Real Dracula Tour – 6 Days in the Footsteps of Vlad the Impaler, Through Transylvania and Wallachia

A 6-day tour that follows, step by step, the story of Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) — from the sites tied to his reign in Wallachia to the Saxon towns of Transylvania. The route covers roughly 1,450 km and includes medieval fortresses, castles, fortified churches and traditional villages, with an English-speaking guide throughout the tour.

What this Dracula tour includes

The tour starts and ends in Bucharest, covering the main sites linked to Vlad the Impaler’s history and to Transylvania’s fortified architecture: Targoviste, Curtea de Arges, Poenari Fortress, Sibiu, Corvin Castle, Alba Iulia, Turda Salt Mine, Cluj-Napoca, Rimetea Village, Biertan, Sighisoara, Viscri, Bran Castle, Brasov, Peles Castle and Snagov Monastery.

Pick-up is from Bucharest Airport or another location/hotel in the city, upon the group’s request.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Bucharest – Targoviste – Curtea de Arges – Poenari – Sibiu

The first stop is Targoviste, one of the most important cities in the history of Wallachia, closely tied to the reign of Vlad the Impaler (15th–16th centuries).

The route to Sibiu continues with a stop at Curtea de Arges, the former capital of Wallachia, where we explore its 14th-century strongholds and the Princely Church, known for its frescoed interior and early examples of Romanian painting.

Next comes Poenari Fortress, considered the true castle of Vlad Tepes. Though now in ruins, reaching it requires climbing about 1,480 steps, a climb that takes around 40 minutes. Once at the top, you’ll find the fortress surprisingly small — about a third of the structure collapsed down the mountainside in 1888. Legend has it that during a Turkish siege, Vlad’s wife threw herself from a window, choosing death over capture, while the ruler himself is said to have escaped on horseback into the mountains.

The day ends in Sibiu with a walking tour of the Old Town, one of Transylvania’s most significant fortified towns. Founded in 1190, Sibiu became the main city of the Transylvanian Saxons, and its architecture recalls historic cities such as Nuremberg. We’ll see the Big Square, the Small Square, the House of the Guilds, the Passage of Stairs linking the Upper and Lower Town, the Liar’s Bridge, and the Orthodox Cathedral, modeled on Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

Overnight: Sibiu 3* hotel

Day 2: Sibiu – Corvin Castle – Alba Iulia – Sibiu

The day’s first destination is Corvin (Hunyadi) Castle, the former residence of Iancu de Hunedoara (John Hunyadi), Governor of Transylvania. Built in the 15th century, it is Romania’s largest Gothic castle and is considered one of the most haunted places in the world.

We continue to Alba Iulia, a city with roots dating back to the 2nd century, during Roman times. Here we’ll explore the Roman town ruins, the medieval and modern Vauban-style fortifications, the Catholic Cathedral — the oldest in Transylvania — and the Reunification Cathedral, built in memory of the Great Union.

We then return to Sibiu.

Overnight: Sibiu, 3* hotel

Day 3: Sibiu – Turda Salt Mine – Cluj-Napoca – Rimetea – Sibiu

In the morning we head to Turda Salt Mine, a genuine museum of salt exploitation, first discovered by the Romans and developed into a major mining center under Habsburg rule.

We continue with a walking tour of Cluj-Napoca’s historic center — Romania’s second-largest city and an important cultural and academic hub, where medieval landmarks blend with modern attractions. We’ll see St. Michael’s Church, a Gothic masterpiece, the Matthias Corvinus House and Monument, as well as the old town’s narrow streets and squares.

The day ends with a drive along Transylvania’s backroads to Rimetea, one of the region’s best-preserved villages, known for its white-painted houses and mountain scenery.

Overnight: Sibiu, 3* hotel

Day 4: Sibiu – Biertan – Sighisoara

The route to Sighisoara includes a stop at Biertan, a UNESCO site and one of the earliest German settlements in Transylvania. Here we visit the fortified church, surrounded by three rings of walls, built by German settlers and used for nearly three centuries as the residence of the Transylvanian bishops. You’ll also hear the story of a room within the citadel once used to reconcile divorcing couples. Biertan’s earliest documented mention dates back to 1283.

Once in Sighisoara, we explore the medieval citadel: the Clock Tower, the History Museum and the Torture Room. Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, born in 1431 in a house on Museum Square; his father, Vlad Dracul, was a knight of the Order of the Dragon. Other highlights include the Church on the Hill, the Scholars’ Stairs, the Monastery Church and the citadel’s towers.

Overnight: Sighisoara 3*

Day 5: Sighisoara – Viscri – Bran Castle – Brasov

We leave Sighisoara heading toward the Brasov area, passing through Saxon villages with distinctive architecture, along with several citadels and churches visible from the road.

We continue to Bran Castle, also known as “Dracula’s Castle,” made famous by Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel and its film adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The earliest records of the castle date back to 1377, and throughout history it held a strategic position on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. In the 20th century it became the summer residence of the Romanian royal family, and today its museum preserves furniture and objects from that period.

The day concludes with an approximately 2-hour tour of Brasov’s medieval center, one of Europe’s oldest cities, dating back to 1235. In the Middle Ages it was a formidable fortress, defended by walls, bastions and towers. Highlights include Council Square, the Black Church, the White Tower, the Black Tower, the Weavers’ Bastion and Catherine’s Gate.

Overnight: Brasov, 3* hotel

Day 6: Brasov – Sinaia – Snagov – Bucharest

Leaving Brasov, we arrive in Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, located 44 km from Brasov, the former summer residence of Romania’s kings. Today the castle is one of the country’s most important museums, home to furniture, decorative objects, carpets, tapestries, sculptures, paintings and weapon collections from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

The final stop is Snagov, a village 40 km north of Bucharest, on the shore of a 16-km-long lake. In the middle of the lake lies an island with a monastery built in 1519, reached by boat. Here you’ll find the tomb attributed to Dracula, located in front of the church altar; tradition holds that Vlad’s death occurred in the nearby forests, from where monks carried his body to be buried at the monastery.

The tour ends with drop-off at your chosen location in Bucharest.

Tour route

Bucharest – Targoviste – Curtea de Arges – Poenari – Sibiu – Hunedoara – Alba Iulia – Sibiu – Biertan – Sighisoara – Prejmer – Bran – Brasov – Sinaia – Snagov – Bucharest (approximately 1,450 km)

Who this tour is for

The Real Dracula Tour suits travelers interested in the history of Transylvania and Wallachia, the legend of Vlad the Impaler, and the region’s medieval and Saxon architecture — fortresses, castles, fortified churches and old towns — covered in a single organized 6-day route.

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