Dracula Tour in Transylvania

This morning, set out on your journey to the medieval Transylvanian city of Sibiu. On the way, pause to tour the 16th-century Curtea de Arges Monastery, the Romanian royal family’s resting place and one of Romania’s most breathtaking and unusual churches. Delve into the curious, often tragic legends attached to this highly sculptural architectural masterpiece.

Next, venture into the untamed Transylvanian countryside to take photos of the ruins of the atmospheric Poenari Fortress. Vlad the Impaler chose this steep, nearly impenetrable location as his safe house and castle, enslaving aristocrats arrested for treason to effectuate a complete restoration of the existing structure.

On your way to Sibiu, you’ll take one of the most extraordinary roads ever built: the Transfagarasan Road, carved into the gorgeous surrounding countryside during the Communist regime. The Transfagarasan crosses the Carpathian Mountains at a high altitude (2000 meters / 6000 feet), and the scenery is astonishingly beautiful. Hold on tight and enjoy the view as you wind around hairpin turns and over spectacular mountain passes.

The afternoon brings your arrival in Sibiu. Check into your hotel, then join your guide for a walking tour of the medieval historic district, witnessing the elaborate and ingenious fortifications put into place by the Saxons. As an important crossroads for trade, Sibiu was often besieged, and a complex system of reinforcements was devised to deter the enemy.

*Please note that the Transfagarasan Road is only open between June and September. If your tour is outside this period, you will travel on the road going along the Olt River valley

Departing the fascinating town of Sibiu, you’ll recommence your journey to the Biertan fortified church (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Biertan represents the highly fortified architectural style employed throughout Transylvania during the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries when townspeople built and maintained “peasant fortified churches” to scramble safely inside and lock heavy doors in case of attack.

Next, you’ll proceed to Sighisoara, one of the only inhabited European citadels still in existence. Take a guided walk through the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town and peruse the History Museum inside the picturesque 13th-century clock tower. Climb the 17th-century covered wooden staircase to explore the Church on the Hill.

Sighisoara is significant to history as the famed birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Born here in 1431, he became the absolute ruler of Wallachia and the feared enemy of the Ottomans beginning in the 1450s. His childhood home is still in good repair; it is now home to the restaurant Vlad Dracul.

After breakfast, you’ll set out for one of Romania’s most renowned sites: Bran Castle (famously called Dracula’s Castle). Because his fictional portrayal of Dracula’s castle matches Bran so closely, it is widely believed that Bram Stoker must have used descriptions of it to create the fictitious home of Count Dracula.

Next, a journey to Brasov’s beautifully-preserved medieval town in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Your guide will lead you on a walking tour of the Old Town, where you’ll discover the Black Church, the Old Town Square, and city walls built in the Middle Ages. You’ll have free time to absorb the unparalleled atmosphere in one of Brasov’s many charming cafés.

In the morning, depart Brasov and travel amidst breathtaking mountain scenery to Sinaia, where you’ll visit Peles Castle, a staggering 19th-century royal residence. Famous for its unbridled opulence, the interior is encrusted with breathtaking crystal embellishments and carvings in the rarest and most exotic wood types.

Nearby, pause to admire the Sinaia Monastery before continuing to the 14th-century Snagov Monastery, widely considered the final resting place of Vlad Dracul.

By late afternoon or evening, arrive in Bucharest.