Hi everyone,
My sister and I need help in trying to decide on where to go next. My sister wants to see castles this time and possibly take a "haunted castle tour". (Don't laugh. It is kind of fun taking a late night ghost tour - especially after a few cocktails)
Anyway, any ideas on which area has the best castles as well as any areas that has preserved their old towns? Thanks to all!
I saw a Passport to Europe show on the travel channel where she is actually staying in a "haunted castle" in the scottish highlands. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the castle, but you can probably catch the show on the travel channel.
I second Jill: Scotland!!! The Grampian has castle after castle and not far (Scotland's a small country) are MacBeth's castle, the castle where the Queen Mum was born, castles where people were held hostage, and just about everything you could want. We went to a building that looks like a castle ruin but was actually a hotel that burned down in the late 1800s. It was the place that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula. It isn't that there aren't other places, but that's the one that immediately came to mind. London has a haunted tour which I haven't taken and you could do day trips out to castles from there too.
Well I don't know about "haunted" castles but there are many castles that will rent rooms just like a hotel. You can see a lot of castle hotels here:
What about Dracula's castle if it's open to the public.
Write for tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London - not technially a "castle." It takes (and has taken) place every night at 10 for over 600 years (except during WWII). It's unique, spooky fun. The ceremony is very theatrical, the Beefeaters very informational, and the atmosphere is fantastic. My son especially enjoyed being "locked in the tower" after hours and allowed to exit via a little door in the main gate. Link: http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/keys/index.htm
Scotland. And while you're at it add to your adgenda haunted cemeteries. While technically speaking The Tower of London is indeed a castle and the ceremony of the keys fun, it's really not spooky since you only go in a short way and you're only there a short time. It is dark and wonderful however.
Don't know about castle tours, but I can strongly recommend not staying overnight in a castle unless you make sure it's been renovated to include a modern heating system. Castles are cold and damp, as my hubby and I can testify after booking a room in a castle in Zell, Germany to celebrate our anniversary a few years ago.
Thank you everyone for your ideas. Scotland is at the top of my list now!!! I forgot about "haunted" cemetaries! I'll have to check into that one too.
Hazel, in looking for the "haunts" in Edinbugh there is a tour of Burke and Hare, men who stole bodies to sell to medical schools. The stories are kinda creepy and you can see the book that is covered with Burke's skin as punishment for his crime.
Just north of Bristol there is Berkeley castle this event is happening on the 21st;
On September 21st, the 680th anniversary of Edward II's murder, we are having a Ghost Hunt hosted by Richard Felix of Most Haunted, the first such event to be held at the Castle - EVER! Then in October and November we are showing Marlowe's "Edward II" in the Great Hall - portraying events that happened in the very place you are sitting.....
During Halloween many castles have Ghost hunts or Ghost experiences at least. It would be ahoot eh :)
