PARADOR DE CARDONA

Catalonia, Spain

Spain was a major crossroads in the Crusades, leaving a variety of well-preserved castles. But if you prefer yours as solid and foreboding as a sorcerer’s stronghold, aim for Cardona. Above the medieval town at the Pyrenees foothills looms ninth-century Parador de Cardona, an imposingly beautiful mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture boasting so many vaulted passageways and squared parapets that you can easily picture men-at-arms boiling vats of oil to repel an onslaught. Accommodations are more hospitable, appointed with canopy beds and tile floors. Royal treatment: Guests likely dine better than the castle’s original rulers, choosing from chefy Catalonian specialties such as barbecued lamb shoulder and eggplant terrine with pig’s feet. More vino!