From Blarney Castle to Mont-Saint-Michel, these fabulous fortresses have moved firmly into the modern age as castle virtual tours you can experience at home.
These amazing virtual tours beam some of the world’s most historic castles direct to your front room…
7 castle virtual tours to experience from home
1. Windsor Castle, UK
The largest still-occupied castle anywhere in the world, this royal retreat yields its treasures via a virtual tour of the three main rooms of state – the Crimson Drawing Room, the State Banquet, and the Waterloo Chamber. Each is laid out in full magisterial dress, and features a host of clickable points of interest, ranging from lavish portraits of former monarchs, to the food on the table.
Visit the Windsor Castle virtual tour.
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2. Prague Castle, Czech Republic
This virtual visit takes guests on a walking tour not just of Prague Castle, but of the entire castle complex, including the royal garden, imperial riding school, and magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral. The Gothic-Romanesque mishmash is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest ancient castle in the world, so there are benefits to exploring from your sofa.
Visit the Prague Castle virtual tour.
3. Palace of Versailles, France
The distinction between palaces and castles is more Venn diagram than line, and we’re letting Versailles slip through the net for its sheer historic splendour. From the world-famous Hall of Mirrors to the eye-popping opulence of the War Salon, and the bevvy of priceless artworks coating the walls, this former seat of French monarchy absolutely reeks of wealth and power.
Google Arts & Culture have put together one of the most comprehensive castle tours on the internet, whizzing through enough history to fill at least a term at university, taking a deep dive into the palace’s art and architecture, and hosting exclusive lifestyle tours on the daily routines of king and queen.
Visit the Palace of Versailles virtual tour.
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4. Sidon Sea Castle, Lebanon
So much for flying buttresses and fancy banqueting halls, Sidon Sea Castle in Lebanon is everything you want from a proper medieval fortress. Built by 13th century crusaders and connected to the shore by a bridge, the castle now lies in ruin, all crumbling battlements, dilapidated turrets and weathered rock.
Another Google Arts & Culture creation, armchair tourists can wander the ramparts at their leisure, or simply stare dreamily out to sea.
Visit the Sidon Sea Castle virtual tour.
5. Blarney Castle, Ireland
Visitors to the Blarney Castle website can take a five stop tour around the castle interior and grounds, serving up 360 degree panoramas of the Poison Garden, the Fern Garden, and the moss-coated remnants of the Family Room.
No online portal has worked out how to let you kiss the Blarney Stone – said to grant eloquence and wit – but you couldn’t in real life regardless. The stone was closed to kissing, for the first time in 600 years, on March 13 after it was deemed a transmission risk.
Visit Blarney Castle virtual tour.
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6. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Blessed with one of the most majestic exteriors of any castle, Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria hosts an online tour of a different, more aerial variety. The AirPano project posts panoramas of anything from volcanoes to the South Pole, and showcases Neuschwanstein in all its glory through a series of 360 degree bird’s eye views featuring various angles and weather conditions.
Sparkling in the morning sun, blanketed in snowfall, surrounded by a thick layer of autumnal brown – you’d have to be very lucky to catch the castle looking as good as this in real life.
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle virtual tour.
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7. Mont-Saint-Michel, France
One of the most famous fortresses in Europe, if not the world, the aquatic citadel of Mont-Saint-Michel is often inaccessible anyway because of the tide. Whether you’re stranded on land or at home, History View operate a so-called VR field trip, offering swooping camera shots from above the complex and titbits about its turbulent past.
Visit Mont-Saint-Michel virtual tour.
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