Castles · PALACE TOURS
The days that pair a fortress with the comfortable house its owners moved into later. The 15 below explain what each ticket covers and where the two buildings are far enough apart to need transport.
Use one ticket for Lobkowicz Palace and Prague Castle’s main circuit. At Lobkowicz, a family-narrated audio guide leads you through 22 rooms of paintings, instruments, manuscripts, and decorative arts. At the castle, visit St. Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane, St. George’s Basilica, and the Old Royal Palace at your own pace.
“The castle and palace was beautiful to see and walk around”
Board Gilles Rheinschifffahrt at Brücke 2 in Koblenz for a two-hour cruise toward Braubach and back. You’ll pass Electoral Palace, Lahneck Castle, Stolzenfels Castle, Deutsches Eck, and more. The boat has indoor and outdoor seating, table service, German and English commentary, and a possible Marksburg Castle stop on the 11 a.m. departure.
“Incredible! I saw some beautiful sights, met some very kind people, and enjoyed the chance to explore the castle and Rhine River very much!”
Travel from central Munich to Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle with an English-speaking guide such as Elizabeth, Christine, or Alberto. The coach handles the long-distance transport, while you choose which interiors to visit. Expect castle fees, lunch, uphill walking, and a full 10.5-hour day.
“Visited Germany over the Christmas hols and was glad to find a tour to the castles on Boxing Day. Personally preferred Linderhof because of the intricate details and we could visit entire palace. Neuschwanstein was only abt 35 mins seeing part of the castle. The interiors are reminiscent of Residenz Munchen. Neuschwanstein inspired Disney if I am not wrong but cannot see his beauty from ground up. Aerial view would be better. Shuttle buses were not running thus upslope to Neuschwanstein can be a challenge. Being an animal lover I will not support horse carriages also. Thank you to Bashkin (driver) and guides Gabriel and Pedro for taking care of…”
Spend one hour with professional musicians in Lobkowicz Palace’s 17th-century Baroque Concert Room. The program changes, but may include Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvořák, Smetana, Vivaldi, and a work by Lobkowicz himself. Add the palace audio guide for art, family history, and original musical scores.
“It was lovely. I am not a classical fan but enjoyed the experience immensely. The small size enabled me to appreciate aspects of the musicians skills that you cannot is a larger forum.”
Board La Paloma at Koblenz for a two-hour cruise past the Deutsches Eck, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, Stolzenfels, Lahneck, and Marksburg Castle. The ship turns at the Moselle mouth, continues upriver to Braubach, then returns. German and English commentary, food, drinks, dogs, and wheelchair access are available.
“Really enjoyed this cruise. The commentary was in German and English. It was very clear and informative. Covered so many amazing sights. Staff onboard were great, very polite and helpful. Also loved the food we had.”
Spend one hour inside Kyoto’s Nijo Castle with an English-speaking guide. You’ll see the East Main Gate, Karamon Gate, Ninomaru Palace, and Ninomaru Garden, with access to areas normally closed to general visitors. Guides such as Ai, Kaoru, Miki, and Don explain palace rooms, samurai customs, artwork, politics, and daily life in clear, lively English.
“Miki (spelling) was a fantastic tour guide. Broke down the history of the castle, ruling structure over the time period, and other interesting information (for example reason for certain art work/painting in the castle).”
Enter Seville’s Royal Alcázar with a guide such as Sam, Jose, or Victoria, then follow the palace’s Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque story through royal rooms, courtyards, and gardens. The 1.5-hour tour includes priority access, headsets, and time to continue exploring afterward. Shared and private options are available in four languages.
“Excellent tour with so much more context and history than just looking around the place. Guide was excellent!!”
Meet your English-speaking guide at Starbucks beside Wadakura Fountain Park, then walk through the park and Imperial Palace East Gardens. You’ll see Edo Castle ruins, gardens, ponds, and former castle grounds while guides such as Kenta, Glenda, Sato, Kei, and Miko explain Japan’s samurai, shogun, and imperial past. The palace buildings are not open to the public.
“Our guide Glenda, originally from Singapore, was extremely knowledgeable on Japan's history and especially, in relation to the Emperor's, Shogun's, Samurai's and the Imperial palace and gardens. Her English language was perfect and she spoke clearly and slow, unlike some other guides we have had in Japan. Glenda also gave us many recommendations for other sights to visit. The tour had a maximum of 10, making it an intimate experience. I strongly recommend this tour and ask for Glenda.”
This three-hour walking tour links Nijo Castle, including Ninomaru-goten Palace and its Painting Gallery, with Kyoto Imperial Palace. An English, French, or Spanish-speaking guide leads groups of up to nine, explaining the contrast between shogun and emperor. Guides such as Jasmine, Raphael, Vincent, and Taku are often praised for clear storytelling and helpful local advice.
“The tour had a good pace and was insightful. Our guide Vincent was very knowledgeable about the area and was full of cultural facts. He also gave recommendations on the local area. Would recommend to others.”
Spend a full day beyond Copenhagen with a small group of up to 16, visiting Hamlet’s Kronborg Castle, grand Frederiksborg Palace, Roskilde Cathedral, and the Viking Ship Museum. Hotel pickup, entry fees, water, WiFi, and an English-speaking guide are included. Expect a long day with plenty of walking and stairs.
“This tour gave an excellent overview of Danish history and culture. Our guide Remi was very knowlegable and explained things clearly. Although we covered 4 major sites, we did not seem too rushed. Also our 5 grandchildren ages 6 to 14 years old all seemed to enjoy the trip.”
This eight-hour Sintra tour from Lisbon includes Pena Palace, its gardens, the Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra Old Town, and a Piriquita pastry stop. Guides such as Kazi and Hossain provide English commentary, drive a clean BMW or VW, and may add Cabo da Roca and Cascais when time and route allow. Palace tickets and lunch cost extra.
“Amazing and very organised tour with Tour7Portugal. loved it!”
Spend about eight hours with a private guide such as Ana, David, Pedro, or Anna, visiting Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, Sintra village, Cabo da Roca, Guincho Beach, Cascais, and Boca do Inferno. Tickets, transport, water, WiFi, and hotel pickup are included. Expect steep paths, stairs, changing weather, and a flexible coastal drive.
“Fantastic journey to the Moorish castle, Pena Palace, Cabo de Roca and scenic drive along the Atlantic coastline.”
Start at 7:45 am from Victoria Coach Station for a full day of royal sights. Explore Windsor Castle, its State Apartments, and St George’s Chapel independently, then visit Buckingham Palace’s summer-only State Rooms with an audio guide. A local guide handles coach commentary and timing, but not the interiors.
“The tour guide was amazing, informative and funny. We learned so much from him. He always made sure that we were in the best place for pictures. Thank you!”
Travel from Riga in a small shared group of up to eight people, crossing into Lithuania to visit the Hill of Crosses. You’ll also see Bauska Castle, tour Rundale Palace and its gardens, and stop at the Latvia-Lithuania border. Guides such as Jānis and Viesturs add local stories, snacks, and flexible stops.
“An excellent tour! Had an amazing time, very informative and well organised! Hill of crosses was incredible!”
Use Sintra’s official Scotturb buses for one day with unlimited rides on routes 434 and 435. Route 434 serves Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle, while 435 links Regaleira and Monserrate Palace. Validate your digital ticket on the bus, then hop on and off as often as you like.
“You can take the bus all day if you want. We never waited a long time to take the bus.”
By the kind of castle day, rather than the country.
