🇫🇷 Tours Castle Guide: Step Into a Fairytale! 🤴🏰👸

Tours feels like a real-life storybook—once the 15th-century capital of France, it’s dotted with dreamy Loire Valley castles just 1h+ by train from Paris. I visited five, and each made me feel like royalty! Here’s the scoop: 🏰 Castle Rankings & Tips 1️⃣ Château d'Azay-le-Rideau Why go? Petite but magical, with gardens perfect for summer lounging. Hours: Closes at 6PM (last entry 5:30PM). Vibe: 💫 Romantic moat reflections + flower-filled lawns. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 2️⃣ Château Royal d'Amboise Why go? Massive royal palace with ties to Da Vinci (his tomb’s here!). Perk: Free Chinese audio guide! Pair it with nearby Clos Lucé. Rating: 🌟🌟 (Great history, but less "fairytale") 3️⃣ Château d'Ussé (Sleeping Beauty Castle!) Why go? Said to inspire the original fairytale! Features whimsical displays + a Himalayan cedar tree. 🌲 Perk: Ask for the Chinese map. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 4️⃣ Château du Clos Lucé (Da Vinci’s Home) Why go? More artist’s villa than castle, but the gardens and interactive exhibits (think: VR models of his inventions!) are stellar. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 5️⃣ Château de Villandry Why go? Epic Renaissance gardens > castle interior. Best visited summer when blooms peak! Pro tip: Combine with Azay-le-Rideau (they’re close!). Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 📌 Planning Advice ✔ Buy tickets onsite (no need to prebook, except peak season). ✔ Pair castles: Amboise + Clos Lucé / Villandry + Azay-le-Rideau. ✔ Best photo ops: Azay’s moat + Ussé’s turrets! 📸 #ToursCastles #LoireValley #FairytaleFrance #HiddenEurope #DaVinci #GardenLovers #TravelInspo