I visited all 11 castles that are on the list during my week road trip along the coast of Ghana. Driving yourself is straightforward (international drivers license is needed and enforced). Google Maps is your friend by finding the castles. A short summary and some tips if you plan to visit them all too:

If yuo have just a day these 3 are a must see. Cape Coast is "best" as the guided tour has lots of information and there are some small expositions. Elmina can be done without guide I think then but ELmina is nice with local fish market. Do go there with guide so they can show you more and do make the walk up to St Jago too! Worth it.

- Cape Coast Castle, Cape Coast

- Elmina Castle, Elmina

- Fort St. Jago (Fort Conraadsburg), Elmina

From Takoradi you can visit 5 forts on a day without problem. There are 3 to the west of which Axim and Dixcove are very nice restorted. Butri is located on Butri beach which is a beautiful beach to also relax! Put Google Maps to "The Hideout" on the beach. From there you can walk up to the castle.

- Fort Saint Antony, Axim --> i already visited after Nzulenzu stilt vilalge and the 2nd day i did 4 forts and Butre beach.

- Fort Metal Cross, Dixcove

- Fort Batenstein, Butri

2 forts are to the east of Takoradi:

- Fort San Sebastian, Shama

- English Fort (Fort Vrendenburg), Komenda

Komenda is not maintained; it's a ruin and i wouldn't go if it wasn't UNESCO. Komenda is beautiful restorted too. All these small forts take about 30 minutes to see/tour.

The following 3 forts are best visited on the way back from Takoradi. In the morning I visited Kakum park and then the 3 forts.

- Fort Amsterdam, Abandze --> ruin, but nice to visit and I think the only one where you can actually walk through the door of no return.

- Fort Patience (Fort Leysaemhyt), Apam --> restored and very nice

- Fort Good Hope (Fort Goedehoop), Senya Beraku --> it has now a guesthouse; you can walk around and ask to go up the ramps.