How to Have a Castle Vacation

When the catapults of job stress and the battering rams of unending housework lay siege to your family’s happiness, it’s a wonderful thing to know you can find refuge within the walls of a castle vacation. Planning this fantasy quest is only an arrow shot away.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Pick the perfect location. Many countries have magnificent castles, some that are famous for ancient legends and others that are renowned for epic heroes. Popular citadels include Manzanares el Real near Madrid, Fontainebleau near Paris and Windsor in London, England.
2. Decide what type of castle you would like to visit. Made from mounds of earth or natural hills, Motte and Bailey castles boast large wooden towers. Stone enclosure castles have heavy outer walls surrounding them and often use moats. Similar to stone enclosures, concentric castles have an additional wall to protect the inner wards. Some castles, such as fortified manors, are simply heavily defended mansions. Many of these structures are rumored to be haunted.
3. Pinpoint some fun things to do in the area besides visiting the castle. For example, art galleries, museums, zoos and theme parks surround Warwick Castle in England. By picking a castle in an area like this, a family can fill a vacation with a wide range of activities.
4. Find a castle-themed hotel to heighten the sense of adventure. If you’d like an excellent view of majestic battlements and fluttering banners from your hotel window, lodge within the shadow of Tamworth Castle in Staffordshire, England. Should an evil army invade the town, safety would only be about a hundred yards away.
5. Book your castle tour in advance and consider what type of tour you’d like to see. Famous castles have special events on historic dates, and many haunted castles host spooky visits during Halloween to capitalize on their scary reputations.
6. Buy memorabilia and custom souvenirs to remind you of your visit. In castle gift-shops, tourists can find books on the castle’s history, coats of arms, t-shirts, flags and some castle shops even sell swords.

Tips & Warnings

• Take plenty of photos to remember your magical vacation for years to come.
• Keep swords and other medieval weapons out of children’s reach.
• Obey the tour guide or spend the night in the dungeon.
• Watch out for flaming arrows.