About Us
We, Mark & Herta, are currently backpacking through Europe, and eventually planning to settle in London. Beyond that? The possibilities are endless.
Read Mark & Herta’s full story.Transylvania is the central region of Romania, known for its medieval castles, forests, and mountains. From the countries’ capital, Bucharest, Transylvania is located about three hours north. We went on a day trip, visiting Peleș Castle, Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, and the picturesque town of Brașov.
About two hours after leaving Bucharest, we arrived at our first stop near the town of Sinaia: Peleș Castle. This castle, dating back to the late 19th century, was constructed for King Carol I, ruler of Romania during that time. Since 1989, the castle was declared a heritage site and opened to the public.
After a 90-minute tour around the castle, we finished up in the castle’s beautiful gardens, surrounded by the mountains of Transylvania. A visit to Peleș Castle is worth it, but the main highlights of Transylvania were yet to be reached.
The most famous castle of Transylvania is Bran Castle, better known as Dracula’s Castle. While the castle has no actual connection to the Dracula stories, as the writer didn’t know about its existence, it is marketed as the home of the Dracula legend. Bran Castle is located on a mountaintop near the town of Bran, which almost solely consists of restaurants and tourist shops.
Surprisingly, the inside of the castle doesn’t look anything like Dracula’s home. Most rooms are empty, while the cobblestones in the courtyard are nothing but picturesque. The architecture reminded us more of small Bavarian towns we have seen on our travels, than the home of a vampire.
Brașov is located in the heart of Transylvania. It is the biggest city in the region, with about 250,000 inhabitants. The city is popular among tourists, due to its location, and Brașov fully caters towards this: the main boulevard consists of restaurants, bars, and shops.
At the end of the boulevard you will find the Brașov Council Square. The first thing that stands out is the Hollywood-like monument on the hill, yielding the cities’ name. We are not sure why, but can only imagine Transylvania’s legends, like Dracula, give the area a Hollywood-like status.
On the opposite side of the square you will find plenty of bars, restaurants, and ice-cream trucks, with tourists enjoying the weather. In summer, temperatures easily reach the thirties, while winters are very harsh, with ample snow.
Our final stop was the Black Church, just steps away from the Brașov Council Square. The church, built in the 14th century, is of Gothic-style, and was constructed by the German minority. It is the main Gothic monument in all of Romania, and the largest church in the region. For us, it was also the place where the bus would pick us back up for the long journey back to Bucharest.
We, Mark & Herta, are currently backpacking through Europe, and eventually planning to settle in London. Beyond that? The possibilities are endless.
Read Mark & Herta’s full story.