Duration 1 Day Max 6

In search of Dracula Tour takes you to the historical sites connected with the legendary character Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

Go to the real Dracula’s Fortress

Find out more about Medieval Romania

Visit Targoviste Royal Court, the former capital of Vlad the Impaler

Climb the stairs that lead to the real fortress of Dracula

Enjoy a nice panoramic view over Vidraru Dam

Discover the religious life at Curtea de Arges Monastery

Morning drive from Bucharest towards Targoviste, the former capital of Wallachia during Dracula ruling.
In 1459, from his royal court in Targoviste, Vlad The Impaler refused to pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire. He won one memorable victory against the Ottomans when he disguised himself as a Janissary and attacked the Ottoman army camped near Targoviste. Vlad Dracula built Chindia Tower, the landmark of the city, for surveillance and defence purposes. It is partly built on a church and is 27 meters high and 9 meters in diameter.
The oldest written document about Targoviste Royal Court dates back to 1396. In the 17th century, the Royal Court was set on fire at the orders of the Ottoman Empire and the capital of Wallachia was moved to Bucharest.

Next stop will be at Curtea de Arges, the former capital of Wallachia. The town`s strongholds were rebuilt in the 14th century. See its Princely Church and its frescoed interior which is one of the first examples of Romanian paintings. The Episcopal Church (the monastery) which is a recreation of the original built-in 1512 -1517 by prince Neagoe Basarab (rebuilt in 1875 – 1885).

We conclude In search of Dracula Tour with a visit to Poenari Fortress. Standing on a cliff but now in ruins – this is known as the real castle of Dracula (Vlad Tepes). To get to the top you must climb up its 1400 steps (takes approx. 30 minutes). Once you arrive at the top of the castle you will find that it is surprisingly small; one third has collapsed down the mountainside in 1888. Entering through a narrow wooden bridge, you come across the crumbling remains of two towers within; the prism-shaped one was Vlad`s ( Dracula`s) residential quarters. From here, according to the legend, The Impaler`s wife flung herself out the window, declaring that is better this way than be captured by the Turks, who were besieging the castle. Legend has it that Vlad himself escaped over the mountains on horseback.

Total price: €99

2 persons for €99.00 each
3 persons for €89.00 each
4 persons for €80.00 each
5 persons for €75.00 each
6 persons for €70.00 each

0 € for children under 3
0 € / child 3-12

INCLUSIONS:
Transport by car/minibus fuel, parking fees;
English speaking guide/driver.

EXCLUSIONS:
Meals (aprox. 10 Euro/person/meal);
Entrance fees: Peles Castle, Bran Castle, Euro;
Video and photo fees.

GENERAL INFORMATION & TERMS:
We kindly request our guests to be ready 10 minutes before departure
We grant a 30% discount for children below the age of 7
All tours are escorted by English speaking licensed guides.
For guided tours in other languages, a booking should be made 72h before departure. Extra fee for tours in other languages: 25 EUR/per/tour.

Targoviste

The small city of Târgovişte, 50km northwest of Bucharest, has played an outsized role in Romanian history. It served as the royal capital of Wallachia from 1418 until well into the 16th century, when the capital was moved to Bucharest. The ruins of the former royal court remain the town’s leading attraction. During the 15th century, Vlad Ţepeş, of impaler fame, held princely court here. In more recent times, the city made international headlines as the site where dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife, Elena, were executed on Christmas Day, 1989.

Vidraru

Lake Vidraru (Romanian Lacul Vidraru) is an artificial lake in Romania. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Vidraru Damon the Argeș River.

It lies in the shadow of the Făgăraș Mountains. A village lies submerged at the bottom of this lake.

Vidraru Lake is a reservoir lake created in 1965 on the Arges River for Hydroelectricity. It has 465 million cubic metres of water, with a length of 10.3 km and a width of 2.2 km, thus accumulating a total area of 870 hectares and a maximum depth of 155 metres.

Curtea de Arges

Curtea de Argeş has a humble, likeable charm, enriched by the captivating treasures left over from the town’s role as a Wallachian capital in the 14th century. St Nicholas Church in the former Princely Court is a must-see and is considered to be one of the oldest monuments preserved in its original form in the country. The town’s storied cathedral, sculpted from white stone, is unique for the important royal tombs it hides and its chocolate-box architecture. In addition, the town is a gateway to the Făgăraş Mountains and just a short bus ride away from the ‘real’ Dracula’s castle (Poienari Citadel).

Poienari

North of Curtea de Argeş, the population thins out to just a few scattered villages as the highway nears the Carpathians. One of the highlights of the region is the Poienari Citadel, one of the few castles in Romania that really does have a legitimate connection to the notorious Wallachian prince Vlad Ţepeş (1431–76), aka ‘Vlad the Impaler’ or, better yet, ‘Dracula’.

If you’ve got a few days, the area around the citadel is lovely. About 4km south of the citadel, the village of Arefu retains a special untouched-by-time charm. It’s allegedly inhabited by descendants of the minions who served Vlad Ţepeş, a point of pride the villagers still boast about to this day. About 1km north of the fortress lies the massive artificial Lake Vidraru, which was dammed in the 1960s to feed a hydroelectric power plant. From here, the winding Transfăgărășan road winds its way north over the Carpathians into Transylvania.

In Search of Dracula

Targoviste

Vidraru

Curtea de Arges

Poienari