Top 10 castles in the world in Beijing Bangkok Vienna Istanbul Paris London Okinawa St. Petersburg Granada

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A tour of a famous castle?  Um,yes, please, sign me up!  How about the most visited castles in the world?  Here are the 10 most popular castles in the world for tourists to visit – and how you can visit them!

  1. The Forbidden City (Palace Museum) – Beijing, China: The Forbidden City is a palace complex consisting of 980 buildings that served as a home to emperors & their households for almost 500 years and is now the Palace Museum. The Forbidden City was constructed from 1406 to 1420, and when you visit the Palace Museum you can discover secrets from the Ming dynasty (from 1420) up to the end of the Qing dynasty (1912).  And you can buy a ticket for a Forbidden City Palace Museum tour through Viator for a great price – under $10!
  2. The Louvre – Paris, France: The Louvre museum is located in the Louvre Palace, which was originally built as a fortress but in 1546 was converted into the main residence of the French Kings, but in 1682, Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles for his household, and the Louvre was used primarily to display the royal collection. The Louvre Palace became the Louvre Museum in 1793, and you can visit the Louvre Museum at a discounted price through Viator.
  3. Grand Palace – Bangkok, Thailand: Here you can tour what has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later) Thailand since 1782. You can see the Coronation Hall, the Reception Palace, the Throne Palace, the Royal Guest House, the Funeral Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple.  You can book a tour of the Grand Palace through Viator.
  4. The Palace of Versailles- Versailles, France: The Palace of Versailles was the residence of 3 kings of France from 1682-1789. It has more than 700 rooms and beautiful gardens.  And if you want to visit this palace, you should book through Paris City Vision, where you can save 10% off the price of a tour.
  5. Topkapi Palace – Istanbul, Turkey: The Topkapi Palace served as the main residence, as well as the administrative headquarters, of the Ottoman sultans. It is now a large museum, and you can tour it – plus skip the lines – by booking a tour through Viator.
  6. The Winter Palace (State Hermitage Museum) – St. Petersburg, Russia: The Winter Palace was the official residence of the Russian monarchs from 1732 to 1917. The storming of the palace in 1917 then became an iconic symbol of the Russian Revolution.  The restored palace now forms part of a complex of buildings in the Hermitage Museum.  You can buy a ticket to tour this amazing complex through Viator.
  7. Tower of London – London, England: You can get a firsthand look at over 1,000 years of British royal history when you visit the Tower of London. Interestingly enough, the Tower of London has also been an arsenal, a zoo, a prison and a mint at various times throughout history.  And you can learn the whole history of the Tower of London by taking a tour, and you save 17% on a tour of the Tower of London by booking through Expedia.
  8. Schönbrunn Palace – Vienna, Austria: This former imperial summer residence is one of the most historical monuments in Austria. It’s a 1,441-room Baroque palace and you’ll be able to check out the Napoleon Room, Marie-Antionette Room, the Great Gallery and more, plus the gardens, by booking the Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens Tour through Viator.
  9. Alhambra y Generallife – Granada, Spain: Alhambra, famous for being one of Spain’s greatest architectural wonders, was once a fortress but then was rebuilt & reconditioned by Mohammed Ibn Alhamar in the 11th century. Alhambra then became a royal place in 1933, and Alhambra’s palaces were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain & the court of the Nasrid dynasty.  Next to Alhambra is the Palacio de Generallife, which was the summer palace & country estate of the Nasrid rulers of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus.  The Generallife Gardens is one of the oldest surviving Moorish Gardens.  You can see the beautiful Generallife Gardens, as well as Alhambra, during an Alhambra & Generallife tour, and you can save 7% if you are a member of Expedia (if you are not already a member of Expedia, you should become one; it is absolutely free!).
  10. Shuri Castle – Okinawa, Japan: The Shuri Castle dates back to the Ryukyu Kingdom of medieval East & Southeast Asia. The castle served as the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429-1879.  Expedia has a reasonably priced tour that includes the Shuri Castle if you would like to see it for yourself.

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