When I vacationed with my best friend in her new home in Romania, one of the first things she asked was where would I like to visit. All I knew about Romania is that it contains the region of Transylvania, and it is home to what is commonly (and incorrectly) called “Dracula’s Castle.” Naturally, as I am a bit of a castle aficionado, that was the first place I wanted to see.

Bran Castle is known as “Dracula’s Castle” in part due to its resemblance to the image on the American First Edition cover for Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula (although Stoker’s written description of Dracula’s castle is quite different), as well as because of Vlad “the Impaler,” a supposed resident. While Vlad III Dracula, the historical figure credited as one inspiration for the creation of the fictitious Dracula, hales from the same region in Romania, historians doubt that he set foot in the castle. To help boost tourism to the castle, as well as to Romania in general, the government highlighted the connection to Vlad. Today, Bran Castle includes displays on Vlad III Dracula, vampire folklore, as well as a medieval torture instruments exhibit. For the curious, one can visit the actual birthplace of Vlad in another Romanian destination, the town of Sighișoara.         

Fairy-tale Bran Castle is nestled in picturesque mountains near Brașov. The castle grounds invite one to stroll among the trees surrounding a pretty pond in the garden below the castle’s rocky perch. A walk along the paths affords many great options for capturing Bran Castle’s exterior.  The route to the castle entrance is a bit steep, as the castle resides atop a hill. Unless it is a hectic day, one can freely stop and rest if not in the best of shape.  The actual castle entrance is up several significant steps, so it is not accessible. Persons requiring mobility devices, such as walkers or wheelchairs, should call ahead to check into accommodations. Once inside the front door, quarters are tight as visitors are guided upstairs to the first displays. The tour traverses several very narrow and steep staircases, including the creepy and claustrophobic “Secret Staircase.” The wood planking in areas also shows its age, so visitors should be careful when navigating to watch where they place their feet, especially if wearing heels.

I don’t want to spoil the tour for anyone, but I will say that of all the castles I have visited in England, Wales, Italy, and Romania, Bran Castle is one of the best maintained. It’s remarkably livable for a stone structure completed in 1388. Its habitability might be because it was a favourite retreat of Queen Marie, who ordered extensive renovations of the ageing structure between 1920 and 1930 in her desire to use the castle as a summer residence. Members of the Habsburg family currently own the property, having acquired it in May 2006 (as part of the post-Communist restoration of seized buildings to original owners), as descendants of Queen Marie’s daughter Ileana.

Like many attractions in Romania, large numbers of souvenir booths line the entrance to the castle, some operated by moderately aggressive merchants. If choosing to purchase tickets at the castle, it is easy to miss the ticket booth amid the colourful stalls and crowds of tourists. I recommend buying tickets in advance online, as depending on when one visits, there could be long lines. I had purchased the use of an audio guide for my visit, but I was unable to locate it. Furthermore, I couldn’t find an English-speaking staff member who could point me in the right direction. While the lack of an audio guide likely caused me to miss out on some of the highlights of the tour, most of the displays had signage in English, and I found Google Translate’s real-time photo translator was quite helpful for the few times an English sign was lacking.

When in Romania, Bran Castle should be on the list of places to visit. It is a magnificent example of a medieval castle and contains some fabulous items and stories. One could drown in the sheer volume of history associated with this structure, but examining some is worth the effort. I visited in May of 2019, right as the castle was put up for sale. Does anyone have a spare $80 million or so? Bran Castle would make a lovely new home, and I promise that the English audio guides will be easy to find.

Samantha Mason

Samantha has a love for all forms of speculative fiction across all media. Possessed of natural curiosity, Samantha enjoys learning and new experiences. Each new piece of knowledge or endeavour adds to who she is and how she sees the world. She is a firm believer that some of the most amazing experiences and events could even be in your backyard (figuratively, if not literally).