In the morning you will leave Bucharest behind and head north to the Carpathian Mountains. Your first stop of the day is Peles Castle. It is an astonishing site built by the first Romanian king, Carol I in over 40 years. In this fairy-tale location, you will learn more about Monarchy in Romania and its heritage. You will discover all the wonders of this magnificent palace which seems frozen in time.
Next, you will travel to Bran to visit the famous medieval castle built as a fortress. Called by the citizens of Brasov the Dracula’s Castle will enchant you with a breathtaking view of the city. Prince Vlad used the Castle as a general headquarters during his incursions in Transylvania. For many years, it has been an interesting medieval art museum.
Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend and perched high atop a 200-foot-high rock, Bran Castle owes its fame to its imposing towers and turrets as well as to the myth created around Bram Stocker’s Dracula. Built on the site of a Teutonic Knights stronghold dating from 1212, the castle was first documented in an act issued by Louis I of Hungary on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build the Citadel. Although Stoker never visited Transylvania, the Irish author relied on research and his vivid imagination to create the dark and intimidating stomping ground of Count Dracula, leading to persistent myths that it was once the home of Vlad Tepes, ruler of Walachia. While the association with Dracula is sketchy at best, the castle continues to hold a strong attraction for all fans of the Count.
After Bran Castle, you will head to the 13th-century medieval fortress of Rasnov, an impressive site built on a mountain top overlooking the whole valley around it. This wonderful site was built by the Teutonic Knights when they first came here almost 800 years ago.
Your last stop of the day is the medieval part of the city of Brasov. Fringed by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture, as well as a wealth of historical attractions, Brasov is one of the most visited places in Romania. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance and has been used as a backdrop in many recent period films.
Immerse into the legends of the vampires and medieval stories. Wander around the old town center, including the Black Church, the Council Square, the Hirche House, the baroque style buildings from the Austro-Hungarian times and the Black Church, the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul.
Professional guide
Lunch
