Experience Mystical Transylvania
Romania is famous for its Transylvania region where the fictional character Count Dracula hails from. Dracula is inspired from the 15th century prince of Romania, Vlad the Impaler, due to his barbarity against enemy soldiers impaling them through wooden stakes and various other types of atrocities.
If you visit Romania, there is a high chance of you flying into the capital, Bucharest, or passing by it. Bucharest is a much less appreciated European city with fewer crowds compared to other, more popular tourist destinations.
The city contrasts itself with charming grit and elegant buildings making it a unique capital that is full of character. While Bucharest has its draws, the must see trip on a visitor’s itinerary is the castle associated with Dracula nestled deep in Transylvania, Bran Castle.
For this trip, it is easier to rent a car and drive through the lush green forests of rural Romania. The drive will set you back just under three hours, with most of them on the motorway, to the town of Bran on the outskirts of the city of Brasov. I recommend renting your vehicle from Auto Europe, because they allow you to quickly compare rates between local companies which I've found saves a lot of time.
As you arrive on the castle grounds, you are greeted with an imposing structure perched on a hill.
Bran castle has a haunting aura, especially when seen at night, perfect for a horror novel. The exterior of the structure has a rustic feel with small signs of dilapidation adding character to the castle. However, as soon as you enter the main door, you will be surprised at how well the interior chambers have been kept. To navigate through the castle, you must walk through narrow tunneled stairways leaving very little views to what is at the end of it. For Dracula fans it doesn't get any better than this!
For a good view of the castle courtyard, you can walk through the balcony to see unforgettable views of the beige castle rooftops along with the backdrop of deep forests.
The contents inside the castle aren’t only dedicated to Dracula. Bran castle is loosely associated with Dracula, which studies suggest that it isn’t actually Vlad the Impaler’s castle. The castle merely fits the description of the author, Bram Stoker’s popular novel. Along with museum-worthy exhibits from Romanian history, there is a room dedicated to Dracula, with gruesome yet interesting torture devices.
Once you have finished exploring the eerie castle, why not head over to Brasov and spend a night in the city.
Brasov is one of Romania’s major cities, however, it keeps a laid back atmosphere that is also equipped to entertain visitors. The central part of the city has a medieval feel to it with rustic architecture and homey restaurants offering some of the best Romanian cuisines. The Black Church in the city is a unique gothic church due to its color as an effect of a fire that raged through the city in 1689. Today, it still stands proudly watching over the city.
During your time in Brasov, why not visit the Rasnov Fortress (check out the view it offers below) just outside the city, to take you back in the European middle ages where knights on horses roamed the forests. The citadel has an intriguing museum and a tavern.
