The 30 most popular castles and palaces in Europe

Discover 30 spectacular castles where you can experience the magic of a fairy tale for a few hours.

Castles and palaces are often among the most popular tourist attractions in their respective destinations, not only because of their architectural beauty but also because of their historical and cultural significance.

Europe is home to countless fascinating options. That’s why TUI Musement set out to discover which ones are the most popular and truly worth visiting at least once.

The study* was first conducted in 2023, revealing remarkable architectural gems that bring the history and legends of each destination to life. In 2026, we updated the data to see how the ranking has evolved. While some castles and palaces have held on to their positions, others have moved up or down the list, and one new entry has made its way into the ranking.

* Methodology: TUI Musement analysed the number of Google reviews published for castles and palaces across Europe and built the ranking based on total review volume recorded in July 2026. The data was compared with figures collected in July 2023, when the first edition of the study was carried out, to identify changes in position over the past three years.