Transylvania Trip: Dracula's Castle, Brașov, Sighișoara, Biertan, Sibiu, 5 Days

Itinerary

Day 1: From Bucharest to Brașov

Stop At: Peles Castle, Str. Pelesului 2, Sinaia 106100 Romania
Nestled at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains in the picturesque town of Sinaia, Peles Castle is a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture, considered by many one of the most stunning castles in Europe.

Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and completed in 1883, the castle served as the summer residence of the royal family until 1947. Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows and Cordoba leather-covered walls.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle), Str. General Traian Mosoiu nr. 24, Bran 507025 Romania
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, Bran castle was first documented in an act issued on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build the Citadel.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Brasov Historical Center, Piazza Sfatului, Brasov Romania
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 backdrop in many recent period films.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Brașov area

Stop At: Libearty Bear Sanctuary Zarnesti, DN 73A km 6 - near the entrance in Zarnesti from Rasnov, Zarnesti 500075 Romania
A Bear Sanctuary is a place of shelter and protection where bears rescued from years of suffering in captivity can live out their lives in a natural forest habitat. Large forested sanctuary enclosures, surrounded by protective fences, provide the bears with a safe forest environment allowing them to display natural behaviours such as foraging for food, swimming in pools, climbing trees and even hibernation.

The bears are rescued from a life of captivity in small cages where they have been kept as pets or curiosities, or from run-down zoos. Bear sanctuaries also care for bears rescued from the illegal dancing bear trade and the cruel bear farming industry in Asia.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Rasnov Citadel, Unirii Square no. 12, Rasnov 505400 Romania
Rasnov Fortress (Rosenau in German), is located on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian Mountains, 650 ft. above the town of Rasnov. First mentioned in an official document in 1331, the fortress was built by Teutonic Knights as protection against invading Tartars and was later enlarged by the local Saxon population.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Peasant Fortified Church at Prejmer, East side of the Brasov Depression, Prejmer 507165 Romania
Prejmer Fortified Church is one of the 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Romania.

The largest fortified church in southeastern Europe, Prejmer (Tartlau in German)
was built by Teutonic knights in 1212-1213.

The powerful surrounding walls are 40 feet high and 10-15 feet thick.
Historical records attest that in its 500 years of existence, the fortress was besieged 50 times.
However, it was only captured once, in 1611 by Gabriel Báthori, Prince of Transylvania; the fighters defending the fortress have surrendered after not having no drinking water available for several days.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 3: From Brașov to Sighișoara

Stop At: Cetatea Rupea, Strada Cetatii, Rupea 505500 Romania
One of the most imposing and best-conserved medieval sites in Transylvania, Rupea Fortress is a definite must during your trips across this world-unique destination.

Half-way between the medieval cities of Brasov and Sighisoara, the fortress of Rupea amazes through its imposing dimensions and old centuries of history.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Viscri Fortified Church, Viscri 507039 Romania
Viscri Fortified Church is one of the 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Romania

One of the most interesting Saxon fortified churches is located in the village of Viscri (Weisskirch in German). The name comes from the German Weisse Khirche, meaning white church.

Unlike other Transylvanian fortified churches, Viscri was built around 1100 by the Szekler population and taken over by Saxon colonists in 1185.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Peasant Citadel, On Hill Above the Town, Saschiz 547510 Romania
This beautiful citadel can be seen guarding the village of Saschiz even before you entry the village.

Since it is in a ruin state, the citadel has no visiting hours. You are able to freely explore and enjoy.

The citadel had 6 towers - at the present time, only 5 of them are in a good condition, and only one wall reminds of the sixth tower.

The construction started in the 15th century - the surrounding wall and 3 towers - School Tower, Princely Tower and the Gate's Tower.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 4: From Sighișoara to Sibiu

Stop At: Sighisoara Historic Center, Piata Cetatii Nr.1 Center of Sighisoara, Sighisoara 545400 Romania
Sighișoara it is an inhabited medieval citadel that, in 1999, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 850-year-old testament to the history and culture of the Transylvanian Saxons.

Sighisoara's citadel was built in the 12th century, when it was known as Castrum Sex (Fort Six), and was further strengthened and extended in the 15th century.


Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Biertan Fortified Church, Central Square, Biertan 557045 Romania
Surrounded by quaint streets and vineyards, the 15th century fortified church at Biertan is perched high on a hill in the middle of the village. Three tiers of 35-foot-high defensive walls, connected by towers and gates, encircled the complex, making the church impossible to conquer during medieval times.

Couples seeking divorce were locked in the Prison Tower for two weeks. Sharing one set of cutlery and one bed, the couple had to make their final decision. In 400 years, only one couple decided afterwards to go through with the divorce!
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Sibiu, Sibiu, Sibiu County, Central Romania, Transylvania
Sibiu's Old Town retains the grandeur of its earlier days when rich and powerful guilds dominated regional trade. Like Sighisoara and Brasov, it has a distinctly Germanic feeling. Sections of the medieval wall still guard the historic area, where narrow streets pass steep-roofed 17th century buildings with gable overhangs before opening into vast, church-dominated squares such as Great Square and Little Square.
Duration: 3 hours

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 5: From Sibiu to Bucharest

Stop At: Le Lac Balea, Fagaras Mountains Romania
Bâlea Lake is a glacier lake situated at 2,034 m of altitude in the Făgăraș Mountains, in central Romania, in Sibiu County.

It is accessible by car on the Transfăgărășan road during the summer, and the rest of the year by a cable car from the "Bâlea Cascadă" chalet.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Transfagarasan Highway, Dn 7C Sibiu and Arges County, Curtea de Arges 115300 Romania
This is the best road in the world – said Jeremy Clarkson in a Top Gear episode while comparing it to a race track.

Still, Transfagarasan offers so much more besides the amazing driving experience, connecting the south of Romania with Transylvania, going straight across the massive Fagaras Mountains through five tunnels and winding roads that needed 6,500 tons of dynamite to be built.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Vidraru Dam, Arges River between Fruntii Mountains and Ghitu Mountains, Curtea de Arges 117040 Romania
Vidraru Dam is a dam in Romania. It was completed in 1966 on the Argeș River and creates Lake Vidraru.

The arch dam was built with the primary purpose to produce hydroelectricity.

The dam's height is 166 metres, the arch length 305 meters and it can store 465 million cubic metres of water. The reservoir has a total shoreline length of 28 km.
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Poienari Castle, Transfagarasan On the Transfagarasn Road, just after you pass the village Corbeni., Arefu 117040 Romania
The ruins of Poienari Fortress stand high on a cliff overlooking the Arges River, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Built at the beginning of the 13th century by the first Walachian rulers, the castle changed names and residents a few times over the decades; eventually, it was abandoned and left in ruins.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Curtea de Arges Monastery, Bulevardul Basarabilor 1, Curtea de Arges 115300 Romania
Curtea de Arges Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in Romania and a must-see attraction if you’re looking to discover centuries-old religious sites.

It’s the monumental church and its unique architectural style that make this monastery one of the most representative in Romania, a country that has hundreds of religious monuments of venerable age.

The burial place of Kings Carol the 1st and Ferdinand and Queens Elisabeta and Maria, this church – also known as the Cathedral from Curtea de Arges – had an overwhelming influence in the past on the architectural style of many religious monuments from the southern part of the country.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.