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Manor houses number some of Europe's finest residences. These historic buildings, many of which date back to medieval times, appear as country houses, castle mansions, and palatial-like properties. What's more, most are actually open to the public, making for interesting diversions on any travel itinerary.

Browse this gallery and knock on the door of some truly remarkable dwellings.

▲A medieval moated manor house, Ightham Mote near Sevenoaks in Kent retains most of its original architectural features. The property is open to the public. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

▲A water castle and mansion, Schloss Glücksburg is now partly used for art expositions and concerts. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

▲Familiar to many as the label design on bottles of Portuguese Mateus rosé wine, Mateus Palace was designed by the 18th-century Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni.

▲Fuglsang manor house, which dates back to 1869, is the focus of a cultural center on the island of Lolland. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

▲Set in the Hauts-de-France region of the country, Château de Villers-Châtel is privately owned, but cultural events are regularly hosted within the manor grounds. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0 FF)

▲Pädaste manor house, located on the island of Muhu, is today a luxury hotel, spa, and restaurant facility. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.5)

▲Located in Washington in the district of Tyne and Wear, Washington Old Hall was the ancestral home of the family of George Washington, the first President of the United States. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 3.0)

▲Huis Doorn serves as a manor house and museum. It's located in the town of Doorn. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0 NL)

▲The gardens of Samarès Manor, parts of which date back to the 11th and 12th centuries, are open to the public from April until October.

▲A fine example of Baroque architecture, Krasków Palace serves as a hotel. Prior to 1945, the manor house was situated in Germany.

▲Sited near Motala, Charlottenborg Manor House was built in the mid-17th century. Now a museum, the building is reputedly haunted by a mysterious woman. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲Durbe Manor, a classical-style manor house located near Tukums, houses one of the city's museums. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 3.0)

▲Dating back to the 18th century, Frogner Manor and its grounds are now occupied by the Oslo City Museum. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲Tarkhany Manor acts as a museum for the 17th-century Romantic writer Mikhail Lermontov. He spent his childhood here and is buried on the estate. (Photo: Wikimedia/CCO 1.0)

▲Dating from the early 14th century, Clevedon Court is a private residence, but is open to the public. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲Located overlooking a lake in Schwerin, Schweriner Schloss is more palace than mansion and is nicknamed "Neuschwanstein of the North." (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

▲Dating back to 1327, Selly Manor features timber cruck-framed architecture typical of the medieval period. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

▲Located near Kværndrup, Egeskov Castle is Europe's best-preserved Renaissance water castle mansion building. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲Brympton d'Evercy, located at Yeovil in Somerset, has been called the most beautiful house in England. In private ownership, it can be used for corporate and public hospitality, and as a wedding venue. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

▲Alatskivi Castle in Alatskivi now partly houses the Eduard Tubin Museum, dedicated to the Estonian composer, conductor, and choreographer. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0 EE)

▲A 13th-century fortified manor house and one of the finest examples of its kind in the land, Stokesay Castle in Shropshire is today a top tourist attraction. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC0 1.0)

▲Château de Hac, which dates back to the 15th century, is open to the public as a historic monument. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲The birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton, Woolsthorpe Manor is open to the public. There they can see where Newton performed many of his most famous experiments. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

▲One of the oldest manor houses in the county, Austrått Manor is open for public tours from June to August. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.5)

▲Kirby Muxloe Castle is a ruined, fortified manor house located at Kirby Muxloe in Leicestershire. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲A former Herrenhaus (mansion), Schloss Ahrensburg, sited near Hamburg, is open to the public and houses a museum. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 3.0)

▲The public can admire Lytes Cary, a manor house in Somerset. Parts of the building date back to the 14th century. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲The mansion set within the verdant Quinta da Regaleira estate in Sintra is celebrated for its exuberant Gothic facade.

▲Bramall Hall near Manchester functions as a museum. Its landscaped parks and gardens are also open to the public. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

▲Nestling in the Ardennes, Château de Landreville was built in the early 13th century and remodeled in the 16th century. It is a rare example of a still practically intact manorial residence of the pre-Renaissance Ardennes region. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

▲Wilderhope Manor in Shropshire was built in the 16th century. It's now operated as a youth hostel. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)