Draculas’ castles tour

If you arrive on DAY 1 of the tour we can pick you up from Bucharest Airport.
Explore Bucharest – the city became the capital of Wallachia during the reign of Vlad the Impaler, AKA Dracula

Visit the ruins of the Old Court of Bucharest – the real residence of our famous prince – Vlad Dracula

Dinner in the historic center of Bucharest

Overnight in 4**** Hotel in Bucharest.

As proof that Dracula’s spirit still lives in Romania, we will visit the Parliament Palace – a megalomaniac’s work of art. This is the second largest building in the world erected by the Communist leader Ceausescu

Drive to Targoviste, the royal court of Wallachia, until 1459 when Dracula decided to set his royal court in Bucharest. The noblemen of Targoviste supported a different prince on the country's throne, therefore, being hostile to Dracula. This was punished by the newly crowned prince Dracula. All his opponents from Targoviste were arrested on Easter day of 1457 and forced to work as slaves on the construction of the Poenari Fortress – the one we will see on day 3 of the tour.

Spend the night in the little town of Curtea de Arges a few minutes away from the most spectacular castle of Dracula – Poenari

Visit the ruins of Poienari Castle – perched high on a rugged crag over the Arges river gorge. The 1480 stairs lead us to Dracula’s “vulture nest” fortress.

In 1462 Prince Vlad was besieged here by the Turks. He sent to the village of Arefu across the hill for help but his wife, fearful of capture, threw herself into the river far below.

The villagers came at night and smuggled the Prince across the high Carpathian Mountains to Transylvania's safety. In return, he gave them 16 mountains as pastureland, a reward they still remember, more than 500 years later!

Transfagarasan Highway – on our way to Sibiu we will make a 1.5 hours detour on the most spectacular road in Romania, the Transfagarasan highway. The breathtaking road was built in the ’80s by the communists, using over 4000 tons of dynamite in just 4 years. (please note that the road is only open from July to October)

In the evening we arrive in Sighisoara a magnificent living medieval fortress, UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is where Vlad Dracul (the father) lived in exile when his son Vlad Dracula was born.

Dinner at Dracula’s House The very house where the prince was born still exists, and we will have the chance to dine there

We spend the night in the old citadel of Sighisoara in a 400 years old hotel, across the street from Dracula’s birth house.

Explore Sighisoara, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe
Vlad Dracul – the father – was appointed governor of Transylvania in 1452 and he based himself in the prosperous citadel of Sighisoara. The princely family is lodged in a large house next to the Clock Tower, and a fresco depicting Vlad Dracul and Sighisoara's major at the time is still visible in the main saloon of the house.
This is where our hero, Vlad, is born.
You will walk the tiny cobbled streets of Sighisoara. Discover the stories of the 9 towers that still guard the old Sighisoara.
Don’t miss the superb panorama from the Clock Tower and the quaint little shops and cafes hidden in centuries-old houses
The next stop is the impressive Rasnov Fortress. Erected on a commanding hilltop, 700 years ago, by the Teutonic Knights, the fortress was featured among the 10 snow castles in the world by the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler
Overnight in Bran, in a picturesque location.

Visit Bran Castle (1377), the Castle where Bram Stoker placed Count Dracula in his novel – a castle in a pass in the Carpathian Mountains. Legends say that Dracula was imprisoned in this castle after being captured by the Hungarians in 1462. Nevertheless, Bran Castle was a strategic point in that era, and Dracula might have passed many times through the castle, but for sure, it was never his castle.

Brasov a medieval town. As a young fugitive prince, Dracula spent several years in Brasov, an important community whose support was crucial to his return to the throne of the neighboring country, Wallachia (at that time Wallachia and Transylvania were separate countries)

We will explore the main landmarks of Brasov: the impressive Black Church, the narrowest street ever “Rope Street”, the superb Council Square, and the fairy tale Ecaterina Gate. Outside of the city walls, we get to the Black Tower for an amazing view over the old Brasov.

Return to the hotel in Bran.

Snagov Monastery – in 1476 Price Vlad Dracula was killed near Bucharest. The Monks of Snagov Monastery recovered his headless body and buried it inside their church on the little island of Snagov.

Dracula was controversial even after his death. His death is still an enigma, where some sources indicate he was assassinated by the Turks, while others claim that Dracula was killed in a “friendly fire” (complicated story, but you will learn it on the tour)

The tour ends in Bucharest at about 2 PM

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