Chateau de Chillon - Montreux - TravBuddy

There is something to be said about a castle. While its not easy to explan our fascination with them, we cannot deny our natural draw to them. Chateau de Chillon is a castle that does not fail to disappoint those drawn to it.

Its easy to dismiss its splendor and size based on the photos printed in most travel guides. But do not be fooled, Chateau de Chillon is every bit as large and impressive as you would hope.

Chateau de Chillon is in Montreaux, Switzerland on a small rocky island in Lake Leman. But due to the size of the chateau, you'll be hard-pressed to actually see any of that island. Don't worry, you won't need a boat to get to the chateau. Even though it rests on its own island, it is only a matter of feet from the shore.

When you buy your ticket, you are given a map of the castle that also details what each room was used for. The tours are self guided, so you can go at your own pace. The castle itself is quite large, so it will take you a couple of hours to complete the tour.

Every room is accessible. There are a number of artifacts in the rooms. They aren't full but not barren either. In some rooms that have scale models of the castle so you can get a eagle eye view of the impressive architecture.

When exploring the upper floors and walkways, you can't help but feel that you are a guard on patrol. It is enough to bring out the fantasy lover in you.

Overall, the Chateau de Chillon is a great experience. Its fairly cheap and will keep you entertained for a couple of hours. If you are taking a train pass Montreaux, its definitely worth a couple hour detour. Drop your bags off in a train locker, catch a bus down the coast a couple miles, and enjoy one of Switzerland's famous sites.