A FAIRY TAIL HOLIDAY

Check into a castle and get transported back to medieval Europe with its moats, turrets towers and dungeons- but with modern-day luxury

- SMITA TRIPATHI

QUICK, WHAT'S THE FIRST thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘castle’? Does it transport you to a world of turrets and towers, devious stepmothers, lovely princesses, Prince Charmings, and happily ever afters? Or do you immediately think of fire-breathing dragons, swashbuckling knights, dungeons, and dark secrets? Whatever it is, there is no denying that a castle transports us to an intriguing world that is only limited by our imagination.

Europe, especially the British Isles, are dotted with castles and quite a few of them have been converted into hotels, B&Bs or are available for private hires. So if the idea of spiral stone staircases, cobbled corridors and hidden chambers excites you, book yourself a castle and live life king size. “If you are booking a room in a castle hotel, this could be linked to the location, but in many instances this can be linked to the history of the castle, maybe a historic figure who has stayed there,” says Roger Masterson of Celtic Castles, a UK-based travel company that has over 100 castles listed with it across the UK and Ireland and another 300 around the world.