The Coolest Fortresses You Can Visit With Culture Trip

From Spain to Scotland and Sri Lanka, these are the most incredible works of manmade fortification that are still standing strong today, so you can visit them with Culture Trip on our small-group adventures. Head deep into the heart of central Sri Lanka and you’ll discover a rather prominent column of 180m-tall (590 ft) granite rock protruding from the surrounding forests. This striking geological phenomenon would be fascinating enough on its own, but King Kashyapa had to go and turn it into a palace-fort complex back in the fifth century. The remains of said fortress remain clear to see today, as you’ll discover on day four of our Sri Lanka Rail Trip. You’ll see the giant lion statue-gate, built around halfway up the rock, as well as the ruins of a palace and ancient gardens. The views, meanwhile, of the surrounding countryside, are utterly mesmerising – maybe old Kashyapa was on to something after all. There’s something so memorable about the sight of Alhambra, the Moorish fort-palace found in the Andalusian city of Granada. Perhaps it’s the whitewashed city below, or the luscious forestry that guards the palace. Maybe it’s the atmospheric backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains watching over it, or perhaps it’s simply just the grandeur of one of the greatest Islamic structures still standing today. Alhambra is a stunning reminder of southern Spain’s Moorish era, as well as a fascinating place to learn more about the region’s complex history. You’ll get a guided tour of the fortress on day six of our Spain trip, when you’ll get to explore splendid courtyards, impressive towers and babbling fountains, as well as the perfectly groomed Generalife Gardens. Scotland is not short of castles, and on our weeklong Rail Trip to Edinburgh and the Highlands you can choose your favourite fortress. If mystical castles that feel a million miles away from civilisation is what you’re looking for, then you’ll be transfixed by Eilean Donan, a unique tidal island castle set on the confluence of three sea lochs. It was an important stronghold dating back to the 13th century, and remains a fantastically atmospheric vision of ancient Scotland today. You’ll visit the castle on day three, while the trip ends in Edinburgh, where you’ll get a guided tour of the city’s towering castle, which stands tall atop Castle Rock in the centre of town, and remains one of the best-preserved castles you can visit anywhere in the UK. Croatia might conjure up images of dreamy beaches and shimmering blue waters, but this place has been historically fortified to the hilt, as our eight-day adventure along the Dalmatian Coast proves. The trip starts in Split, where you’ll explore the heavily fortified 4th-century Diocletian’s Palace, before exploring a more modern fortress on the island of Vis, which is home to an abandoned Yugoslavian military base. Our next island, Korcula, takes things back a little with its remarkable fort town of the same name, whose medieval walls still stand tall today. Back on the mainland we’ll take you to Ston, famous for salt pans, fresh oysters and the Walls of Ston, a series of defensive stone walls dating back to the 14th century. They were once 7km (4.3mi) long and in many ways look like a European equivalent to the Great Wall of China. The trip ends in Dubrovnik, now a Game of Thrones-inspired tourist favourite, but once a heavily fortified old town – the fortifications are still clear to see today – which will have see it’s fair share of action, albeit with fewer dragons than King’s Landing. Belem Tower quite literally sticks out from the Lisbon riverfront like a sore thumb, pointing up and keeping watch over the waterways of the Tagus River since 1519. Defence systems set up on the mouth of the river were crucial, particularly as a nation whose power largely came from its nautical prowess. Today it’s the city’s most popular tourist attraction, and a beautifully preserved example of Portuguese late gothic, or Manueline, architecture. Heavy nautical and Christian influences paint a vivid picture of the country’s history, while the tower’s bulky structure still feels intimidating to this day. Fortunately, canon-fire has eased, and the only thing you need to watch out for these days is clumsy selfie-stick wielding tourists. Get ready to dodge, weave and take a few selfies yourself on day six of our Portugal trip.

From Spain to Scotland and Sri Lanka, these are the most incredible works of manmade fortification that are still standing strong today, so you can visit them with Culture Trip on our small-group adventures.

Become a Culture Tripper!

Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $1,058 on our unique trips.

Read Next

Sign up to our newsletter to
save up to
$1,058
on our unique trips.