Our Top Six Castle Gardens of Europe

From the aristocratic gardens of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, to the meditative cloister gardens of Medieval monasteries, Europe has a long and beautiful history of gardening. The elaborate castle gardens you see today are rooted in the French and Italian Renaissance, peaking with the gardens of Loius XIV at Versailles. Here are our top six castle gardens of Europe:

1. Château de Villandry

Villandry is one of the great chateaux built on the banks of the Loire during the Renaissance. Ever since the construction of the Chateau of Villandry in 1532, outstanding gardens have embellished the building, and have evolved over time. During the Renaissance, there was a decorative kitchen garden at close proximity to the chateau. In the 18th century, the grounds were enlarged and enriched with a formal garden, then an ornamental lake in the shape of a Louis XV mirror. Finally, when Joachim Carvallo acquired the estate in the early 1900's, he devoted himself to the restoration of the Grand Renaissance Garden. He and his ancestors have tended and expanded the grounds to this day.

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2. Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark

Frederiksborg Castle

3. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Maincy, France

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

4. Cliveden House, England

Cliveden House

5. Castel Gandolfo, Italy

Castel Gandolfo

6. Isola del Garda, Italy

Isola del Garda

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We hope you enjoyed this tour of our favorite European Castle Gardens. We would be pleased to offer you a custom-tailored, bespoke European itinerary, with luxury Villa or Hotel accommodations and exclusive VIP access to everything you wish to see.