Château de Gruyères

O

Rýchle fakty: Four centuries of medieval counts ruled from this rocky spur until debt and chaos forced the last one to surrender the land in the mid-1500s. More than 250,000 visitors now climb its spiral staircases every year, one of the heaviest turnouts for any stronghold in the country.

Zaujímavosti: Inside the grand hall, the 19th-century restoration covered every wall with hand-painted fake marble, grapevines, and hunting scenes, a lavish trick that still fools your eye up close. Climb to the eastern tower afterward, where the sheer drop opens onto red rooftops far below, while the white pyramid of Moléson looms straight across the valley.

Insiderské tipy

• Arrive at the 10 a.m. opening so the spiral staircases and tower tops stay empty.
• Wear flat, grippy shoes; centuries of footsteps have polished the steep stone steps until they're slippery.
• Skip the crowded main-square angle and loop to the far rampart for the cleanest view straight down the valley.
• Give yourself 20 extra minutes after the main rooms to circle back for photos, the painted halls look different once crowds thin out.

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