2023 Dracula tour

We will meet you at the Bucharest airport, and after the transfer to your hotel, we will start exploring Bucharest. We will visit one of the landmarks of the Romanian capital, the Parliament Palace, the second-largest building in the world.

Then we will have a walking tour in the historical district, where we will get learn our first story about Vlad the Impaler. Did you know that the first document speaking about Bucharest was issued by him? We will see the ruins of the princely court and, of course, we will not miss any important touristic attractions of the Old Town.
Overnight in Bucharest.
Driving distance: 40 km; driving time: 2 hours.

Today we will visit more of the historical character Dracula. We will leave Bucharest and head to Targoviste, the former capital of Walachia, the country led by Vlad the Impaler. We will visit the Princely Palace and Chindia tower, part of it dating back to Vlad the Impaler’s time.
Then, we will head to Transfagarasan, where, before starting driving on the famous mountain road, we will stop at Poenari, to visit the fortress perched on top of a rock. We will climb the 1480 steps to the fortress and we will learn the stories relating Vlad the Impaler to this mountain-top stronghold.
Then we will start to cross the Carpathian Mountains to Transylvania on Transfagarasan road. After a few hours drive through the winding road, we will stop at Balea Lake.
In his book, the writer is saying that Dracula the Vampire attended the sorcery school at Lake Hermannstad, deep in the Carpathian mountains. There is no lake Hermanstadt in Transylvania, but Hermannstadt is the German name of Sibiu, the biggest closest city to Balea Lake.
In the afternoon, we will arrive in Sibiu, where we will spend the night.
Driving distance: 300 km; driving time: 4.5 hours.

In the morning we will have a walking tour of the charming city of Sibiu. We will stroll around the historic squares, learn the stories of the Bridge of Lies and we will visit the Lutheran Catedral, to see the tombstone of Vlad the Impaler son.
Then we will venture deeper into Transylvania, in the search of the places mentioned in the book by Bram Stoker.

Our first stop we will be at Medias. The city is not mentioned in the book, but its wine is. On his route to Dracula Castle, the lawyer Jonathan Harker drank the “Golden Mediash” wine a so we will do. First, we will visit the medieval Saxon town and then we will have a wine tasting of the local wine.

Then, we will head to Cluj. The city, the largest in Transylvania was mentioned in the book, as being one of the places Jonathan Harker passed, before meeting Count Dracula. Overnight in Cluj.
Optional visit: Turda Salt Mine.
Driving distance: 200 km; driving time: 3.5 hours.

Our Dracula tour will continue with a walking tour in Cluj. Then, we will head to Bistrita, another destination mentioned in the book. Is this city where Jonathan Harker spent his first night in Transylvania. We will have a walk in the Old Town, and after lunch, we will continue our journey to Borgo Pass.
After a few hours drive, we will reach the Borgo Pass. Is there where Bram Stoker positioned Dracula Castle. In reality, there is no castle there ( Bran Castle is in another part of Transylvania). But the mountain landscape is as it was described in the book: astonishing. At the Borgo Pass, we can visit a nearby monastery, and climb to an observation point to enjoy a 360 degrees view of the mountain scenery.
We can have a short hike in the area or we can have a sheepfold picnic straight on the mountain pasture. Overnight at Borgo Pass or Colibita Lake.
Driving distance: 180 km; driving time: 3 hours.
Optional day Trip: Bucovina and the Painted monasteries. If you like, we can add an extra day to our trip, to visit Bucovina and the painted monasteries.

Borgo Pass

Our Dracula tour is getting closer to the main Dracula attractions in Transylvania. We will leave Borgo Pass and head to Sighisoara. Before reaching Sighisoara, we will stop in Targu Mures, a beautiful city in the heart of Transylvania, with a mixed Romanian and Hungarian population. We will have a short walk in the town to admire the elegant Secession-style buildings, including the beautiful Culture Palace.
In the afternoon, we will reach Sighisoara, the lovely medieval citadel, where the historical character Vlad Dracula was born. We will take some time to explore the citadel, we will climb the iconic Clock Tower, and we can dine at the restaurant at Dracula birthplace.
Overnight in Sighisoara
Driving distance: 200 km; driving time: 3.5 hours.

Sighisoara

We will leave Sighisoara and head to Brasov. This former Saxon city was a place where Vlad the Impaler lived for a few years. Also, he sieged the city, when he had some fiscal issues with the Saxons of Brasov. In Brasov, we will have a walking tour of the city, and we will see the house where apparently Vlad’s mistress lived.

Then, we will reach the highlight of our Dracula tour: Bran Castle or Dracula’s Castle. We will leave Brasov and after less than one hour we will arrive in Bran. We will explore Dracula’s Castle and we will discover its long history.

Apparently, Vlad the Impaler never lived there, but this castle is best matching the description of the castle in the book. We will spend the night in Bran, and if available, we will choose hotel offering rooms with a Castle view.
Driving distance:150 km; driving time: 2.5 hours.

Bran Castle

In our last day of Dracula tour, we will visit Peles Castle. The Castle, the first residence of the Romanian Royal family, doesn’t have any connections with Dracula, but as you are in Romania, is worth visiting. After Peles, we will drive to Snagov, near Bucharest. There, we will visit the monastery raised in the 14th-century on an island in the middle of the lake. There are voices saying Vlad the Impaler was buried there, but so far, no evidence was found.
After the Snagov Monastery, we will head to Bucharest, for the end of our trip.
Driving distance: 200 km; driving time: 2 hours.