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Schloss Linderhof Palace was built from 1869 by the King Ludwig II as a copy of the Palace of Versailles. Located in Germany, near Oberammergau in southwest Bavaria, it is the smallest of King Ludwig II’s fantasy castles and there are only six main rooms. Though much smaller, the architecture of the magnificent palace is extravagant with ivory candelabra’s and carpets made of Ostrich feathers. Set in wonderful gardens alongside a small lake, this palace is filled with gold.

The gardens surrounding Linderhof Palace are considered one of the most beautiful creations of historicist garden design. It’s about 25 m wide and 35 m long with the gardens were very big (the palace landscaped parklands are 50 hectares) and full of flowers and fountains were leafed with gold.

Today is owned by the Bavarian Government and no-one lives in the palace – it’s just for visitors. They can look around the restored and heavily ornamented rooms. Admire the wall paintings, tapestries, original furnishings and splendour of the palace, before touring the landscaped gardens. There is an entrance fee.

Situated high above the River Neckar, Heidelberg Castle is one of Germany’s most romantic locations. It has had a long and turbulent history since it was first constructed in the early 15th century as a residence for the Palatine princes, the powerful secular rulers who presided over this part of southern Germany during the Holy Roman Empire. The construction lasted over 400 years and consists of ramparts, outbuildings and palaces in all styles from Gothic to High Renaissance. The two dominant buildings at the eastern and northern side of the courtyard were erected the 16th century. Today, they are considered to be two of the most important buildings in German architectural history.

Prince Elector Philip (1476 – 1508) is said to have arranged the transfer of the hall’s columns from a decayed palace of Charlemagne to Heidelberg. Lightning struck the Castle in 1764. In the centuries that followed, the Castle was misused as a quarry – castle stones helped to build new houses in Heidelberg. This was stopped in 1800 by Count Charles de Graimberg who made any effort he could to preserve the Heidelberg Castle. In spite of its Gothic interior, it was not before 1934, that the King’s Hall was added.

That part of the castle shows you the ruins. It’s just opposite of the ticket office in case that you didn’t climb up the steep path. It strikes the eye at once that the castle did not arise from any uniform constructional plan, and that there is no common building line nor any unifying building style. To the west and the south the dominant element is the very plain Gothic structures. To the north ant the east it is the sumptuous and massive stone walls of the magnificent Renaissance palace and massive stone walls of the magnificent Renaissance palace with its rich decoration of sculptured figures.

The garden was filled with herbs and vegetables, as well as beautiful trees, among them some very rare ones. Most of them survived until now, and make the garden a beautiful place to walk around in some shade nowadays, to admire the view to the castle and the city and have some picnic on the benches. Don’t miss to walk up to the upper terrace and get inside the big grottos – they have been beautifully styled inside, with a little fountain as well.

Situated above the center of Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh Castle has watched over the history of Scotland for almost 1400 years. Today it offers a wide range of superb attractions for the visitor to explore. Edinburgh Castle sits on top of what was, at one time, a volcano – a 437 feet high plug of basalt rock.

Castle Rock, dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburg, and is Scotland’s most famous (and most visited) landmark. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC. As it stands today though, few of the castle’s structures pre-date the 16th century. Edinburg Castle has played a central role in the history of Scotland. Its site, on a rock rising 300 feet above the city, has been fought over more than 2,000 years. Edinburgh’s have been repeatedly battered, razed and restores. Most of the present castle dates from the sixteenth century and after. In 1566 Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to the future James I (VI of Scotland) within the castle. Edinburgh Castle is also the home of the One O’Clock Gun. This is fired every day except Sunday at precisely 1.00pm to provide everyone with an accurate check for their clocks and watches. It will certainly startle you if you are anywhere near the Castle at that moment!

The first record of the castle being used as a royal residence occurs in the 11th century when Margaret, wife of Malcolm- 3 died there after hearing of her husband’s death at Alnwick in 1093. “Saint Margaret” (she was later canonised) was Saxon-English, a refugee from the conquest of England by the Normans under Repaired and strengthened, the Castle became an even more formidable fortress, resisting assaults by the early Covenanters in 1640, holding out for James II in 1688-89 and for George II in 1745. The unsuccessful attempt by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s forces to capture it was the final assault in the Castles long history. Edinburgh Castle is a defensive structure that has evolved continuously to meet the military needs of the times. It has been attacked thirteen times over the centuries. It is an active military base even today and one of the biggest tourist attractions in Britain.