Portugal: Guimaraes Castle

This medieval castle built in the 10th century is widely known as “the Cradle of Portugal”. It was built by a local count to defend the lands against the moors attacking from the south and northmen invading from the north. It’s a classic fairy tale castle with spiky towers, moats, thick walls, and turret windows. The castle itself stand on a granite hill, huh above the surrounding countryside. You can climb and walk on the walls and go even higher into the towers (sadly, there was no sleeping princess in any of the towers, just loud and moderately overweight British tourists).