Thread by @NickLovesSpain

More than 10,000 castles have marked Spain throughout history.

With 2,500 still standing today.

Here are the 25 most enchanting castles to explore during your next visit to Spain:

(a 🧵)

1. Alcázar de Segovia

- Segovia Castle
- Located in Segovia (Castile and León)
- One of the most-visited landmarks in Spain
- Inspired Disney's Cinderella Castle & Sleeping Beauty Castle

📸: El Mundo

2. Alhambra

- Located in Granada (Andalusia)
- Translates from Arabic to "The Red Fortress"
- UNESCO World Heritage Site

📸: The Tour Guy

3. Alcazaba de Málaga

- Málaga Alcazaba
- Located in Málaga (Andalusia)
- Has remnants of a Roman Theatre, dating to 1st century AD

📸: The Discoveries Of

4. Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

- The Castle of the Christian Monarchs
- Located in Córdoba (Andalusia)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site

📸: Wikipedia

5. Castillo de Coca

- Coca Castle
- Located in Coca (Castile and León)
- One of the best examples of Spanish-Mudéjar brickwork

📸: Tripadvisor

6. Castillo de Loarre

- Castle of Loarre
- Located in Loarre (Aragon)
- Built during the 11th and 13th centuries

📸: Turismo de Aragón

7. Palacio Real de Olite

- Royal Palace of Olite
- Also known as the Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite
- Located in Olite (Navarra)

📸: Sitios de España

8. Castell de Bellver

- Bellver Castle
- Located in Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands)
- One of the few circular castles in Europe

📸: Visiting Mallorca

9. Castillo de Peñafiel

- Castle of Peñafiel
- Located in Peñafiel (Castile and León)
- Construction began in the year 947

📸: Guías Viajar

10. Castillo de La Mota

- Castle of La Mota
- Located in Medina del Campo (Castile and León)
- Named for its location on a "mota", an elevated hill

📸: Wikipedia

11. Castillo de Peñíscola

- Peniscola Castle
- Located in Peñíscola (Valencian Community)
- Overlooks the Mediterranean Sea at an altitude of 64 meters

📸: Comunitat Valenciana

12. Castillo Nuevo de Manzanares el Real

- New Castle of Manzanares el Real
- Located in Manzanares el Real (Community of Madrid)
- One of the best-preserved castles in the region

📸: Comunidad de Madrid

13. Castilo de Burgalimar

- Burgalimar Castel
- Located in Baños de la Encina (Andalusia)
- One of the best-preserved Muslim castles in all of Spain

📸: España Fascinante

14. Castillo de Lorca - Fortaleza Del Sol

- Lorca Castle - Fortress of the Sun
- Located in Lorca (Region of Murcia)
- A key stronghold in the contentions between Christians and Muslims

📸: Pets Travel

15. Alcazaba y Murallas del Cerro de San Cristóbal

- Alcazaba and Walls of San Cristóbal Hill
- Located in Almería (Andalusia)
- One of the most important monumental and archaeological sites on the Iberian Peninsula

📸: Raizes Turismo Personal

16. Castillo de los Templarios - Castillo de Ponferrada

- Castle of the Templars - Castle of Ponferrada
- Located in El Bierzo (Castie and León)
- Began construction in the year 1178

📸: Ayuntamiento de Ponferrada

17. Castillo de Tossa de Mar

- Tossa de Mar Castle
- Located in Tossa de Mar (Catalonia)
- Declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument

📸: Prensa Ibérica

18. Castillo de Butrón

- Butrón Castle
- Located in Gatica (Basque Country)
- Located in the center of a wooded estate in an isolated area near Bilbao

📸: Diario de Navarra

19. Castillo de Colomares

- Colomares Castle
- Located in Benalmádena (Andalusia)
- Erected to honor Christopher Columbus and the Discovery of America

📸: Blog de la Costa del Sol

20. Palacio de la Aljafería

- Aljafería Palace
- Located in Zaragoza (Aragon)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site

📸: Patrimonio Cultural de Aragón

21. Castillo de la Atalaya - Castillo de Villena

- Castle of the Watchtower - Villena Castle
- Located in Villena (Valencian Community)
- Declared a Historic-Artistic Monument

📸: Comunitat Valenciana

22. Castillo de Belmonte

- Belmonte Castle
- Located in Belmonte (Castilla-La Mancha)
- Declared a Historic-Artistic Monument

📸: El Mundo

23. Castillo de Alarcón

- Alarcón Castle
- Located in Alarcón (Castilla-La Mancha)
- Part of a set of fortifications

📸: Paradores

24. Castillo de Almansa

- Almansa Castle
- Located in Almansa (Castilla-La Mancha)
- Construction began in the 13th or 14th century

📸: Wikipedia

25. Castillo de Cardona

- Cardona Castle
- Located in Cardona (Catalonia)
- The most important medieval fortress in the region

📸: Caminoon