Europe has a bit of everything; you can ski, sunbathe, and sightsee all on one continent, which is pretty darn ideal. If the latter is more your holiday vibe, and you’ve been inspired by all the recent royal occasions, then we have the perfect checklist to add to your phone’s notes, because what’s a visit to France without seeing the gilded walls of Versailles? Because when looking for home inspo, we secretly would take palaces and castles over a Pinterest board any day…
1. Buckingham Palace, UK
Thanks to Celebrity Cruises, we now know which is the most-searched for tourist hotspot in Europe. And what's more, the number crunchers also looked into the number of photos posted on Instagram, giving us a definitive list of castles to add to our bucket list. No surprises here, Buckingham Palace made the number one spot. The London residence of the Queen is officially the most popular palace in Europe, with 5.4 million people wanting to know more about it on Google, and a whopping 1.1 million photos of the palace uploaded to Instagram.
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2. Windsor Castle, UK
It's been the site of three royal weddings in the last few years so it's no surprise the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's venue is a hit with tourists. Luckily, it's open all year round for those that haven't seen it.
3. Kensington Palace, UK
The former home of Princess Diana and now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, it's no wonder this is one of the most visited royal sites in Europe.
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4. Palace of Versaille, France
Oozing opulence and decadence, if you find yourself near the Palace of Versaille, it's well worth the trip. After all, it the first UNESCO World Heritage Site on the list.
5. Hampton Court Palace, UK
Back over to England, Hampton Court Palace is synonymous with one of the most famous British Kings in history – King Henry VIII. Home to the notorious king and his six wives, explore the palace and the grounds - they're pretty spectacular too. 6. Schönbrunn Palace
This 1,441-room Baroque palace is the second UNESCO World Heritage Site on the list and one of Austria’s most important cultural assets, drawing millions of visitors each year.
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7. Palacio Real, Spain
If you visit here don't expect to catch a glimpse of Queen Letizia or King Felipe VI as it's no longer home to the Spanish royal family.Instead it plays host to state ceremonies, official banquets and other state functions.
8. Buda Castle, Hungary
The third UNESCO World Heritage Site, today the former palace and castle of the Hungarian royals houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.
9. Chateau De Fontainebleau, France
Another French entry, it's possible to do a daytrip here from Paris as it's located only 55km outside of the city. One of the largest royal chateaus, Fontainbleau served as a residence for a host of France monarchs, from Louis VII to Napoleon III, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
10. Amalienborg, Denmark
Home to Denmark’s present-day royal family, and one of the world’s oldest monarchies, certain parts of Amalienburg are open to the public from June until August.
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