From falconry sessions or extravagant dishes up to luxury spas, castles, that some of us have heard only in fairy tales, catch life in Western Europe in countries such as England, France or Germany.
1. Chateau de Mirambeau, Mirambeau, France
Chateau de Mirambeau, a place between Earth and sea, between the huge expanses of vineyards, has a history of almost a thousand years. Went through numerous sieges, was repeatedly under the domination of the English and French, and was nearly destroyed because of sustained attacks over the years. All this historical suffering ends in 2002 when the castle is fully renovated and restored to an audience hungry for aristocratic experiences, but with a mind grabbed from the temptations of these times.
The Count and the Countess‘s bedroom, has an area of 84 square meters, a 6.5-foot bed, walls covered in silk, rustic furniture, marble bathrooms, and a generous dressing room, but that’s not all, the Castle also has swimming pools both indoors and outdoors, and the price includes a trip with the hot air balloon.
2. Amberley Castle, West Sussex, United Kingdom
At less than 60 miles from London, lush gardens surround the Amberley Castel, and through them the peacocks and a few alpacas roam freely. The whole place is the quintessential of the refined British luxury, but with splashes of actuality.
The Castle offers 19 luxurious bedrooms, tennis courts, and a lawn for croquet.
3. Sababurg Castle, Hofgeismar, Germany
The history of this castle begins in 1334, but at the beginning of the 19th century, the castle was abandoned for nearly 100 years, until it went into renovation.
The castle includes a hotel, a restaurant and a café and is perhaps one of the few places today where you can feel like a member of a Royal family.
4. Peckforton Castle, Cheshire, United Kingdom
In 1840 starts the history of Peckforton Castle, which has 48 bedrooms, acres of Woods and a huge cellar, which houses the finest wines in the world. No wonder that the isolated Palace, transformed into a hotel in 1988 was used as a filming location for several famous movies, such as Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Who.
The castle’s motto is “eat, sleep, play and love.” and play means hunting with a Falcon on your arm, lessons of archery or shooting lessons.
5. Ashford Castle, Mayo, Ireland
Ireland is full of sumptuous castles. Perhaps the most beautiful and famous of these castles is the Ashford Castle, located on the northern shore of the Lough Corrib, Ashford Castle was built in the 13th century by the nobles of Burgos to celebrate the victory against O’Connors family. Today Ashford is one of the most exclusive five-star hotels of Ireland. It is no wonder that personalities like Sharon Stone, Brad Pitt, Pierce Brosnan or John Wayne chose to spend, repeatedly, their vacation here.
