Come visit Dracula

This is the perfect time of year to visit Transylvania and have a little fun. Transylvania is not a city or a county but a historical region located in central Romania that is famous for being the home of Vlad of Impaler - the origin of Dracula! I’m online, still trying to get tickets to the Halloween Party in 2028. It’s a hot ticket.
- Cris

Brașov Old Town Walk

Head to the Black Church (Biserica Neagră) in the center of Brasov. Construction began in the 14th Century (and taking 100 years to complete), the Black Church was commissioned to prove to the world that the citizens of Corona were important, successful people. This was the original Instagram status symbol. As merchants traveled among towns, you could hear them casually say ‘have you seen the new church they are building in Corona? I hear the pope sent them money.’ And it worked. People talked, people gawked, and people moved there.

Piatra Craiului National Park

Hiking the 25 KM (~15.5 miles) long rocky mountain range called Piatra Craiului is loved by Romanian outdoor enthusiasts as it has plenty of climbing on large limestone crags. It gets really crowded on beautiful summer days so mountain climbing rather than hiking is recommended. Are those brown bears? Yep. You are walking through wilderness and people do get hurt every week. The phrase “bear-infested” is used t

Transfăgărășan to Balea

Rent a 4×4 (or hire a Guide) because we are going to drive the Transfăgărășan! One of the most spectacular roads in the world, offering stunning mountain vistas, hairpin turns, and suspension bridges. Rev that engine but watch out for bears, lynx, and people who unexpectedly enter the road. Do you travel with someone who hates how you drive? Leave them at the hotel because this is an absolute delight.

Going Somewhere? Protect Your Trip (and Your Sanity)

Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle)

It’s 1448 and you are sitting at the pub. “Who bought the castle?” you ask the guy next to you. “Some joker who calls himself ‘Vlad the Impaler.’ What a clown.” And then, Vlad murders several hundred people in your town to settle an argument. Vlad is quickly dispatched far away to defend the border. Be careful whom you mock! This castle is the basis for every movie you have seen about Dracula. It’s real. When booking your tickets, note that entry to the torture chambers are an extra fee. Seriously. They throw a Halloween party here that sells out years in advance.

Rasnov

What self-respecting Impaler would have a Castle but no Fortress? Exactly. Strategically located on the commercial route linking the provinces of Transylvania and Walachia, Râşnov differs from other Saxon fortresses in that it was designed as a place of refuge over extended periods of time. As such, it had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel and other buildings more commonly associated with a village.

The defensive system included nine towers, two bastions and a drawbridge. Any house with a drawbridge seems appealing to me. Surrounded by 500-foot-slopes on the north, south and west sides, the fortress was obliged to surrender only once, in the year 1612 when invaders managed to find the secret route that supplied the people inside the fortress with water. With the location of their water supply no longer a secret, the need for a well inside the fortress became a must. When it reopens, following renovation, set aside a few hours to explore the tunnels and secret passages. People often become hopefully lost and need help to find their way out. Good luck!

Have you scored tickets to a Halloween party at Castle Dracula? Drop me some pictures!

See you next Wednesday.

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