The Top 10 Castles to See By Bike

If any of these castles capture your attention, make sure you click through to learn more about the tour and the abundance of cultural sites you'll visit along the way. It's easy to view dates and prices and book online, or for personal advice from our team, enquire online or call +44 (0)1273 224066.

Perched high on a precipice overlooking the brilliant blue Lake Bled, 1,000-year-old Bled Castle not only appears stunning but provides a portal to the past that would delight any historian. Here you can learn about traditional hand-printing techniques at the castle printing works, bottle your own wine and seal it with wax in the cellar or marvel at the Baroque frescoes in the Gothic chapel.

You have plenty of time to properly explore Bled Castle on our appropriately named Slovenia's Castles, Lakes & Mountains Bike Tour. This circular route which begins and ends at Lake Bled weaves below alpine peaks and through deep forest in north-east Slovenia giving you the best of the country's outstanding scenery as well as a glimpse into its rich history.

View tour: Slovenia's Castles, Lakes & Mountains Bike Tour

A very unusual and unique building, Mallorca's Bellver Castle is one of the last standing circular castles in Europe. Not only is the structure itself extremely beautiful, it also enjoys an unrivalled vantage point overlooking the city of Palma and the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. Since its construction in 1311, it has only fallen once into enemy hands - if that's not top-ten material we don't know what is!

Beginning in Palma, you'll have an immediate opportunity to see Bellver Castle at the start of our Mallorca Bike Tour. You'll then embark on a spectacular circular route around the island, visiting UNESCO-listed mountains, glistening bays and authentic villages.

View tour: Mallorca Bike Tour

Pay a hair-raising visit to Bran Castle, touted as the home of Count Dracula himself, in the heart of Transylvania. Surrounded by the looming silhouettes of the Bucegi and Piatra massifs, Bran Castle is an enormous structure that features imposing turrets and classic Gothic spires. Inside you'll find rooms which have witnessed centuries of history and explore a fascinating collection of art and furniture that belonged to Queen Marie of Romania.

You'll find this breathtaking landmark on our Castles of Transylvania Bike Tour, as you pedal through a quiet region filled with pretty haystacks, horse-drawn carts and country roads in the very centre of Romania. In between cycles, you'll swap your spokes for spooks as you explore eerie castles and magnificent manor houses that appear to have leapt from the pages of Gothic fiction.

View tour: Castles of Transylvania Bike Tour

Discover one of the most famous and best-preserved monuments of the Islamic world at Alhambra Palace (literally translating as 'the red one') in southern Spain. Alhambra is a landmark in the history of the Iberian peninsula as it was the last state to be conquered by the Spanish Catholic monarchs.

Find tranquillity by taking in the ethereal qualities of Islamic architecture as you wander through the gardens and courtyards which are covered in wonderfully detailed Stucco decoration.

Alhambra lies on the path of our Granada to Ronda Bike Tour, where you'll cycle by limestone mountains, green hills, olive groves and lunar landscapes on a spectacularly varied trip. Along with the scenery and grand palaces, you'll sample some fantastic food and lively Spanish culture. Try tapas and flamenco dancing for Iberia's answer to dinner and a show!

View tour: Granada to Ronda Bike Tour

'Majestic' would be the word we'd use to describe Predjama Castle, the second on this list from Slovenia. Towering above the idyllic village of Predjama, this impregnable fortress is the largest cave castle in the world and is constructed under a natural arch in a stone wall. If you travel here between May and September, you can also visit the breathtaking cave underneath the castle, where archaeological finds have shown that the location was inhabited as early as the stone age.

Beginning in the same location as our Castles, Lakes & Mountains tour, you'll start the Best of Slovenia Bike Tour basking by the beautiful Lake Bled before heading south through Slovenia's awesome karst. Still incredibly rural, Slovenia is a place that makes you feel like you've escaped into nature as you pedal through the beautiful landscape.

View tour: Best of Slovenia Bike Tour - Lakes to the Coast

One of the most imposing castles on our list, Hohensalzburg Castle is one to visit if you want to feel a sense of awe at the sheer scale of defensive fortifications. Expanded to a huge size in 17th century, the external bastions were erected to withstand Turkish invasions. Incredibly enough, this monumental fortress only came under siege once in its thousand-year history during the German peasants' war in 1525.

A visit to Hohensalzburg Castle is a great way to make the most of your time in Salzburg, where you'll stay at the start and end of our Salzburg & 10 Lakes Bike Tour. The views from the battlements over the domes and spires of the city to the north and alpine peaks to the south are something to behold. After leaving Salzburg, you'll tour between ten glistening lakes surrounded by velvet-green mountains.

View tour: Salzburg & 10 Lakes Bike Tour

If it's grand palaces you're looking for, you couldn't do much better than a visit to Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley. The almost stupefying extravagance of the castle's facades is matched only by the lavish interior. Wander the former corridors of power where French kings impressed European rivals and where later on revolutionaries sold the possessions of their former rulers.

Château de Chambord marks the finale of your cycle through the 'garden of France' on our Loire Valley Leisurely Bike Tour. Chambord is not the only chateau you'll visit on this tour - Amboise, Chenonceau and Beauregard are also spectacular. Witness them as you pedal along wonderfully flat cycle paths through pleasant green countryside.

View tour: Loire Valley Leisurely Bike Tour

When staying in the Czech capital, one of the must-visit sites is Prague Castle, the seat of power for the kings of Bohemia. The castle is in fact a complex of buildings which includes the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral, the Basilica of St. George and several palaces, gardens and defence towers. To wander through the complex is to take a fascinating journey through Czech history which is marked by shifting architectural styles from the Romanesque to the Gothic.

Explore Prague Castle with fresh legs at the beginning of your Prague to Dresden Bike Tour. The Czech capital provides a spectacular opening to your northward journey along the Vltava and Elbe rivers. You'll ride past diverse landscapes of green mountains, sandstone towers, watery meadows and terraced vineyards before seeing the spires and domes of Dresden come into view at the end of your tour.

View tour: Prague to Dresden Bike Tour

Enjoying a picturesque setting on the edge of Lake Mälaren in south east Sweden, Gripsholm Castle provides a glimpse into 400 years of Swedish history. We highly recommend coming here to see the portrait collection which is the oldest in the world and holds over 800 paintings from the 17th century all the way up to the present day.

Beginning in Stockholm, one of the best preserved medieval cities in the world, our Land of Lakes & Castles Leisurely Bike Tour takes you along flat paths between historic manor houses and pretty towns before finally arriving at Gripsholm Castle at the end of your tour.

View tour: Land of Lakes & Castles Leisurely Bike Tour

We've left one of the most magnificent castles till last, the spectacular Alcázar of Segovia in central Spain. This unique structure has the appearance of a fairytale palace, with soaring turrets sitting above walls which converge like the bow of a ship over a high cliff face. The magnificence of the exterior is matched by the beauty of the interior, where you'll find astoundingly ornate decoration in the throne room, spectacular 16th century oil painting and a fascinating collection of armour and military equipment.

You'll have no trouble finding the time to marvel at the battlements of Alcázar on our Segovia's Medieval Villages & Castles Bike Tour. Beginning in the astounding city of Segovia, you can easily add an extra night to the start of your tour to properly explore the UNESCO-listed city.

View tour: Segovia's Medieval Villages & Castles Bike Tour

The advantage of exploring historical Europe by bike is that you can go between so many amazing places on a single trip. Be assured we've only provided a glimpse of what's on offer in this blog. If reading about these incredible structures has piqued your interest, we'd of course encourage you to book soon.

If you've found a tour you'd like to try, visit the tour pages to view departure dates and book. Or if you're still undecided and would still like some more information, enquire online or contact our team on +44 (0)1273 224066.

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