Burg Eltz Castle, Germany

Germany is home to many fantastical castles, but the 850-year-old Burg Eltz feels especially fairytale with its scarlet timbers and 70 promontories over the Elzbach.

The castle was built in an area that, during the Roman era, served as a vital commerce route connecting prosperous farmlands with their markets. The region was taken by the Franks after the Western Roman Empire fell in the late fifth century B.E. However, during the division of Charlemagne's dominion, his son Louis the Pious received the region (814). During this time, a straightforward manor hall with an earthen fence stood on the site.

You can jokingly say that you would defend your lover's honor in a jousting match as you admire the sturdy suits of armor in the Knights' Hall. If the courtyard from Beauty and the Beast doesn't sound like a good proposal location, try the castle's obscenely picturesque stone bridge at sunrise for optimal mood lighting, or find some privacy in the 300-hectare pine arboretum that blocks off the rest of the world. Düsseldorf is a few hours' journey from Burg Eltz.

Location: in the hills above the Moselle between Koblenz and Trier, Germany