It has nothing to do with Dracula and blood, but everything to do with the horrendous traffic to Bran Castle of Dracula fame!!

My travel companion and I booked an organised day trip for a small group of 16 from Bucharest to Bran Castle. The schedule included a visit to Peleș Castle and a stop at Braşov for lunch. Given the distance of about 180 km, the schedule was a pleasant way to break up a long journey.

With an early start at 8.00 and scheduled return at 20.00, it was always going to be a long day. But what with it being Friday, the heavy traffic on a one-lane road and a couple of accidents causing further delays, it was well after 22.00 when we were dropped off at the meeting place! 

Peleș Castle

It is a former royal residence and is 130 km north of Bucharest. The approach to the castle is green and pleasant with some lovely restaurants and buildings

The architecture of the castle is a whimsical mix of various styles.

The rooms are rather narrow and heavy dark wood carvings make the interiors look gloomy. With the constant stream of people filing in and out, it can feel rather claustrophobic inside.

There are some lovely statues in the garden 

Braşov

Braşov has a very pretty square dominated by the town hall. It is not surprising that it is one of the most visited area in Romania. Apart from the nearby Bran Castle, it is also a mountain resort.

There’s obviously more to Braşov than can be seen during the 90-minute lunch break. I would imagine that a day or two would be required to fully appreciate and enjoy the area.

Bran Castle aka “Dracula’s Castle”

Take a fictional character of a blood-thirsty count (Dracula) in Transylvania

inspired by a blood-thirsty prince (Vlad the Impaler) in Transylvania

then find a castle in Transylvania that fits the description,

suddenly Bran Castle, a medieval fortress, becomes a top tourist attraction known as “Dracula’s Castle”! 🤔

Had it not been for the hype it would have remained one of many ordinary fortresses dotted around Europe! As it is, just the mention of Dracula’s Castle elicits ghoulish imageries that have curious tourists (me included) queuing up to walk through its narrow stairwells and corridors!

Views from the top of the Castle

So was the long day worth it? Of course! 

For a tourist, a trip to Bucharest without visiting Transylvania is like going to Moscow without seeing the Kremlin, or to Agra and bypassing Tal Mahal!

It’s has to be done!😂

Got the fridge magnets and photos 📸