If this castle makes you think of Hamlet, you’re right: parts of the 1990 film starring Mel Gibson were filmed here, at Dunnottar Castle, just south of Stonehaven on Scotland’s northeast coast. And the Gibson connection doesn’t end there: in 1297 William Wallace, portrayed by crazy ol’ Mel in the bloody blockbuster Braveheart, recaptured the castle from the English during the wars for Scottish independence and after locking several hundred soldiers in the castle’s church, burned everybody inside alive. Dark history here, as with all castles, but the ruins are beautiful.

For more on Dunnottar’s long and dark history click here. Love castles? Me too! Check out my previous post from Germany: Castles in the Rain.