Romania is a country that is full of stereotypes, legends and stories. A country that is famous not only for its nature, architecture, but also for its legends about vampires, castles and other evil things. Coming to Romania for one day, it was not difficult for me to choose a place to visit first of all - it is Bran Castle. It is located in Transylvania near the small town of Brasov. The journey from Bucharest won't be the closest, but it's worth it.
Why Bran?
Bran is the most popular and visited castle in Romania. Legend has it that it is where the great and terrible Count Dracula lived. In the walls of this castle he drank blood and watched the torture of people who were not to his liking. Thanks to these legends, the castle has gained worldwide popularity.
Also an interesting fact: Dracula may have never been in this castle, or stayed only a couple of times for the night, when he hunted in the local forests. Historians can not come to a consensus, and resourceful Romanians decided to make a business out of it. And every day more and more legends and myths related to this unique place appear.
A few legends and stories:
- At night, you can find innocent victims who have been abused by a "vampire".
- From the basement and the well, which is located on the territory of the castle, you can hear heartbreaking screams. Exactly at midnight on September 31, the souls of the victims fly out from there, there are 30 days in September only, but the particularly impressionable do not pay attention to this fact.
- According to local beliefs, the ghost of Count Dracula walks in the forest near the castle. And whoever meets him will have bad luck in life.
Well, we're hitting the road!
There are several ways to get to the castle. You can book a tour and go with a group and a guide. In this case, you will save your energy and patience, as the responsibility for your journey will be on professionals.
Or you can get there on your own. If you decide to choose this option, there are two ways: go by car or by train and cab. You can rent a car, but keep in mind that you need to leave a deposit. In the second case, you will have to take a train to Brasheva, and from there you will have to take a cab or bus to the castle. Approximate travel time is 2-3 hours, depending on the chosen means of transportation.
It takes approximately 40 minutes to get from Brashev to the castle. The exit stop is Castello Bran. If you decide to travel by train, it is better to check the exit point at the train station.
Important information: buses to the castle do not leave from the central bus station, but from a smaller one - Autogara 2. It is better to check the name and numbers of buses on the spot, as they may change.
There is a fee to enter the castle, as well as for some rooms you will also have to pay extra. For example, visiting the torture room. All current information about the price and opening hours can be found on their official website.
It is better to arrive at the castle at the very opening, and if possible even a little earlier. Take into account that crowds of tourists gather very quickly.
Tip: the castle has steep stairs and paths made of slippery stones, so it is better to choose comfortable shoes and clothes.
The castle itself seems very grand and large from the outside, but inside it is quite the opposite. The rooms are much smaller than it seems, and with the large flow of tourists it is very difficult to pass there. And it will be hard to take beautiful photos.
The castle contains a music salon, drawing rooms, royal apartments, armory, bedrooms, dining room and library. There are 60 rooms in total, all connected by underground tunnels. The interior was designed by Queen Maria, to whom the castle was given after the annexation of Transylvania to Romania.
There is a souvenir market near the castle. There you can find a huge number of vampire-themed souvenirs. There are also themed cafes, beer houses or ordinary tents for a snack. You won't be left without souvenirs and hungry!
If you've already walked around the castle and bought souvenirs, you can take a walk in the royal park and admire the small lake, as well as visit Queen Mary's tea house and Princess Ileana's house.
Fans of folk music, themed souvenirs and red wine are advised to visit the festival "At Dracula's" in summer.
As for the overnight stay, my journey was uneventful. My company and I immediately continued onward without stopping. We also chose a more convenient option for us - a guided bus tour. Keep in mind that Russian-speaking guides are extremely problematic to find.
However, if you decide to stop for a vacation, there are a few options:
- Choose a hostel or hotel in the cities of Brasev or Bucharest.
- Take advantage of couchsurfing - locals can provide you with overnight accommodation for free.
- There are also a lot of villas in the area. However, their cost varies from $100 per night.
When I visited this legendary place, I was faced with expectation and reality. I expected a gloomy place where it is scary to be, and the interior is horrifying with its dark colors and paintings. But the reality turned out to be much simpler: a little bit gloomy, a lot of tourists and uncomfortable in the torture room. It's better for the particularly impressionable not to go there at all. But even so, I am madly glad that I managed to visit the castle. Once in a lifetime it is definitely worth seeing. Who knows, maybe you will be lucky enough to meet a real vampire.
