The first time I spotted Neuschwanstein Castle, I wasn’t standing at a famous lookout or scrolling Instagram. I was behind the wheel, somewhere near Füssen, windows cracked, music low, when it appeared above the trees like a mirage. I actually muttered, “Whoa,” out loud and pulled over without thinking. That first glimpse? I’ll never forget […]
The first time I saw the Loire Valley, I was chasing fog. It was early—too early for most tourists—but I couldn’t sleep. I’d rolled out of bed in a little village near Blois, wrapped a scarf around my neck, and set off toward the river with coffee still warming my hands. The sky was that […]
Have you ever stood in a place and felt the past tug at your sleeve? That was me, atop the ramparts of Stirling Castle, wind snapping at my coat as I imagined Robert the Bruce rallying his troops below. There’s something deeply visceral about Scottish castles. They don’t just sit silently on the landscape—they command […]
For centuries, the ideas and, even more so, the ideals symbolized by castles and embodied in them have been a catalyst for captivating imaginations. The very concept of a castle, for many—including me, I must confess—is inextricably linked with power (especially political and military), romance, mystery, and history. Most of us can point to at […]
When I first heard about a castle nestled in the rainforests of tropical North Queensland, I thought someone was pulling my leg. A Spanish-style castle? In Australia? Next to a roaring waterfall? It sounded more like a fantasy scene from a novel than a place you could actually visit. But Paronella Park Castle is very […]
I’ve seen a lot of famous places on my travels, and sometimes they don’t live up to the photos. But then there are spots that completely exceed expectations—Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is one of those. When I first laid eyes on it from the Dufferin Terrace, perched high above the St. Lawrence River, it genuinely […]
I’ll never forget my first glimpse of Casa Loma. It was early fall in Toronto. The leaves were crisp and crackling underfoot, the air had that comforting bite that whispers of the season’s change. I was simply meandering—no agenda, no destination. Then, through the thinning foliage, I saw it: turrets rising like sentinels, stone walls […]
When I first laid eyes on Bran Castle, I knew the myths didn’t do it justice. Standing on a jagged cliff at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, it looks like something conjured out of a Gothic fairytale. You half-expect to see bats flying overhead and hear the creak of ancient wood as Dracula himself […]
I’ve seen castles that sit atop cliffs, ones nestled in forests, and even a few that look like they were conjured straight out of a fairytale. But Himeji Castle? It’s different. It doesn’t just sit on a hill overlooking the city of Himeji—it owns it. Gleaming white like a heron taking flight, this castle has […]
The first time I saw Neuschwanstein Castle, it didn’t feel real. The train had just pulled into Füssen, and even from a distance, its white towers peeked through the mist like something torn from the pages of a forgotten fairytale. No matter how many postcards you’ve seen or Instagram reels you’ve scrolled through, nothing truly […]
