Godes and Vampires - Dracula Castle -Romania

Two Castles in One Day: Peles and Bran Castles

Would you like to be a Queen or a King for a day? Well, make a tour that will allow you to discover two of the most beautiful and famous Romanian castles - the legendary Bran - Dracula Castle and Peles Castle - the most beautiful palace in Eastern Europe, once used to be the Romanian king's Summer residence.

Our excursion covers one of the Top Sites in Romania:

Peles Castle - You will be visiting the magnificent Peles castle, with its fairytale turrets and pointed towers nestling in the Carpathians.

It is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful castles in all of Europe. Indeed it was the first castle in the world to have central heating and electricity!

It is also the final resting place for several Romanian monarchs including King Carol I, who died here in 1914. Throughout its history, the castle has played host to some important personalities, from royalty and politicians to artists. These included Kaiser Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary. Artists such as George Enescu, Sarah Bernhardt, and Jacques Thibaud often visited the castle. Recently, it has received guests such as Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Muammar Gaddafi, Yasser Arafat, and many more.

Our visit here will include the incredible weapons room.

Bran Castle - Much older than Peles, this spectacular fortress was made famous by Bram Stocker's gothic novel, Dracula. The fortification popularly known as 'Dracula's Castle was built on top of a steep rock in the Carpathian Mountains by Prince Mircea in 1377, where it protected the border of Walachia and Transylvania.

The building has four towers positioned at the four cardinal points. The walls are made of stone blocks, and the rooms and narrow corridors constitute a mysterious labyrinth of ghostly nooks and secret chambers, while in the inner courtyard, there are artesian wells, connected to an underground network. The castle had both a military and a customs point purpose.

Palace of Parliament - The Palace of Parliament is the world’s second-largest administrative building (after the Pentagon) and former dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu’s most infamous creation.

Started in 1984 (and still unfinished), the 330,000-square-metre building has over 3000 rooms. Entry is by guided tour only (book ahead). Entry to the palace is from B-dul Naţiunile Unite on the building's northern side (to find it, face the front of the palace from B-dul Unirii and walk around the building to the right). Bring your passport.

Several types of tours are available, including a 'standard' tour of the main rooms and hallways, and 'complete' tours that combine the standard tour with views of the basement. The standard tour takes around 45 minutes; add an extra 15 minutes to see the basement. Today, the building houses the country's parliament and associated offices – though much of it stands unused.