Small Group Dracula Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: Bucharest

Pass By: Bucharest, Bucharest
Arrival in the capital of Romania. You’ll be transferred from the airport to Bucharest. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Bucharest at a 4-star hotel.

Day 2: Bucharest City Tour

Stop At: Bucharest, Bucharest
In the morning you will enjoy a panoramic tour of Bucharest that will include the following sites: the Constitution Square, The University Square, the Arch of Triumph, The House of the Free Press, the Charles de Gaulle Square, the Victory Square, the Union Boulevard, Victory Way Boulevard (Calea Victoriei), etc.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Palace of Parliament, Strada Izvor 2-4, Bucharest 050711 Romania
Visit world's second largest administrative building located in Bucharest. The building, whose works were started in July 1984, includes a huge combination of monumental sculptures, gilded ornaments, decorative flooring, laced ceilings, brocade curtains, heavy carpets and tapestry, all in a succession of chambers, galleries, lavish vast rooms, and halls. It’s the perfect image of a regime detached from the reality, a regime which didn’t care at all about the real needs of the Romanian society.
You will enjoy a standard English tour. The passport is required to visit the Palace of the Parliament.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Muzeul National al Satului "Dimitrie Gusti", Kiseleff Road 28-30 In King Michael I Park, Bucharest 011347 Romania
Located in a green area of Bucharest and inaugurated in 1936, The Village Museum is one of the most beautiful and most interesting museums in the country. It boasts old and original houses brought from different parts of the country.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei), Calea Victoriei Boulevard, Bucharest Romania
In The Revolution Square, you’ll get the story of the anti-communist revolution from 1989 and you’ll find out more about the hardships an entire nation had to suffer for 45 years.
It is here where you will also admire some of the emblematic buildings and monuments of Bucharest such as: the Romanian Athenaeum, the former royal palace, the University Library, the Kretzulescu Church, the Statue of King Carol 1st, etc.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Bucharest at a 4-star hotel

Day 3: Bucharest - Targoviste - Poenari - Sibiu

Stop At: Princely Court, Str. Justice, No. 7, Targoviste 130 014 Romania
In the morning you’ll set off for Targoviste, the former capital of Wallachia. Here you will see the famous Sunset Tower (Chindia Tower). Built at the order of Vlad the Impaler, the tower offers great views over the entire city.
Enjoy a short walk through the ruins of the former royal palace and visit the Princely Church where you will admire beautiful Orthodox frescoes.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Poienari Castle, Transfagarasan On the Transfagarasn Road, just after you pass the village Corbeni., Arefu 117040 Romania
The ruins of the Poenari fortress* will be the next stop of the day. Travelers have to climb 1480 steps to reach it as the fortress is located on the top of the mountain.
Originally, this structure was built by the first Wallachian rulers in the 14th century. Later on, it was extended by Vlad the Impaler, know as Dracula. The tour guide will share many stories and legends and you will be impressed by the great panoramic views of the mountain on both sides.
**the fortress is closed until 2021 for renovation and it will be seen from outside, from the foot of the mountain. As an alternative, you will visit Curtea de Arges Monastery.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Le Lac Balea, Fagaras Mountains Romania
You will soon reach the Transfagarasan highway which crosses the Carpathian Mountains in the alpine area, connecting Wallachia and Transylvania historical regions.
The road is 100km (62mi) long from the town of Arefu (Arges County) to Carta (Sibiu County). The highest point – 2042m (6699ft) is reached at the Balea Lake where you will enjoy a short stop.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Sibiu at a 4-star hotel

Day 4: Sibiu - Hunedoara - Alba Iulia - Sibiu

Stop At: Citadel of Alba Iulia, Calea Motilor, nr. 5A, Alba Iulia 510134 Romania
In the morning, you will set off for the city of Alba Iulia where you will visit the Clba Iulia Carolina citadel, the Orthodox Cathedral and the Roman-Catholic Cathedral.
Alba Iulia was the capital of Transylvania between 1541 and 1690. In the first part of the 18th century, the Austrian Empire transformed this place into one of the best-defended citadels of the region. Several of the gates have been very well preserved.
The Orthodox Cathedral is less than 100 years old and it represented the place where the second royal couple of Romania was crowned after the Great Unification.

Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes

Stop At: Castelul Corvinilor, Strada Castelului 1-3, Hunedoara 331141 Romania
Visit Hunyadi Castle, the largest Gothic castle in Transylvania. It was built in the 14th-15th centuries and it belonged to the ancestors of King Mathias Corvinus, the Hungarian king of the 15th century.
This is the place where Vlad the Impaler was imprisoned on his way to Budapest.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Sibiu, Sibiu, Sibiu County, Central Romania, Transylvania
In the second part of the day, you will discover the beautiful city of Sibiu.
The German name of Sibiu is Hermanstadt and it was founded by the Saxon colonists about 800 years ago. Sibiu boasts several medieval squares, including the Great Square (Piata Mare) which is the largest of this kind in Romania. It is surrounded by old houses, impressive palaces such as the Brukenthal Palace, and by religious constructions, including the Catholic Cathedral. The tour of Sibiu continues with the other squares, the oldest cobblestone streets, and you’ll find out more about the legend which surrounds the Bridge of Lies. The tour of Sibiu ends with the Evangelical Cathedral and the former medieval towers.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Sibiu at a 4-star hotel.

Day 5: Sibiu - Biertan - Sighisoara

Stop At: Biertan Fortified Church, Central Square, Biertan 557045 Romania
Located in a beautiful bucolic area of Transylvania, the castle-church of Biertan is perched on a hill surrounded by old Saxon houses which preserve the medieval atmosphere. You’ll enjoy a tour of the fortress and church, where you’ll learn the history of this place and you’ll hear some funny stories.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Sighisoara Historic Center, Piata Cetatii Nr.1 Center of Sighisoara, Sighisoara 545400 Romania
The next stop is Sighisoara, another UNESCO site in Transylvania. It was built by the Germans about 800 years ago and it represents the best-preserved citadel in Romania. The old town is a unique combination of cobblestone streets, medieval walls, massive watchtowers and old architecture. You will enjoy a stroll around the citadel, discover the House of Vlad Dracul, allegedly the birthplace of Dracula, visit the Clock Tower, the symbol of Sighisoara, and the Church on the Hill, one of the oldest buildings of the citadel.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight a a 4-star hotel in Sighisoara

Day 6: Sighisoara – Targu Mures – Bistrita – Borgo Pass

Stop At: Palace of Culture, George Enescu Number 2, Targu Mures Romania
In Targu Mures, you’ll encounter a new type of architecture, the Secession style. Developed for the first time in Germany and Austria, the style spread out into many other parts of the Western world. In Transylvania, it was introduced by the local Hungarian authorities in cities such as Targu Mures, Medias, and Cluj Napoca. One of the most impressive Secession buildings is the Culture Palace in Targu Mures – you’ll get to admire the building’s Concert Hall and visit other museums including the Art Museum.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Bistrita, Bistrita, Bistrita-Nasaud County, Northwest Romania, Transylvania
Bistrita is another town founded by the German colonists. It is here where Jonathan Harker, the character in the Dracula novel, stays overnight for the first time in Transylvania at the Golden Crown. You will stop at the very same hotel and enjoy a delicious lunch. After this stop, you’ll take a short tour of the old town.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Tihuța Pass, Romania
Tihuța Pass is a high mountain pass in the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. It was made famous by Bram Stoker in his novel Dracula, where, called as "the Borgo Pass", it represented the gateway to the land of Count Dracula.
You will enjoy a short stop at the Dracula Castle Hotel located in Borgo Pass. Although mentioned in the Dracula novel, the building was built much more recently.
Duration: 15 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Bucovina at a 4-star hotel.

Day 7: Borgo Pass - Bicaz Gorge - Brasov

Stop At: Bicaz Gorge - Hasmas Mountain National Park, Romania
Today is going to be a long but beautiful day. You will admire the beautiful scenery of the Carpathian Mountains for the whole day. You will cross the Bicaz Gorge and stop stop for a short visit to the Red Lake. You’ll be told the interesting legend of the lake and you’ll enjoy a short walking tour.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle), Str. General Traian Mosoiu nr. 24, Bran 507025 Romania
Halloween is the key word for this evening.
You will be transferred to Bran where you will discover the famous castle of Bran*, the most visited tourist landmark in Romania.
The castle was built about 800 years ago when Transylvania was controlled by Hungarian kings.
The castle became a major attraction in the ’60s when it became known as “Dracula’s Castle.” You’ll get to admire its beautiful rooms renovated by Queen Marie of Romania, and you’ll be told the story of Dracula.
*excepting the Halloween period, Bran Castle will be visited the next day
Duration: 45 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Bucharest at a 4-star hotel.

Day 8: Brasov - Sinaia - Harman - Brasov

Stop At: Peles Castle, Str. Pelesului 2, Sinaia 106100 Romania
In the morning, head to Sinaia mountain resort, also known as the "Pearls of the Carpathians".
It is here where you will visit the most beautiful castle of Romania, Peles castle*. Built at the order of the first king of Romania, King Carol 1st, Peles castle impresses its visitors thanks to unique architecture and exquisite interiors. You will enjoy the standard tour (ground floor exhibition) and take a short walk in the gardens of the castle.

* Peles Castle is closed on Mondays. The Rasnov fortress or the Cantacuzino Castle in Busteni may be used as alternatives.
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes

Stop At: Fortified Church of Harman, Str. Pietii 2, Harman 507085 Romania
At noon, head back to Transylvania and stop in Harman village where you will visit the local fortified church.
The church dates back to 1240 and 200 years later the walls of fortification were constructed. The church served both as a worship place for the locals and as a shelter during the sieges. Once inside the courtyard, you will feel like stepping back in time. Travelers discover how the Saxons lived here and admire their medieval residences and their church.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Brasov Historical Center, Piazza Sfatului, Brasov Romania
You will spend the afternoon in the historical center of Brasov.
Built also by the German colonists almost 800 years ago, it boasts a wonderful medieval architecture. The old town is surrounded by massive walls, towers and gates, thus being protected against different invasions.
Located on an important trade route, the city developed quickly, and the residents built one of the most impressive Gothic churches between Vienna and Istanbul, today known as the Black Church**.

** During the cold months, between November and April, the Black Church will be seen only from outside.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Brasov at a 4-star hotel.

Day 9: Brasov - Rasnov - Snagov - Bucharest

Stop At: Rasnov Citadel, Unirii Square no. 12, Rasnov 505400 Romania
In the morning, you will head to the small town of Rasnov where you will visit the medieval citadel perched on the mountain.
Built more than 800 years ago, the fortress of Rasnov was conquered only once. Today, it offers a great panoramic view over Transylvania.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Snagov Monastery, Strada Manastirea Vlad Tepes Silistea, Snagov 077117 Romania
The tour ends with the Snagov Monastery. Probably built for the first time in the 14th century, the present church, located on a beautiful island, dates back to the 16th century. Today, the Snagov Monastery is famous thanks to Vlad the Impaler, a great historical figure for Romanians, while for foreigners is the infamous vampire known as Dracula.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Bucharest at a 4-star hotel.

Day 10: Bucharest

Pass By: Bucharest, Bucharest
You’ll be transferred to the airport according to your flight schedule.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.