Dream castles for sale right now
Live like royalty
Henry VIII's former honeymoon retreat has gone on sale for $10.4 million (£8.5m) and is just waiting for an owner to add to its legacy. Owning a real-life castle these days isn't restricted to royalty or knights of the realm, although you will need to pay a king's ransom to snap one up. Feast your eyes on the most majestic castles currently on the market.
Highlands Castle, Bolton Landing, New York: $12.8 million (£10.4m)
Highlands Castle, Bolton Landing, New York: $12.8 million (£10.4m)
Overlooking Lake George and the Adirondack Mountains, the castle has been a family home for the past 30 years, but is now looking for a new owner. One who has a spare $12.8 million (£10.24m).
Highlands Castle, Bolton Landing, New York: $12.8 million (£10.4m)
Inside, you'll find 10 bedrooms, including a master 'King' bedroom with a private bathroom, a guest 'Queen' bedroom with a private bathroom, a separate gatehouse with living quarters and a separate guesthouse with living quarters. Plenty of beds then.
Highlands Castle, Bolton Landing, New York: $12.8 million (£10.4m)
Of course these are just the places you can stay. There is also plenty of space for entertaining, including a theater room and entertainment area, a number of terraces with panoramic views, a great hall and a relaxing sitting room with a library. Not bad, is it?
Castle in Noetzie Beach, Eden, South Africa: $6 million (£4.8m)
Castle in Noetzie Beach, Eden, South Africa: $6 million (£4.8m)
On sale for a cool $6 million (£4.8m), the castle is situated in its own private garden, with direct access to the tranquil Noetzie Beach, as well as its own heated flow pool, a thatched gazebo perched on the rocks, huge terraces with panoramic views of the ocean and a gym (not that you'll want to spend much time in there).
Castle in Noetzie Beach, Eden, South Africa: $6 million (£4.8m)
Just imagine relaxing in your own private pool, looking out onto the ocean ahead of you, only to turn back round and see the sight of your very own castle. It's got to be worth the big bucks, surely?
Castle in Noetzie Beach, Eden, South Africa: $6 million (£4.8m)
Inside, you won't struggle for space with two large living rooms (with wood-burning fireplaces, we might add), a 10-seater dining room and three spacious suites with bathrooms and views of the beach. You'll find king-size beds, heated marble floors and walk-in wardrobes. Life doesn't get much better.
Rothes Glen House, Banffshire, Scotland: $1.4 million (£1.1 million)
This baronial-style, 11-bedroom castle-style mansion in Scotland incorporates history and modern style. And not to brag, but you'd also be the proud owner of 9.3 acres of grounds, all for a cool $1.4 million (£1.1 million).
Rothes Glen House, Banffshire, Scotland: $1.4 million (£1.1 million)
Rothes Glen House was built in 1893 as a summer getaway for the Dunbar-Dunbar family, and was fully refurbished to its current glory in 2004. It boasts 11 bedrooms, eight reception rooms and a nursery wing.
Rothes Glen House, Banffshire, Scotland: $1.4 million (£1.1 million)
The property has many sides to it. You could enjoy the family room with wood-burning stove, the library and reading room, and work out in the gym. Or maybe you're looking for a weekend escape to host family and friends, fitted with sitting and drawing rooms (pictured), a smoking room and even a ballroom!
Rothes Glen House, Banffshire, Scotland: $1.4 million (£1.1 million)
You'll be the toast of the town once you've thrown a lavish dinner party in this beautifully-decorated dining room.
Rothes Glen House, Banffshire, Scotland: $1.4 million (£1.1 million)
And guests would arrive and depart with a smile on their face thanks to the cherry trees lining the driveway. Be sure to have your guests over in the summer though, as there's a rose garden and lake on the property to be admired too.
Castel Valer, Italy: $34 million (£27m)
This enchanting castle is the most expensive in our round-up, and we can see why. The castle, set in the foothills of the Italian Alps, has belonged to the aristocratic Spaur family since 1368.
Castel Valer, Italy: $34 million (£27m)
The castle has 80 rooms and is inhabited by the Count and Countessa Spaur zu Flavon und Valer. Could you imagine a medieval banquet in the dining room (pictured)?
Castel Valer, Italy: $34 million (£27m)
The castle sits in 12 acres of forest, with six acres of apple orchards, and 'countless' terraced gardens. Think of what you could do with that space!
Castel Valer, Italy: $34 million (£27m)
There are 15 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, five kitchens and two chapels inside the castle, which is spread over 35,520 square feet. All rooms within the castle have been carefully restored by the Count and Countessa to the original 16th-century and Baroque, Gothic and Romanesque architecture.
Castel Valer, Italy: $34 million (£27m)
But let's not forget the modern-day essentials too, like a wine cellar (pictured), library, pool and sauna.
Castel Valer, Italy: $34 million (£27m)
One of the two chapels (pictured) boasts artwork (frescos) by 15th-century master Italian painters Battista and Giovanni Baschenis from the Bergamo region.
Castello di Carimate, Italy: $16.6 million (£13.3m)
Prestige Property Group is marketing this spectacular castello in northern Italy, which was built in 1149 and reconstructed by the powerful Visconti family in 1345. It is currently being used as a luxury spa hotel.
Castello di Carimate, Italy: $16.6 million (£13.3m)
Space certainly isn't an issue with this property. The castello occupies an incredible 130,000 square feet and features no less than 70 rooms, as well as a sumptuous spa, banquet hall, restaurant and even a proper portcullis.
Castello di Carimate, Italy: $16.6 million (£13.3m)
The well-appointed interiors, which have been fully restored, are decorated with neo-gothic ribbing and exquisite frescos.
Castello di Carimate, Italy: $16.6 million (£13.3m)
The perfect escape for high net-worth individuals, the castello has an indoor pool and gym in the spa, a golf course pretty much on the doorstep and a billionaire-friendly helipad to boot.
Henry VIII's honeymoon retreat, Cotswolds, UK: $10.3 million (£8.25m)
Fancy living like a king and queen? For $10.3 million (£8.25m), you can stay in the castle where King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn relaxed for 10 days in 1535 as part of a belated honeymoon tour.
Henry VIII's honeymoon retreat, Cotswolds, UK: $10.3 million (£8.25m)
Thornbury Castle is currently a hotel with a grand ballroom, a dungeon dining room, 28 luxury suites (plus a honeymoon suite, of course) and grounds where guests can dabble in some archery, falcony or croquet.
Henry VIII's honeymoon retreat, Cotswolds, UK: $10.3 million (£8.25m)
The Grade I-listed Tudor castle was built during Henry's reign and was claimed by the King after its former owner, the Duke of Buckingham, was arrested and executed on Tower Hill. However, it was later passed onto the Duke's descendants, but remained unoccupied for two centuries and fell into ruin.
Henry VIII's honeymoon retreat, Cotswolds, UK: $10.3 million (£8.25m)
Of course it didn't always stay that way. In the 1850s, it was taken into new hands and was renovated into a beautiful family home. Later, in 1966 and 1986, it became a restaurant, run by staff including British celebrity chef Nigel Slater. Today it is a decadent hotel, waiting for a new investor to add to its history. Could it be you?
Glin Castle, Ireland: $7.2 million (£5.8m)
This charming castle near Limerick in Ireland has been the ancestral home of the venerable FitzGerald clan – the Knights of Glin – for over 700 years. With no male heir to take over, the estate is now up for sale.
Glin Castle, Ireland: $7.2 million (£5.8m)
The 21-bedroom property was rented out in the 70s to the international jet set – guests have included Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull and Talitha Getty – as well as the crème de la crème of Irish society.
Glin Castle, Ireland: $7.2 million (£5.8m)
Available via Sherry FitzGerald estate agents, Glin Castle is noted for its splendid interiors, which are packed with important antiques and paintings.
Glin Castle, Ireland: $7.2 million (£5.8m)
The castle is set in 23 acres of landscaped gardens and wooded areas, and comes with three gingerbread lodges (log cabins) and a working dairy farm.
Sotheby's International Realty
Sauerburg Castle, Germany: $6.4 million (£5.13m)
Sotheby's International Realty is offering the freshly-renovated Sauerberg Castle in Germany's Rhine Valley, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sotheby's International Realty
Sauerburg Castle, Germany: $6.4 million (£5.13m)
Castles don't get a whole lot more romantic and fairytale-like than this German schloss. With its pointy towers, tumbledown walls and overgrown courtyard, you'd almost expect to discover Sleeping Beauty slumbering away in one of the bedrooms.
Sotheby's International Realty
Sauerburg Castle, Germany: $6.4 million (£5.13m)
The 14th-century castle, which has been converted to a luxury hotel, impresses with a total of 23 bedrooms, including a glamorous wedding suite with a blingy chandelier and hand-carved bed.
Sotheby's International Realty
Sauerburg Castle, Germany: $6.4 million (£5.13m)
The castle's other highlights range from an imposing great hall to a peaceful chapel and, best of all, a medieval skittle alley with its very own registry office.
Gyrn Castle, Denbighshire, north Wales, UK: $3.7 million (£3 million)
Who says castles need to be old? This beauty was built in north Wales just 20 years ago! Talk about creating history. The castle sits on the crest of a hill overlooking the Clywd valley, and with 46 acres of land available to you there's a big kingdom to survey.
Gyrn Castle, Denbighshire, north Wales, UK: $3.7 million (£3 million)
The five bedrooms within the property are split across three floors and a tower. The ground floor features a dining room (pictured), library, cinema room, drawing room, two reception rooms and an en-suite bathroom. There's also a kitchen and two pantries.
Gyrn Castle, Denbighshire, north Wales, UK: $3.7 million (£3 million)
Those sofas are just waiting to be jumped on!
Gyrn Castle, Denbighshire, north Wales, UK: $3.7 million (£3 million)
One floor up, there's a grand viewing balcony connected to a reception room, the master bedroom complete with its own dressing area and living room. Now that's what we call private!
Gyrn Castle, Denbighshire, north Wales, UK: $3.7 million (£3 million)
The tower comes fully fitted with two en-suite bathrooms, safely tucked away at the height of the castle. And with a rooftop panoramic viewing platform, you could survey your kingdom any time of day or night.