English strongholds, French fortifications

Five European castles that court travellers with kids

- AMANDA TAUB

Castles, with their mix of history, glamour and culture, can be a highlight of any European vacation.

But take heed, young families! Trips to castles might sound inherently kid-friendly, especially for little people in the Disney Princesses stage, but they can easily break a cardinal rule of travelling with children: Thou shalt maximise the time kids can spend rambunctiously doing things, and minimise the time they must spend quietly looking at things.

As the mother of two, I have learned the hard way that visits to castles can easily descend into just “looking at things”: spectacular historic architecture and long hallways of priceless objects to be viewed quietly, from a respectful distance. Even my older daughter, who has a longstanding fascination with the Tudors, has limited patience for exploring their residences.

Luckily, a number of castles offer children’s activities that are exciting enough to be attractions all their own — and to serve as a bribe for bearing with the tapestries and throne rooms.

Here are five castles that offer delights for boisterous children and history-loving parents alike.

FOR PINT-SIZE DRAGON SLAYERSHampton Court Palace, home of Henry VIII, runs family-friendly events, including arts and food festivals and demonstrations of historic cookery in the palace kitchens. This summer, there will be a Peter Rabbit-themed trail in the extensive gardens, which older visitors may recognise as a filming location for shows such as Bridgerton.

“We want to ensure everyone has a brilliant and memorable experience at our site, no matter what their age is,” said Rachel Mackay, head of Hampton Court Palace. Children will be particularly delighted by the Magic Garden, an enormous playground with palace-themed equipment including a climbable dragon, a water-play area where kids can cool off, a sandpit and a play structure with crenelated towers.