Carole Terwilliger Meyers
While iconic European castles such as Ashford in Ireland and Amberley in England evoke images of fairy tales and living happily ever after, the truth is these medieval palaces were built as fortifications designed to keep out brutal marauders. These days, castles fall pretty much into the romantic category, so here are a few California knockoffs for fun - or build your own and watch it crumble in the surf.
1. Castello di Amorosa winery, Calistoga
Winemaker Dario Sattui built what is America's only authentically replicated 12th century medieval Italian castle. It has eight levels and 107 rooms - 95 of which are devoted to winemaking - plus a drawbridge, well and church. The Castello's walls are made with hand-chiseled local stone and ancient brick from Europe, and its doors, light fixtures and other details are handmade using medieval designs and methods of construction. The winery tour includes a barrel tasting and a sampling in a subterranean private tasting room. 4045 N. St. Helena Highway, Calistoga. (707) 967-6272. www.castellodiamorosa.com. Tour $25-$30; must be age 5 or older. Reservations advised.
2. Hearst Castle, San Simeon
Designed by architect Julia Morgan for newspaper czar William Randolph Hearst and called a castle, this structure is more a spectacular mansion. It took 28 years to build and has 56 bedrooms, 102 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, two libraries, a kitchen, a movie theater, a billiard room, a dining hall and an assembly hall, and is filled with art and antiques from all over the world. You can choose from five tours. Throughout December, the castle and guesthouses are decked out for the Christmas holidays. 750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon (San Luis Obispo County). (800) 444-4445.www.hearstcastle.com. Tours $24-$30, 6-17 $12-$15. Reservations advised.
3. Vikingsholm, ddEmerald Bay at Lake Tahoe
What's old is new again - this castle-like, 39-room Scandinavian-style mansion has a "green" sod roof (early summer visitors see wildflowers growing on top). Constructed by hand in 1928 using local materials, the house was completed in one summer and features a round turret and bedrooms that are locked from the outside. The mansion is open to the public only in summer, but the grounds may be visited year-round. 9999 Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe. (530) 525-7232; in summer (530) 525-7277.www.vikingsholm.com. Tours $5, 6-17 $3. Closed Oct.-May.
4. Sand castle contest, Carmel
How can you not love a contest that encourages contestants to bribe judges with food and drink? You might want to start planning now for next fall to participate in this frivolous sand castle contest. Carmel's 49th Annual Great Sand Castle Contest, sponsored by American Institute of Architects and City of Carmel, takes place in September or October, depending on the tides. Carmel Beach. (800) 550-4333.www.carmelcalifornia.org.
5. Howden Castle, Ben Lomond
Built in 1927 by retired tilemaker Robert Howden, this unusual vacation rental was modeled from his memory of castles in his native Scotland. A mini castle complete with turret, it has four bedrooms (one with a "queen" bed), four baths and sleeps 11. The dungeon has been converted into a game room, and the Grand Room features soft kane stone from Europe originally imported for Hearst Castle. Highway 9, Ben Lomond (Santa Cruz County). (650) 328-1058. www.howdencastle.com. Weekly rentals run $2,000-$2,500.
- Carole Terwilliger Meyers, Special to The Chronicle