We wanted to plan our first international trip with only one condition – we had to see castles! My kids have both been interested in knights, castles, and everything medieval times for the past year and we were eager to see some real life examples! When I asked for recommendations in Facebook groups, everyone (reasonably) asked me to narrow down what country I was interested in seeing, which was tough because we were happy to go anywhere. We eventually settled on the UK when cheap non-stop flights to London popped up (thank you, Scott’s Cheap Flights emails!) but I was still left with a list of castles I had fallen in love with! On top of that, I asked some fellow travel bloggers what their favorite castle trips with kids had been and lumped all of those into one list.

My kids are past the stroller age so I didn’t note any considerations about places being wheel-friendly; I highly recommend trying babywearing instead for portability! We used three different sizes as our kids grew; a Lillebaby Airflow for the baby days, then a Tula Toddler once they wore 2t pants, then a Preschool Kinderpack once they hit 4t in pants! Not all of these castles have cafes or gift shops, we always pack our favorite travel backpack with reusable water bottles, snacks, and rain jackets.

Before our trips, I love to prepare with both non-fiction and fiction books about the area! If you’re in planning mode, also check out the 7 steps to plan a family vacation I always take!

If you enjoy these “best of” posts, check these others out while you’re here!

• The best free playgrounds from around the world
• 25+ best international beach vacations for families

Castle books for kids

Check out some of our favorite kid nonfiction books about castles:

• See Inside Castles flap book
• DK Eyewitnesses Castle
• Cross Sections Castle
• A Year in a Castle

Check out some of our favorite kid story books about castles:

• If You Were a Kid In a Medieval Castle
• The Castle in the Attic
• Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess
• Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures: Medieval Castle

Check out some of our favorite kid activity books about castles:

• Castles of the World Coloring Book
• The Castle and Knight Ultimate Sticker Book
• Castle Sticker Book: Complete Your Own Mighty, Medieval Fortress!
• Castles Magnified

Now to share the exciting part, the castles! All photos shared are property of the bloggers I’ve linked to and used with permission; please click through to their original posts if you want to pin any of the individual images or pin my collage image with this link:

25+ of the best castles to visit with kids

Many of the things I list as what kids may love have extra fees, search the castles’ websites for pricing information! I don’t include any of that here because it fluctuates everywhere and I won’t be able to keep this post updated.

I listed these in alphabetical order; if you know of a castle with special interest or activities to kids, please a comment and I’d love to add it!

Be sure to sign up for these other bloggers’ newsletters and follow them on social media if you like where they’ve explored, it’s a great way to keep up with their adventures.

Aberdour Castle

I hadn’t heard of this castle in Scotland, but reading the recap of Aberdour Castle over on Albion Gould has me wanting to visit! Click through and see more pictures of their visit.

Why kids will love it:

• You can pick apples from the orchard in fall
• Open space to run
• Unique architectural elements like a dovecote & terraced/walled gardens
• Kid-friendly events such as an Easter egg hunt & medieval weekend

Alnwick Castle

We took a big risk on our 10 day UK trip, detouring up to Alnwick Castle but it was worth it. The castle is full of nooks and crannies to explore, and loads of kid friendly activities. You can read a extended account of our visit to Alnwick Castle here, but check out the highlights below and keep in mind the beautiful Alnwick Gardens are adjacent with a poison garden to explore.

Why kids will love it:

• You can participate in a Harry Potter “broomstick training”
• There are dress-up clothes to borrow in one area of the castle
• They have regularly scheduled crafts and demonstrations
• The Dragon Quest activity is hokey but my kids loved it, like a mini amusement park ride

Ashford Castle

Whenever we get to Ireland, Travel Babbo’s recap of their Ashford Castle visit has me convinced we need to go here, click over and read more details along with beautiful pictures!

Why kids will love it:

• You can spend the night there!
• They have a falconry school that kids can participate in
• There is an amazing tree climbing and zip line course that’s kid friendly
• Other activities include boat rides, visiting with the resident wolfhounds, archery, fishing, & carriage rides.

Bolsolver Castle

Another England option; read about Chelsea Mamma’s visit to Bolsover Castle and check out that playground! Click through to see more pictures and details about their trip.

Why kids will love it:

• A stage & dress-up costumes for kids to try on
• Regular horseback riding demonstrations
• A small castle themed playground
• You’re allowed to touch all the reproduction furniture in the castle

Caerphilly Castle

I couldn’t resist taking a one day jaunt over to Wales on our UK trip, and was determined to find a castle with a moat! I haven’t written up a full blog post yet but we had so much fun at this castle. It was much quieter than the others we visited, without scheduled activities or reenactors, which gave it a much more authentic feel. We loved Caerphilly Castle!

Why kids will love it:

• They had a unique open the flap scavenger hunt booklet for the kids to complete
• The small maze at the backside was fun
• Life size dragon statue with a Welsh story read aloud to listen to
• Replica trebuchet and other war machines

Carcassonne Castle

More of a fortress than a traditional castle, this is one of the most popular tourism sites in France. Read about visiting Carcassonne Castle from Laska Baby Travel, and read more about what else is in the area.

Why kids will love it:

• You can walk along the rampart walls
• There is a family audio tour you can listen to
• The beautiful stained glass

Dromoland Castle

Ireland is known for its castles; see how Gone With The Family felt about visiting Dromoland Castle here and fall i love with their beautiful pictures!

Why kids will love it:

• You can spend the night here
• You’re encouraged to feed the ducks & swans and the lake
• You can take carriage rides, ride horses, shoot a bow & arrow, play sports, or learn about falconry.

Edinburgh Castle

If you’re in Scotland, this is one of the most popular places to visit; check out Mama Smiles’ visit to Edinburgh Castle with her kids and click through to see more photos!

Why kids will love it:

• Bagpipers!
• Live history reenactments (check the schedule before you go)
• They shoot off a mini-cannon/gun every day
• Priceless jewels & crown on display

Guédelon Castle

In France you can find an active build site! Read about visiting Guédelon Castle from My Travel Monkey here and see what a recreation entails.

Why kids will love it:

• Everyone is in costume and keeping the build true to the 13th century
• There is a stone carving workshop for kids
• There are work animals on site, always fun to watch

Hampton Court Palace

Why kids will love it:

• Kids (and adults!) can borrow velvet cloaks to wear around the castle
• A unique & amazing playground with fun towers, a dragon, sand box, and little treehouses
• Beautiful manicured gardens and a scavenger hunt

Hever Castle

This English castle wasn’t on my radar when I researched our UK trip but it is now; read about Suitcases and Sandcastles visit to Hever Castle and her pictures will have you begging to go too!

Why kids will love it:

• There are three mazes, including one with water elements
• During summer they have archery for kids to try & live jousting duels to watch
• There are two playgrounds, one with natural elements and one is castle style, with a secret dungeon
• A display of miniature model houses & castle elements

 

Kronborg Castle

When in Denmark, take time to visit this Renaissance history site! Read about the Trip Chiefs’ visit to Kronberg Castle here and see more pictures.

Why kids will love it:

• There’s a moat
• You can explore the underground tunnels
• They have live Hamlet shows
• There is a “Mystery Makers” challenge

Kyral Castle

A modern replica castle, this Australian tourist attraction is designed for kids entertainment; read more about what to do in that area from World of Travels with Kids!

Why kids will love it:

• They have several show options including magic, jousting, and theater
• There is a maze and labyrinth to explore
• Seasonally there is an inflatable obstacle course

Lowther Castle

My kids would go nuts for this England castle’s playground, click through to read about the Mini Travellers’ visit to Lowther Castle! They share lots of beautiful photos so be sure to go read their account.

Why kids will love it:

• Super fun playground with lots of logs and a wooden mini castle
• “Tale trail” map
• Rope swings on the grounds
• Manicured gardens with lots of paths to run on

Neuschwanstein Castle

The most popular castle in Germany might look familiar; its claim to U.S. fame is being the inspiration for the Walt Disney World magic kingdom castle! Simplify, Live, Love visited Neuschwanstein Castle with kids, read about their visit and learn all the tips and options for visiting.

Why kids will love it:

• You can take a horse drawn carriage up to the castle
• Lots of intricate, colorful paintings in the interior that are great for i-spy
• You can walk across the the Marienbrucke, a very high bridge with amazing views

Osaka Castle

One of Japan’s most famous landmarks and one of the most stunning Japanese castles to visit. It is one of the favourite things to do with kids in Osaka from Families Magazine!

Why kids will love it:

• Kids can try on a helmet, surcoat after exploring the museum
• You can see the city from the observation deck
• Pretty manicured gardens to roam, including cherry blossom viewing in season

Quinta da Regaleira

Read about the time We Go With Kids spent at Quinta da Regaleira on a day trip to Sintra, Portugal and the other nearby castles they checked out in the same day!

Why kids will love it:

• The peculiar, winding “initiation well” that you can walk down
• Lots of secret tunnels and passages
• Beautiful gardens
• Audio guide to listen to

Schonbrunn Palace

Austria has beautiful castles too; read about Four Around the World’s visit to Schonbrunn Palace and see more pictures!

Why kids will love it:

• Gorgeous, huge Neptune’s fountain
• Hedge maze
• Labryinth full of puzzles & things to climb
• Kid’s museum with dress-up clothes
• They have a zoo!

Tower of London

Probably the most commonly visited spot on this list, the Tower of London is easily accessible from the city! With a long, gruesome history and lots of stories to tell, this place gives kids a taste of royalty without a long drive.

Why kids will love it:

• Lots of armor and weapon displays, including a dragon sculpture made from metal
• Fun activity booklet and lots of hands-on opportunities talking about medieval life and the tower’s history
• You can see the famous guards and the Crown Jewels
• There is an interactive game app perfect for older kids

Warwick Castle

The most commercialized castle we came across, Warwick Castle offers several options for staying over and tons of kid friendly activities. Sleeping in the actual castle was one of the highlights of our trip! Read about our entire tour here!

Why kids will love it:

• All ages can try archery along with watching a falconry show, and regular demonstrations
• They have a fun princess mystery storytime

Castles not pictured:

Blarney Castle

Everyone’s heard of the Blarney stone but I didn’t realize there was a castle attached! After seeing the photos from the Travelling Canucks’ Blarney Castle visit, I don’t think I want to kiss it, but it still looks fun to visit.

Why kids will love it:

• Lots of open green space to roam and run in, with two small waterfalls in the gardens
• There’s a “poison garden” you can visit
• You can explore some of the underground passages and dungeon

Leeds Castle

Another famous English castle that you can sleep in, this place looks so fun. Read about Little Miss Eden Rose’s visit to Leeds Castle here.

Why kids will love it:

• There’s a hedge maze and underground grotto with fanciful sculptures
• Two wooden castle playgrounds with exciting elements for all ages
• You can ride a small train to the parking lot
• They have a falconry demonstration and a miniature castle putt putt course

Predjama Castle

I want to go to Slovenia now! I love caves and I love castles so I was excited to learn about this unique area; read more about Shere Y Paul’s visit to Predjama Castle and see why!

Why kids will love it:

• It is a CAVE castle, enough said!
• They have a live medieval tournament during summer
• You can tour parts of the cave under the castle
• There is a nearby Postojna Cave accessible via shuttle with more kid friendly sights

Are you ready to go castle hunting now? If you’re more of a playground family, check out this list of the 30 best playgrounds in the world too!