Dracula's Bran Castle - Day Trip

Day 1: Peleș Castle, Azuga Wine Cellar & Bran Castle

This enchanting day trip from Bucharest will bring you straight to the heart of Transylvanian history, beginning with a visit to Peleș Castle in the picturesque town of Sinaia. This striking neo-Renaissance castle in the Carpathian Mountains is a former home of the Romanian royal family built in the late 1800s. Your private guide will show you around its well-preserved rooms and apartments, including a royal library, music room, and more. 

Continue north to the nearby Azuga Wine Cellar, a boutique sparkling wine producer with ties to the royal family. Toast to an excellent day in the Romanian countryside as you sample champagne produced using traditional methods.

Then make your way to Bran Castle, where you'll have lunch in its tea house before starting your private tour. Perched atop a 200-foot-high boulder, the site has over 1,000 years of history. As you wander through the timbered rooms linked by narrow winding staircases, you'll see furniture, armor, and weapons dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

And of course, you'll learn about the castle's ties to the legend of Count Dracula, who many people believe was inspired by the real-life Vlad the Impaler, a medieval ruler of the neighboring region of Wallachia with a reputation for cruelty. The author of 'Dracula,' Bram Stoker, also drew inspiration for his mythical character from local Transylvanian folklore and superstitions about the existence of immortal evil spirits called steregoi, who led normal lives during the day, but preyed on the innocent at night.