Europe is peppered with incredible castles, spanning centuries and architectural styles, and each with their own fascinating stories. From fairy-tale fantasies come to life to great Gothic structures perched on hilltops and everything else in between, these are Europe's most beautiful castles.

As castles go, Bran is probably one of the spookiest. The medieval fortress in Transylvania became known as Dracula’s castle, despite Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, never having visited Romania. Today the castle, with its eerie turrets and stunning hilltop location, remains synonymous with the legendary vampire. 

Downton Abbey might be set in a fictional Yorkshire country estate of the same name, but the Jacobean Revival-style building really does exist in real life. Highclere Castle, used for the exterior shots in the TV series and film, was built in the 19th century by architect Charles Barry. The 5,000-acre estate is actually located in Hampshire, close to the town of Newbury in Berkshire.

The prison was known to be particularly notorious and François de Bonivard is its best-known prisoner. Immortalised in Lord Byron's poem, The Prisoner of Chillon, the devout scholar was imprisoned for his heretical Protestant beliefs. As the poem goes, he remained there for six years chained to a pillar, however, in reality, it was only six months.

Dramatic Predjama Castle is tucked within the mouth of a cave in Slovenia, and it's almost difficult to see where the rock ends and the weather-worn fortress begins. This dramatic 13th-century structure, jutting out from a 404-foot-high (123m) cliff, is rumoured to have influenced George R.R. Martin, the author whose novels inspired hit TV series Game of Thrones.

The castle was reconstructed after the Second World War and completed in 1961 to its former glory, showcasing its unique architecture. The inside is as impressive as the outside too: this photo shows the stone walls and artwork of the castle's chapel. Take a look at vintage images of America's most historic attractions.

The turreted Glamis Castle in Scotland is teeming with more than 1,000 years of history. It was even featured in Shakespeare's play Macbeth as the home of the title character. A castle with royal roots, Glamis was also the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, whose parents were Lord and Lady Glamis. The castle was also the birthplace of her second daughter Princess Margaret, the first royal baby born in Scotland since 1600. 

Surrounded by over 500 acres of parkland, five miles (8km) southeast of Maidstone, lies the beautiful Leeds Castle. From a Norman stronghold during the 11th and 12th century to a Tudor palace, the castle has a rich past spanning centuries. In 1665, the property was leased to the government to keep Dutch prisoners of war who then set it on fire. The castle remained in a state of disrepair for around a century until 1748 when Robert Fairfax renovated it. Eventually, in 1823 new owner Wykeham Martin demolished the original main house and replaced it with one in a Tudor style. 

Not much has changed of the castle's exterior since then. During the 1920s, Leeds Castle underwent another makeover, this time by Anglo-American heiress Lady Baillie, who would be the property's last private owner. A 16th-century-style carved oak staircase from France was added to the castle as well as a cinema and swimming pool. Zebras and llamas were brought to the grounds. In the 1930s, the castle played host to European royalty, celebrities and statesmen, famed for its luxurious interior and Lady Baillie's lavish hospitality. 

The castle is also Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castle and while most of it is open to public (in fact, there are five museums within the castle), some areas are still used privately by Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his wife Caroline, the niece of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. There are two museums, featuring vintage automobile and motorcycle collections as well as a fascinating collection on flying vehicles. Take a virtual tour of the world's most enchanting stately homes.

As if Slovenia's Lake Bled needed anything else to make it even more beautiful, there also happens to be a castle, overlooking the glistening water and dense forests. A medieval castle built on a precipice above the city of Bled, it's often regarded as Slovenia's oldest castle and is also one of the most visited attractions. First mentioned in writing in 1011, the castle's oldest surviving part is the Romanesque tower. Throughout the Middle Ages and during Renaissance, many improvements were added to it, making the castle a unique amalgamation of various styles.

There's a scenic forest trail leading its way up to the castle with some of the best views of the lake. There is now a museum within the castle, celebrating the history of Bled, from the first settlements to present day, as well as a restaurant and a wine cellar. You can also see a reconstruction of Gutenberg's printing press and regular demonstrations of how it worked and was used.

You might well recognise the 900-year-old Hohenwerfen Fortress: it featured in the background of famous musical The Sound of Music. First constructed around 1077, the castle has gone through many renovations over the years, from its birth as a simple wooden structure to the fortified building it is today. It has been used as everything from a stately home to a military training centre and a police school, and now it's a popular tourist attraction. 

The castle is part of what's known as The Ring of Iron (or Iron Ring of Castles). It was a series of fortifications and castles built to help Edward I with his conquest of Wales. He spent over £80,000 ($101,864) on all the castles, which is about £56 million ($72m) in today's money. All of these castles were tactically positioned either by the coast or rivers and provided access to provisions of food and weapons. See more reasons to love Wales here.

Built in the 19th century, this dreamy castle overlooks the Gulf of Trieste in northeastern Italy. Its grounds include an extensive cliff and seashore park that were designed by the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of the House of Habsburg. The castle was built for him and his family and the garden was landscaped to include tropical trees and plants. See more of the world's most beautiful gardens here.

The castle suffered a devastating fire in 1859, which ruined most of the building, however, over 300 paintings were saved and can now be seen in the castle's museum. Reconstruction was publicly funded and today 70 rooms, plus the Chapel, the Rose Room and the Audience Room are included in the museum. 

Today, the castle is a major tourist attraction in Germany. It holds many significant historical artefacts relating to the Prussian history, like the crown of Wilhelm II, some personal effects of King Frederick the Great and a letter from US President George Washington, thanking Baron von Steuben (a Hohenzollern descendant) for his service in the American Revolutionary War. Pictured here is the interior of St Michael's chapel, also part of the sprawling palace complex. You won't believe these stunning sights are in Germany.

A beguiling fairy-tale castle, Burg Eltz in Western Germany dates from the 12th century and has remained in the Eltz family for an impressive 33 generations. The wonderfully romantic castle, which sits above the Elzbach River, is iconic in Germany and was featured on the 500 Deutsche Mark note from 1965 to 1992. These are Germany's most beautiful towns and villages.

The castle obviously has its fair share of ghost stories, the most famous of which is the phantom of Countess Agnes. The countess was promised in marriage to the Knight of Braunsberg but during a feast to celebrate the match, she rebuffed her suitor, publicly humiliating him. Enraged by the rejection, the spurned knight organised an attack on the castle. After a valiant fight, she was struck by a crossbow and fatally injured and her ghost is said to still haunt the castle. Now discover spectacular American castles you never knew existed.