We explored the world’s most colourful cities in our Splash collection, and then decided to do a castle hop across the globe. Our Castle Hop collection explores the majestic giants sprinkled across the world, each unique and mystifying in its own way. A visit to some of the world's most stunning castles, this collection may just inspire the globetrotter in you for your next travel plans. If you are looking for some great travel souvenirs or want to aim for some major travel goals, then don’t forget to grab our Castle Hop collection art prints. This collection is also available as metal posters and prints on Displate.
Oberhofen Castle, Switzerland
The castle park of Oberhofen is one of the most magnificent gardens in the Alpine region. With its striking groups of trees, exotic groves, a shady arcade and colorful flower parterres the historic landscape garden is an ideal oasis to linger and enjoy.
Palacio de Pena, Portugal
The Palacio da Pena stands on the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains above the town of Sintra, and on a clear day it can be easily seen from Lisbon. The palace is a hedonistic mix of vividly painted terraces, decorative battlements and mythological statues, all of which stand at stark contrast to the lush greens of the forests below.
Lichtenstein Castle, Germany
The "fairy tale castle of Württemberg", Schloss Lichtenstein, is a privately owned tourist attraction built in Gothic Revival style in southern Germany. Nicknamed Neuschwanstein’s Little Brother, after Neuschwanstein Castle, the most famous fairytale castle in the world.
Kronborg, Denmark
Immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Kronborg is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Europe and is on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list. Fun fact: Hamlet was performed in the castle for the first time to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, with a cast consisting of soldiers from the castle garrison.
Matsumoto-Jo, Japan
One of Japan's most beautiful original castles, Matsumoto-jo is a 16th-century stronghold nicknamed “Crow Castle” for its distinctive black walls.
Malbork Castle, Poland
The largest castle in the world measured by land area is the Malbork Castle in Poland. The castle is a classic example of a medieval fortress and, on its completion in 1406, was the world's largest brick castle.
Hawa Mahal, India
Also known as “Palace of Breeze”, the Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 as an extension to the Royal City Palace of Jaipur, and allowed the royal ladies to be able to watch any processions on the street without being seen by the public. Its exterior is akin to the honeycomb of a beehive with 953 small windows decorated with intricate latticework, that also allowed cool breezes to flow through even in the peak of scorching summers. Fun fact: Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think it is the front of the palace, but in reality it is the back of that structure.
Corvin Castle, Romania
One of the largest castles in Europe, Romania's Corvin Castle, is said to be the place where Vlad III of Wallachia (commonly known as Vlad the Impaler) was held prisoner by John Hunyadi, the man who executed Vlad II Dracul. Because of these links, the Corvin Castle is sometimes mentioned as a source of inspiration for Bram Stoker's Castle Dracula.
Castillo de Coca, Spain
The Castillo de Coca located in Coca, Segovia has been considered to be one of the best examples of Spanish Mudejar brickwork which incorporates Moorish Muslim design and construction with Gothic architecture; a true fusion of Spanish history.
Hochosterwitz, Austria
One of the most impressive medieval castles, the Hochosterwitz castle in Austria sits atop a 172-metre high Dolomite rock. It can be seen from a distance of up to 30 km on a clear day. It's most unique features are the 14 gates leading up to the castle; each gate consisting of a diagram of the defence mechanism used to seal that particular gate.
Bodiam Castle, UK
The area surrounding Bodiam Castle was landscaped when the castle was built, to increase its aesthetic appeal.Bodiam is roughly square-shaped. This type of castle, with a central courtyard and buildings against the curtain wall, was characteristic of castle architecture in the 14th century. Bodiam Castle has been described as the most complete surviving example of a quadrangular castle.
Blejski Grad, Slovenia
On a cliff overlooking the lake is the 11th-century Bled Castle. Sitting atop a cliff, important dignitaries would often meet here to enjoy the expansive views the castle offers.