8 Grand Historic Homes You Can Book on Airbnb, From Castles to Manors

People have always liked traveling for history—whether it is to see art, architecture, or sites that have defined the sprawling past that precedes us. So it follows that there’s a desire to stay amid history, too: As people focus more on ‘meaningful travel’, or trips with a deeper purpose, interest in historical properties has increased.

Airbnb, for one, has seen an uptick in users booking culturally significant homes, reporting that bookings increased by over 54 percent in 2021 compared to 2019. So this July, they decided to launch a “historic homes” category, with over 20,000 heritage homes around the world. Most listings are in Europe–including castles in Germany, villas in Italy, and former monasteries in the United Kingdom. (The company is even offering a train journey to select guests who are interested in visiting several historic properties in one Eurotrip.)

As summer travel picks up in earnest, so does the desire to explore a world previously closed off to us during lockdown. To help inspire your next trip, here are eight of the most enthralling historic homes listed on Airbnb.

Towering on the serene sapphire shores of Lake Como is Villa Front Lake, an 18th century Neoclassical mansion where stepping inside is like stepping into the past: a 1911 Steinway piano in the living room is framed by French doors overlooking the lake, while crystal chandeliers descend from several ceilings. A terrace provides sprawling views of the water and the surrounding towns—spy the town of Bellagio, known as the “jewel of Lake Como” as well as the famous Villa D’este.