civil war, and, subsequently, the most elaborate battle you could hope to be a part of, is the GAC: the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee.

Gettysburg 150th

Founded in 1995, they host a gigantic battle every year to commemorate the Gettysburg battle. To catch it,  you need to buy tickets to in advance if you plan to catch a seat. They managed to donate tens of thousands of dollars to national charities and historical preservation groups over the years. If you want to observe the reenactment and maybe even learn a trick or two, they’re definitely worth checking out.

2. Medieval Reenactment in Europe

If the civil wars is la piece de resistance of American reenactable history, then Europe prides itself with its medieval background. Who doesn’t like castles, towers, princesses, fine medieval weaponry, armor, and glorious knights? Or, to put it in TV shows terms, who doesn’t like the Vikings? But medieval reenactment can be about way more than just battle.  The greatest reenactment communities focusing on the medieval way of life also feature the different codes of honor and heraldry of various guilds, as well as detailed know-how on a variety of craftwork.

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If you’re from a European country, there are probably a lot of such reenactment communities to choose from. The greatest reenactment communities in Europe make it into this consortium, so browse their website a bit to find one from your country.

3. Game of Thrones Reenactment, in Italy but not only

Recently, a certain Game of Thrones reenactment community in Italy made headlines by displaying some pretty darn impressive detail in costume-making. You can give them a thorough check-out here and feast your eyes on their gorgeous images. Since the Game of Thrones franchise enjoys a vast fanbase, there are probably similar groups to get involved in even if you don’t live in Italy.

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We hope you enjoyed this little incursion into the world’s greatest reenactment communities and remember: there are always lamer ways to spend your free time!

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