Two Scottish castles have been ranked as "the most beautiful" in Europe by a notable travel outlet.
The opulent Culzean Castle in Ayrshire and Eilean Donan Castle in the HIghlands featured among a must-see list of medieval buildings published by Brazilian travel guide Vegas Pelo Mundo.
As well as the glorious Scottish manors, castles from seven countries feature in the top 10, with Culzean Castle ranking 9th and Eilean Donan Castle coming in at 10th place.
Perched on top of the Maybole cliffs, Culzean Castle's stunning surroundings are made up of flamboyant formal gardens and a glorious swan pond that's framed with beautiful trees.
This sprawling landscape is further surrounded by 60 miles of stunning Scottish coastline, and this is all before entering the magnificent castle, once owned by David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassillis.
A man known to flaunt his wealth, he ensured that his estate would boast extreme opulence. Among its surplus of gilded decor, its stand out feature is the garish oval staircase, which serves as the centrepiece for the entire building.
Today, Culzean Castle is maintained by the Scottish National Trust and is also open to the public. Scots can visit 40 buildings and secret follies within the grounds. There are also play parks, cafés and a second hand bookshop. It opens to the public every year from April 1.
In stark contrast, Eilean Donan castle sits upon the one hectare island with the same name. The fortress was built during the reign of King Alexander II (1214-1249) to protect from Viking invaders.
After his defeat at the Battle of Methven, Robert the Bruce sought refuge within its walls in the 1300s.
Its breathtaking surrounding landscapes also helped to bring the Disney film Brave to life, which focuses on Scotland's intriguing ancient folklore. While it looks crumbling from the outside, the castle has been reconstructed and is open to the public.
Read below to see the full list.
Top 10 most beautiful castles to visit in Europe
- Neuschwanstein Castle -Bavaria, Germany
- Alcazar Castle - Segovia, Spain
- The Castle in Love with the Wind - Ravadinovo, Bulgaria
- Pena Palace - Sintra, Portugal
- Hohenzollern Castle - Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Conwy Castle - Conwy, Wales
- Eltz Castle - Wierschem, Germany
- The Château de Chambord - Chambord, France
- Culzean Castle - Maybole, Scotland
- Eilean Donan Castle, - Highlands, Scotland
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