Transylvania Day Trip

A Transylvania Day Trip is incomplete without a trip to Bran Castle. Better known as Dracula’s Castle, this is the quintessential Romanian destination. However, there is more to Transylvania than chasing the elusive Count Dracula, with Peles Castle and the beautiful town of Brasov not to be missed.

In fact, our group of five is so determined not to miss a thing that we set our Saturday morning departure time from Bucharest at the early and ambitious time of 7am. Yasmine, Saba, Ivana, Farhan and I load into the van, more or less on time, only with varying levels of enthusiasm at the 7am mark. Ivana has even brought her hotel pillow with her for the ride.

After a very subdued yet scenic hour’s ride, we arrive in the mountain town of Sinaia, home of the spectacular Peles and lesser know Pelisor Castles.

Pelisor Castle

Pelisor Castle a small palace, built on the grounds of the larger and more famous Peles Castle, was erected as the summer residence of Romania’s crown princes. Built between 1899 and 1902 at the behest of King Carol I of Romania, for the heir to the throne, Prince Ferdinand, and his wife, Princess Marie of Edinburgh.

The king envisioned the Peles estate as a royal sanctuary nestled within nature, a complex that blended architectural harmony with the romance of the Transylvanian landscape during the summer months. While Peles Castle dazzles with its German neo-Renaissance grandeur, Pelisor, designed by Czech architect Karel Liman, carries a different and much more intimate charm. Moreover, this one was shaped by the bold, artistic spirit of the future Queen Marie of Romania.

Peles Castle

Built over more than four decades, the much larger and grander Peles Castle sits along the cobbled road. Construction started in 1873 but the castle was inaugurated in 1883. It was further enlarged and transformed after 1890 by the Czech, Karel Liman, now considered chief architect of Peles Castle.

From the very beginning the building was state-of-the-art modern, being provided with central heating, electricity, running water and telephone. After 1900, two electric elevators and a central vacuum cleaner were added. The external architecture and most of the interiors are in German Neo-Renaissance style. However, some of the halls are decorated in different styles such as Italian, French, Moorish, Turkish and even the Modern Style.

The main characteristic of the Peles Castle is the rich decoration in wood commissioned in famous German and Austrian workshops. There is a lot to see though, the castle contains 160 rooms including 60 guest rooms and 30 bathrooms.

Bran Castle

After almost seven centuries of existence, the Castle is today the medieval architectural jewel of Transylvania and the ambassador of folklore born deep in history. In the 14th century, Louis I of Anjou, King of Hungary, issued a charter to build the fortress at the Eastern border of the Hungarian Kingdom. The Castle marked the customs point between Transylvania and Wallachia until the 19th century.

After 1918, Transylvania became part of Greater Romania. In 1920 the City Council of Brasov symbolically offered Bran Castle to Queen Marie. Between 1920 and 1937, under the strict supervision of the Queen and Royal architect, Karel Liman, the Castle was renovated. The 3rd and 4th floors were added with access stairs, ramparts and crenels became windows and the open fireplaces were replaced by beautiful tile stoves. A telephone was installed and a lift was built to facilitate access from the Royal Park to the Castle.

In 1897, the Irish writer Bram Stoker gave the world Dracula. This immortal Transylvanian count, thirsty for innocent blood, is an imaginary character that nevertheless still fascinates audiences the world over. The legend is based on the fictional image of the 15th century Wallachian prince, Vlad Tepes. He was famous for sentencing law breakers to death, leaving their heads on spikes, serving as a warning to all.

Today, Bran Castle is all of these things. Part medieval jewel, part quirky renovated royal castle and still infused by legend rooted in truth and embellished with imagination. Read more here…

Brasov Historical Centre

Brasov, Transylvania’s historical capital is full of history, culture and beauty. Think Black Church, great local food and downtown with a melting pot of Saxon, Austrian and Ottoman history.

Good To Know

Our group hired a van and driver for the day to visit Pelisor, Peles and Bran castles. We stopped off in Brasov after the castles for an afternoon wander and dinner. It is recommended to book tickets for the castles before arriving.

Take note that entrance times to Pelisor and Peles are timed. Plan your day around the Peles Castle availability. Note that the travel time between Sinaia and Bran is around an hour but can take longer in heavy traffic.

Would I Return?

Yes.