24 Gorgeous Castles From The British Isles You Can Actually Visit

Stunning architecture, phenomenal landscapes, and amazing history.

1. Dinefwr Castle

Flickr: 21081514@N08 / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 21081514@N08

Location: near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, Wales (Welsh: Llandeilo, Sir Gaerfyrddin, Cymru)

2. Kilkenny Castle (Caisleán Chill Chainnigh)

Flickr: bgwashburn / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: bgwashburn

Location: Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland (Irish: Chill Chainnigh, Contae Chill Chainnaigh, Éire)

3. Edinburgh Castle

Kim Traynor / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Èideann, Lodainn, Alba)

4. Warwick Castle

Haydn Curtis / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: Warwick, Warwickshire, England

5. Laugharne Castle (Castell Talacharn)

Flickr: stephen_everett / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: stephen_everett

Location: Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, Wales (Welsh: Talacharn, Sir Gaerfyrddin, Cymru)

6. Blarney Castle (Caisleán na Blarnan)

Flickr: jenniferboyer / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: jenniferboyer

Location: Blarney, County Cork, Ireland (Irish: An Bhlarna, Contae Chorcaí, Éire)

7. Castle Fraser

Karora / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: near Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Ceann a' Mhuigh, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain, Alba)

8. Bodiam Castle

Antony McCallum / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: near Robertsbridge, East Sussex, England

9. Caldicot Castle (Castell Cil-y-coed)

Flickr: 34517490@N00 / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 34517490@N00

Location: Caldicot, Monmouthshire, Wales (Welsh: Cil-y-coed, Sir Fynwy, Cymru)

10. Donegal Castle (Caisleán Dhún na nGall)

Flickr: 50576141@N03 / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 50576141@N03

Location: Donegal, County Donegal, Ireland (Irish: Dún na nGall, Contae Dún na nGall, Éire)

11. Stirling Castle (Caisteal Sruighlea)

Flickr: stirlingcouncil / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: stirlingcouncil

Location: Stirling, Stirling, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Sruighlea, Sruighlea, Alba)

12. Leeds Castle

Adusha / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: near Maidstone, Kent, England

13. Caerphilly Castle (Castell Caerffili)

Flickr: dvdmerwe / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: dvdmerwe

Location: Caerphilly*, Caerphilly, Wales (Welsh: Caerffili, Caerffili, Cymru)

*It's pronounced like 'car-FILL-ee,' not 'carefully.'

14. Cahir Castle (Caisleán na Cathrach)

Flickr: jonnyb558 / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: jonnyb558

Location: Cahir, South Tipperary, Ireland (Irish: An Chathair, Tiobraid Árann Theas, Éire)

15. Urquhart Castle (Caisteal Urchadain)

Flickr: pss / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: pss

Location: near Drumnadrochit, Highland, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Druim na Drochaid, A' Ghàidhealtachd, Alba)

(Pssst: that's Loch Ness in the background)!

16. Arundel Castle

Miles Sabin / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: Arundel, West Sussex, England

17. Conwy Castle (Castell Conwy)

Albertran / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: Conwy, Conwy, Wales (Welsh: Conwy, Conwy, Cymru)

18. King John's Castle (Caisleán Luimnigh)

Flickr: infomatique / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: infomatique

Location: Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland (Irish: Luimnigh, Contae Luimnigh, Éire)

19. Glamis Castle

Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: Glamis, Angus, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Glamis, Aonghas, Alba)

20. Hever Castle

Flickr: wildlife_encounters / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: wildlife_encounters

Location: near Edenbridge, Kent, England

21. Powis Castle (Castell Powis)

Alexander Forst-Rakoczy / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: near Welshpool, Powys, Wales (Welsh: Y Trallwng, Powys, Cymru)

22. Dunguaire Castle (Dún Guaire)

Boomur / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: near Kinvara, County Galway, Ireland (Irish: Cinn Mhara, Contae na Gaillimhe, Éire)

23. Inveraray Castle (Caisteal Inbhir Aora)

Son of Groucho / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: near Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Aora, Earra-Ghàidheal, Alba)

24. Dover Castle

Webzooloo / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

Location: Dover, Kent, England