Romania > The Dracula castle

Today, a tour through the Southern Carpathian mountain range was on the program. The former dictator Ceausescu had the Transfagarasan mountain pass built in 1970 during his rule through the Carpathians. This mountain pass along the highest peaks of Romania offered him an escape route in case he was attacked by the Russians. The mountain pass is closed during the winter. It is only accessible for a few months each year. Unfortunately for us, the summer season for the pass starts on July 1. We are one week too early. There is no choice but to drive to Brasov via the normal road. It is a pity that we miss the famous mountain pass, but we will arrive in Brasov much earlier. This allows us to visit the fairy-tale Bran Castle today, which is closed tomorrow (Monday). This castle is also called Dracula’s Castle. The author of Dracula was inspired by the mountainous surroundings of Transylvania, where the castle is located. The weather is nice as we pack the car. Through the center of Bucharest, we drive once more to the Palatul Parlamentului. Arriving via the boulevard, we see the building already illuminated by the sun. We park Brutus in front of the building for a farewell photo. Then we set course northward. We pass King Mihai I park. In this park lies the former residential palace of Ceausescu. Outside the capital, the highway passes through villages. Speeds alternate between seventy and one hundred km/h. The villages we pass are completely cut through by the four-lane road. After more than two hours of driving, we reach the exit to Bran. Through fifteen sharp hairpin turns, we descend to the lower-lying landscape. Then follows a straight road to the castle. Already upon entering the town, we see the castle against the mountainside. We are clearly not alone. Everyone traveling through Romania probably visits this castle.

Romania - The courtyard of Bran Castle

We park the car and walk to the entrance. The road is lined on both sides by souvenir shops. It is unbelievable that so many stalls are grouped together. We walk through to the ticket office. The castle is also crowded. There is even a line to get inside. We follow the visitors in a stream through the castle. Bran Castle was built in the 14th century and was private property for a long time. In the 1920s, it was the residence of the Romanian royal family. They lived in the castle until they were deposed in 1947. The building then came into state hands. Since 2006, the castle has been open as a museum. The castle consists of four floors. We pass the rooms of the royal prince and princess. It is crowded everywhere. Yet it is still possible to get an impression of the castle. The castle has a fairy-tale appearance. After an hour, we are outside again. We walk around the castle to take an overview photo. This seems possible only from a nearby hill. However, this is part of a nature park, and a separate ticket is required, which we skip. At a small restaurant, we order a fried egg with ham and cheese on top (uitsmijter). From Bran, we drive to the other side of Brasov. In the town of Prejmer, there is a fortified church. The church is surrounded by a fortification. Hundreds of rooms are built into the walls so that the population of Prejmer could safely hide in the fort during attacks. We explore the church and enter the fort via wooden stairs. The fort is twelve meters high and more than five meters wide. Finally, at the end of the afternoon, we drive to Brasov. Our hotel is right in the old town.

Romania - The defensive wall around the church of Prejmer

The navigation already indicates that cars are not allowed near our hotel. In the surrounding streets, it is also difficult to find a free parking space. It is the weekend after all. The hotel’s suggested parking option is a garage, which cannot accommodate our car. We park just outside the city walls and decide to walk to the hotel without luggage. Hotel Antika is located in the pedestrian area. There are nice terraces in front of the door. The room is decorated in an old, atmospheric style. A perfect location to explore the city. From the hotel, we walk through the shopping street. The central square is busy. On a stage, there is a performance of traditional dance and singing. Diagonally behind the square stands the Gothic Black Church. The church caught fire during the siege of 1689. The side aisles were blackened. The church derives its name from this. Inside, the church is beautiful and soberly decorated. On the paintings on the pews, it is still visible which guild sat where in the past. Behind the church, at the city wall, lie the Schei Gate and the beautiful Catherine Gate. We walk around the city wall back to the center. On a terrace, we have a beer. It is now six o’clock and probably a bit quieter in the city. We walk back to the car and drive into the old town again. The hotel explained which street is best for parking. With a bit of luck, we find a spot. We park the Land Rover and walk with our luggage to the hotel. In the evening, it is not difficult to find a restaurant. There is plenty of choice in the pedestrian area near the hotel. While we enjoy our meal, the sounds of the concert in the central square reach us. The city is pleasantly busy.