Castel del Monte
Castel del Monte
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Castel del Monte
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
9 within 5 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
3,655 reviews
Excellent
2,025
Very good
946
Average
378
Poor
143
Terrible
163
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
2fogliedibasilico
Saronno, Italy104 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Unfortunately I have to agree with what other reviews have already commented. From the outside, spectacular castle, well preserved. Inside... nothing at all. Without a guide you cannot appreciate it. The cost of the ticket of 10 euros under these conditions is not acceptable. Even in a room a video plays that explains nothing, meaningless images pass by... embarrassing. We entered only by chance and once we went up to the upper floor we came across a guide who was explaining to a group. Thanks to her we were able to understand something about the castle, its symbolism and the figure of Frederick of Swabia. The guides are volunteers, they then leave an offering at the end. For parking, to avoid paid parking, I recommend continuing until you reach an open space on the left. Then you have to walk for a while, but you can cut through the woods. If you don't take the shuttle, the walk takes about 15 minutes. The fact that there are no decent bathrooms in the ticket office area is simply scandalous.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oriella R
Ragusa, Italy24 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
beautiful from the outside inside little to see and above all a lot of speculation! you pay 10 euros for entry, 5 euros for parking, a shuttle for just one km, 2 euros per person, all very excessive, I forgot you even pay to pee!!!! the only positive note is the qualified guide, Mrs Maria, very knowledgeable and engaging, discreetly asking for a free contribution
Written September 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura Z
Italy12 contributions
Aug 2023
A very interesting visit, made very pleasant by the voluntary guide (you leave an offer at the end) Mrs. Maria Zingaro (met on site), imaginative and fun who allows you to savor a very important piece of history with imagination and knowledge. If you want to save yourself a climb of about 2 km on foot, and perhaps under a merciless sun, do not stop at the large refreshment area with bathrooms, bars and "canteen" (where they brutally force you to park) which you will find on your right before reaching (hardly on foot) the castle. Instead, I recommend continuing by car to the Taverna Sforza, which is located immediately below the castle, where you can park and have a drink, or have a quick snack (parking for customers only, obviously) subject to the availability of parking spaces. If you don't find a place, at least you will have tried and then it will always be possible to go back down to the immense car park with bar and "canteen".
Written August 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gianluigi G
Catania, Italy495 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
The castle needs no introduction. Wanted by Frederick II, the stupor mundi depicts a crown to underline the power of the owner, made up of 8 towers and has an octagonal plan, unique. There are 500 books that try to explain its use, from a hunting lodge to a representative castle to an initiatory temple, etc. It is not up to us to understand its meaning but rather to admire it for its magnificence and why not, to touch with our fingers those walls that have made history.
I recommend the guide Maria, very good and enthusiastic about Federico.
Prices are 10 euros, children under 18 do not pay.
Better to book.
I recommend the guide Maria, very good and enthusiastic about Federico.
Prices are 10 euros, children under 18 do not pay.
Better to book.
Written September 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Casa Alinella B&B
Taranto, Italy2 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
The Castle is beautiful and imposing, it's a shame that the staff doesn't even give you a smile. Disproportionate costs for parking (5 euros whether for 5 minutes or 5 hours) and for visiting the Castle inside, where you will only find a stratospheric internal structure with columns and vaults: 10 euros seems disproportionate to me! I had a group of people with me, among them 2 elderly ladies (82 and 93 years old) who, given the stairs to access the upper floor, gave up on the visit. (please inform the ticket office that the stairs are not suitable for elderly people!). I tried to ask for a refund of at least one ticket but greed prevailed over everything! Give discounts at least to the elderly! I advise you to admire it only from the outside if you don't want to spend a fortune! If you have a disability you don't pay but they want a certificate.
Written May 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maraya
Bologna, Italy3 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
I am a permanent teacher with a free entry form signed by the school director in 2021. The ticket office denied the free entry booked online because it claimed that the form is valid for one year also for permanent teachers, as per the ministerial circular of 2017. Too bad that the annual validity is not mentioned anywhere in the circular. After purchasing the ticket (€10) I found the aforementioned circular and showed it to them, the answer was that I had to ask the ministry for a refund. All seasoned with presumption, arrogance and ignorance. Be careful because it is a tactic to make everyone pay the full ticket and not make us enjoy our rights as state employees!!!
Written August 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Conoscere2012
Milan, Italy305 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
The manor is worth a visit even just for the architectural solutions adopted. We were able to enjoy the visit of the interior thanks to a guide who was forming a group at the entrance on a voluntary basis. I am surprised that guided tours are not organized directly by the management for those who are not traveling in a group (but here the business emerges...), it would be a necessary action given the not exactly cheap ticket price. It is also mandatory to leave the car in the car park (far from the entrance) for 5 euros and take the shuttle which still costs a fee.
Written September 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mira V
14 contributions
Sept 2021
Ever since I saw a picture of this building, I have been wishing to visit it. It looks unique in pictures and it really is something special, mostly due to its location and design.
The castle (or fortress) was built by king Frederick II. It stands on a hill overlooking the countryside and it can be seen from a large distance.
There is a short walk uphill from the parking place, not strenuous at all. When one reaches the castle, there are wonderful views of the surroundings all around the castle. The building is octagonal, with eight towers which are also octagonal in shape. I have to admit that there is more to see from the outside than inside, because the castle is completely empty. Of course the rooms on its two floors are interesting to see, the walls are massive and the open inner court is a good place to admire the building from inside. The staircases are very narrow and steep.
Definitely a place to visit if you are in this part of the country. But you have to announce your visit in advance to avoid long waiting.
Just a tip for anybody who will visit the place in the near future: there are road works going on all around Castel del Monte, Trani and Andria. It is very difficult to find the way just by looking at the signposts. It is a good idea to ask the locals to show you the way. We asked two policemen and they were extremely helpful. They drove in front of us to take us along winding detours. We were really grateful to them.
The castle (or fortress) was built by king Frederick II. It stands on a hill overlooking the countryside and it can be seen from a large distance.
There is a short walk uphill from the parking place, not strenuous at all. When one reaches the castle, there are wonderful views of the surroundings all around the castle. The building is octagonal, with eight towers which are also octagonal in shape. I have to admit that there is more to see from the outside than inside, because the castle is completely empty. Of course the rooms on its two floors are interesting to see, the walls are massive and the open inner court is a good place to admire the building from inside. The staircases are very narrow and steep.
Definitely a place to visit if you are in this part of the country. But you have to announce your visit in advance to avoid long waiting.
Just a tip for anybody who will visit the place in the near future: there are road works going on all around Castel del Monte, Trani and Andria. It is very difficult to find the way just by looking at the signposts. It is a good idea to ask the locals to show you the way. We asked two policemen and they were extremely helpful. They drove in front of us to take us along winding detours. We were really grateful to them.
Written October 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
luigi90011
Wolverhampton, UK59 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Castel del Monte is an architectural gem, you have to visit it if you go to Piglia. It’s not by chance a UNESCO world heritage site!
However…
It good you have to reach te castle by walking avoiding chaotic traffic on top. But where is the parking? This is not clear, then maybe you meet someone who tells you where it is. This should be run by the castle rather than privates, as you pay a ticket for the castle (as it should be) and you have no other option to drive there.
To get to the castle you walk through a wood that honestly deserves to be cleaned (a lot of rubbish).
Inside the castle the information is minimal and all the multimedia were off or broken.
If you need to go to the toilet, there is a person outside it doing nothing but asking you an offer to use it, this is not up to the standards of a place like this.
As I said it’s a gem that deserves a visit, but the public authority needs to do more especially given the UNESCO status (see what incredible sites are the Bari and Trani castles, that should be the standard).
However…
It good you have to reach te castle by walking avoiding chaotic traffic on top. But where is the parking? This is not clear, then maybe you meet someone who tells you where it is. This should be run by the castle rather than privates, as you pay a ticket for the castle (as it should be) and you have no other option to drive there.
To get to the castle you walk through a wood that honestly deserves to be cleaned (a lot of rubbish).
Inside the castle the information is minimal and all the multimedia were off or broken.
If you need to go to the toilet, there is a person outside it doing nothing but asking you an offer to use it, this is not up to the standards of a place like this.
As I said it’s a gem that deserves a visit, but the public authority needs to do more especially given the UNESCO status (see what incredible sites are the Bari and Trani castles, that should be the standard).
Written June 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roby e Lucy da Sant'Anastasia (Na)
Sant'Anastasia, Italy6,711 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Nestled on a green hill in the Alta Murgia National Park, is this charming manor of Frederick II. A masterpiece of medieval architecture and a formal perfection of the building that led UNESCO to consider it a World Heritage Site in 1996. It is a medieval fortress built in the thirteenth century at 540 meters above sea level.
Frederick II was a man passionate about mathematics, poetry, philosophy and astronomy and endowed with a cosmopolitan spirit that led him to be first, Holy Roman Emperor and then King of Sicily and to welcome Greek, Arab, Italian and Jewish scholars to his court. The position was not random, but designed in such a way as to create particular effects of light and shadow at certain times of the year such as the Summer Solstice which is seen through a window of the castle on the second floor. The octagonal shape of the plant is present in all rooms of the castle. There are 8 rooms on the ground floor, 8 on the first floor. 8 the towers that surround the building, all with an octagonal plan and arranged on the eight corners of the plan. The light that illuminates the first floor comes from 8 single-light windows located on each of the eight sides of the plant. The same number of windows are located upstairs, with one small difference: 7 windows are mullioned, while only one, the one facing Andria, divided into three openings. The walls and moat are missing, the loopholes are too narrow and the entire building is not in a strategic position so it is to be ruled out that it was built to defend. A round of applause to our Guide Eng. Riccardo who mythically made us first take an outside tour, explaining so many things and then, room by room, illustrated everything about the interior, at the modest amount of € 5 per person. Contact him at +39 3928504987 and organize with the timetable
Hello from Roby and Lucy S. Anastasia (Na)
Frederick II was a man passionate about mathematics, poetry, philosophy and astronomy and endowed with a cosmopolitan spirit that led him to be first, Holy Roman Emperor and then King of Sicily and to welcome Greek, Arab, Italian and Jewish scholars to his court. The position was not random, but designed in such a way as to create particular effects of light and shadow at certain times of the year such as the Summer Solstice which is seen through a window of the castle on the second floor. The octagonal shape of the plant is present in all rooms of the castle. There are 8 rooms on the ground floor, 8 on the first floor. 8 the towers that surround the building, all with an octagonal plan and arranged on the eight corners of the plan. The light that illuminates the first floor comes from 8 single-light windows located on each of the eight sides of the plant. The same number of windows are located upstairs, with one small difference: 7 windows are mullioned, while only one, the one facing Andria, divided into three openings. The walls and moat are missing, the loopholes are too narrow and the entire building is not in a strategic position so it is to be ruled out that it was built to defend. A round of applause to our Guide Eng. Riccardo who mythically made us first take an outside tour, explaining so many things and then, room by room, illustrated everything about the interior, at the modest amount of € 5 per person. Contact him at +39 3928504987 and organize with the timetable
Hello from Roby and Lucy S. Anastasia (Na)
Automatically translated
Written August 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buongiorno , vorrei sapere per visitare il castello domani domenica se c'è bisogno di inviare una mail o c'è l'accesso libero senza problemi
Written August 6, 2022
Non c'è bisogno di prenotazione anche se acquistare il biglietto On-Line è consigliabile.
Non so se attualmente il castello è raggiungibile dato che notizie di cronaca riportano che intorno c'è un grande incendio
Written August 8, 2022
michele p
Province of Naples, Italy
Come posso arrivare vicinissimo al castello con la mia auto munita di contrassegno per disabili ?
Written November 24, 2021
Ci dovrebbero essere dei posti per disabili vicino al castello... Se non sbaglio proprio vicino all'entrata c'è una postazione sanitaria e lì ci dovrebbe essere un parcheggio per disabili. però conviene chiamare perché non ne sono sicuro.
Written November 25, 2021
michele p
Province of Naples, Italy
Ma risponde a verità che un disabile con auto con contrassegno di disabilità,non possa raggiungere il castello del monte ed è costretto a non poterlo visitare?Mi vorrei rivolgere a quelle persone che gestiscono tutti questi affari;sarei molto contento di NON poter visitare castel del monte ma sarei molto più contento che questa nostra disabilità TOCCASSE a loro. Sinceri AUGURI.
Michele PIZZA
Written November 24, 2021
B sera, guarda io non so se un disabile non possa raggiungere il parcheggio vicino al castello! Di parcheggio vicino non ce ne tantissimo, noi siamo andati a settembre e siamo riusciti a parcheggiare a pagamento al parcheggio in alto vicino al castello! Spero che per chi ha disabilità il parcheggio sia disponibile, non mi ricordo piurtroppo se ci sono parcheggi appositi, e spero che per i disabili sia libero e gratis il parcheggio! Mi dispiace non poter darti più di queste informazioni!
Written November 24, 2021
Arrivando da Bari, qualcuno sa dirmi un punto panoramico da dove vedere e fotografare Castel Del Monte??? Non ce la facciamo a visitarlo ma vorremmo almeno fare qualche foto!!!! Grazie
Written September 8, 2019
dalla ex s.s.98, ora s.p. 231, all'altezza di Andria, non sei proprio vicinissimo, però, dovresti riuscire
Written September 13, 2019
Sig,Gianni ,da quanto ha potuto constatare il parcheggio custodito,offre anche un'adeguato servizio di vigilanza?
Written June 12, 2018
Il parcheggio del Centro Accoglienza Turismo Castel del Monte (CAT) offre un'area custodita e videosorvegliata per tutti i mezzi con servizio navetta per arrivare al Castello
Written June 13, 2018
Le visite guidate si prenotano o si prendono in lòoco ? Ci sono anche le audioguide ?
Written June 8, 2018
Si, si può tutto prendere o nel parcheggio auto e bus dove parte la navetta o direttamente all'ingresso del castello
Written August 9, 2018
Showing results 1-10 of 25
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing