Aberystwyth Castle
Ceredigion, Wales
Edwardian ruin in free seafront parkland
Acton Burnell Castle
Shropshire, England
Shell of fortified 13th-century manor
Beaumaris Castle
Isle of Anglesey, Wales
World Heritage Site; unfinished concentric castle with moat
Bronllys Castle
Powys, Wales
Climbable round tower on motte; free
Caergwrle Castle
Flintshire, Wales
Hilltop castle of Dafydd ap Gruffudd; recent Cadw guardianship; free
Caernarfon Castle
Gwynedd, Wales
World Heritage Site; Edward I's fortress-palace, walls and towers largely complete
Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly, Wales
Britain's second-largest castle; famous leaning tower and water defences
Carlisle Castle
Cumbria, England
Working border fortress with roofed keep
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carmarthenshire, Wales
In Cadw care; day-to-day run by farm; admission charged; clifftop cave passage
Castell Coch
Cardiff, Wales
Victorian Gothic fantasy rebuild by William Burges; fully roofed
Castell y Bere
Gwynedd, Wales
Remote native Welsh castle below Cadair Idris; free
Chepstow Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales
Britain's oldest surviving post-Roman stone castle, above the Wye
Chirk Castle
Wrexham, Wales
Edwardian-era marcher fortress, inhabited 700 years
Cilgerran Castle
Pembrokeshire, Wales
National Trust-owned, Cadw-managed; twin drum towers above Teifi gorge; free entry; also listed under National Trust
Coity Castle
Bridgend, Wales
Norman castle held by the Turberville family; free
Conwy Castle
Conwy, Wales
World Heritage Site; eight-towered Edwardian castle with town walls
Criccieth Castle
Gwynedd, Wales
Welsh princes' castle on headland over Cardigan Bay
Denbigh Castle
Denbighshire, Wales
Hilltop castle with triple-towered gatehouse and town walls
Dinefwr Castle
Carmarthenshire, Wales
NT-owned, Cadw-maintained; free; reached via walk through Dinefwr Park
Dolbadarn Castle
Gwynedd, Wales
Welsh princes' round tower overlooking Llyn Padarn, Llanberis; free
Dolforwyn Castle
Powys, Wales
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's last-built Welsh castle; free
Dolwyddelan Castle
Conwy, Wales
Llywelyn the Great's keep; free; interior open seasonally Fri-Sun
Dryslwyn Castle
Carmarthenshire, Wales
Welsh-built hilltop castle over Tywi valley; free
Ewloe Castle
Flintshire, Wales
Hidden Welsh castle in woodland; 500m walk across farmland; free
Flint Castle
Flintshire, Wales
First of Edward I's Welsh castles; detached great tower; free
Grosmont Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales
One of the Three Castles of Gwent; free
Harlech Castle
Gwynedd, Wales
World Heritage Site; clifftop Edwardian castle with floating bridge entrance
Kidwelly Castle
Carmarthenshire, Wales
Well-preserved Norman concentric castle; Monty Python filming location
Laugharne Castle
Carmarthenshire, Wales
Tudor-converted castle on Taf estuary; Dylan Thomas connections; seasonal opening
Llansteffan Castle
Carmarthenshire, Wales
Headland castle above Tywi estuary; free
Llawhaden Castle
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Fortified palace of the bishops of St Davids; free
Loughor Castle
Swansea, Wales
Small tower on Norman ringwork over Loughor estuary; free
Monmouth Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales
Fragmentary; birthplace of Henry V; regimental museum adjacent
Montgomery Castle
Powys, Wales
Crag-top castle above Georgian town; free
Newcastle (Bridgend) Castle
Bridgend, Wales
Norman ringwork with fine carved gateway; free
Newport Castle
Newport, Wales
Interior fenced off; riverside towers viewable externally only
Ogmore Castle
Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Riverside Norman castle beside famous stepping stones; free
Old Beaupre Castle
Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Fortified Tudor manor with Renaissance porch; free; field walk
Oxwich Castle
Swansea, Wales
Tudor mansion on Gower; open only on scheduled guided-tour days
Raglan Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales
Grand late-medieval castle with moated Great Tower
Rhuddlan Castle
Denbighshire, Wales
Edward I diamond-plan castle beside canalised River Clwyd; seasonal opening
Skenfrith Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales
NT-owned, Cadw-managed; round keep by River Monnow; free; also listed under National Trust
St Briavels Castle
Gloucestershire, England
YHA hostel; bailey usually open 11am-4pm
St Quentin's Castle (Llanblethian)
Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Twin-towered gatehouse near Cowbridge; free
Swansea Castle
Swansea, Wales
City-centre ruin; ground level accessible, upper levels closed
Tretower Court and Castle
Powys, Wales
Round keep plus adjacent restored medieval manor house
Weobley Castle
Swansea, Wales
Fortified manor on Gower; entry paid at adjoining farmhouse
White Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales
Best preserved of the Three Castles; water-filled moat; free
Wiston Castle
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Best-preserved motte-and-bailey in Wales with shell keep; free