The Bran castle in Romania is known as the Dracula's castle.
We recently visited the castle and pass along all the info that you need, to help you plan a visit any time soon.
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Dracula Bran Castle Connection
Bran Castle is famously known outside of Romania as the Dracula Castle. The story goes something like this:
The Irish novelist, Bram Stoker, published a book called “Dracula” in 1897. The book tells a fictional story of an English lawyer traveling to Romania to assist a count known as Dracula in a real estate deal.
This tale is the origin of every vampire story, movie, song retold in the past 127 years, and Bran castle has since been called the Dracula castle.
Bram Stoker had never ventured to Bran Castle, Transylvania, or Romania when he wrote the book.
His inspiration came from the late medieval Wallachian ruler, Vlad the Impaler (aka Vlad Țepeș), who was famed in the region for his gruesome execution methods.
Vlad Țepeș was from the House of Drăculești and his father was Vlad II, the Dragon. Drac is an old Romanian word for Dragon.
Vlad II was a member of the chivalric Order of the Dragon, whose purpose was to push back against the invading Ottoman and Tartars.
The truth is, nor Vlad the Impaler or Vlad II had ever been to Bran Castle. Bram Stoker wrote a fictional story, Hollywood propagated the narrative and tourism reinforced the tale.
This is why people today still associate the castle with Dracula's vampire tales, and unfortunately, that's the only reason most people strive to visit the Bran castle museum.
Yet, historically, there is much more to the Bran fortification!
Built in the 13th century as a replacement of the wooden Teutonic order fortification, Bran was located on an important trade route pass and border between the regions of Transylvania and Wallachia.
It served as a medieval stronghold for the Transylvanian Saxons from Brașov, which were encouraged by the Hungarian ruling king to relocate to the area.
What you can expect on your visit
We drove from Brașov, the nearest city, to Bran village. The road is all brand-new thanks to EU funds and rigorous development in the region, and therefore it was an uncomplicated ride.
Bran village is tiny, but you honestly can't miss the castle, as it's the prime point of interest in the area. All boards and roads lead to bran castle!
On the road-side near the castle, which is just a 5-minute walk to the castle, are several paid parking options. The meters take cards and cash. Several public bus connections can take you from Brașov to Bran as well.
The surrounding of Bran castle is heavily geared towards tourism, which shouldn't have been a surprise, but still, it was.
You have to walk through an area of stalls selling food and cheap souvenirs. It's not the best experience, especially compared to our excursions to other castles in Romania. Regional products would have been more suitable and exciting.
Then you enter the royal park and to your left are numerous point of sale ticketing pods and this process is simple to use. An official employee there can help you with questions.
You will be presented with a few ticket options, combos, and special occasion tickets such as for the Halloween special.
The regular ticket to go inside the castle goes for 70 LEI or about $16, and it's valid for that particular day. If you purchase it online, you get a validity of 5 days for one visit.
Following that, you have to walk briefly upwards on a stone paved broad passage, which leads you to a staircase and the entrance to the castle where English-speaking stuff will check your entry tickets.
The Castle Interiors
Bran castle is perhaps one of the smallest castles we have ever been to! It's minuscule, and tourists visit in masses. The result is a castle full of people standing and walking behind each other.
Tall people have to duck frequently, passages and staircases are steep and narrow. As a visitor, you walk around, practically being led by the preceding visitors in front of you.
Note that we visited at 5 pm on Monday in July. We thought 5 pm would not be that busy!
Most of the larger castle museum rooms are dedicated to the live and story of Marie of Romania (Regina Maria), the last queen of Romania.
She adored Bran castle, and Marie spent a significant amount of time here. In fact, the castle was in a deplorable state when the Romanian royal house took it over, and it was in her interest to renovate the fortification.
The castle itself has its charms, as it will give you the feeling of being in Transylvania, but it's truly a maze.
Exquisite medieval metal smith crafts reminded us of the skilled Saxons who settled in the region almost 1000 years ago.
Moreover, the secret narrow staircase behind the stove in the council room leading from the first to the third floor was a highlight.
Plenty of visitors just come for the name and to take a memorable picture at specific spots, and people wait their turn to take a picture.
A minor, cramped room is dedicated to Bram's Dracula novel at the upper level of the museum, and most visitors squeeze themselves into this room.
The 4th floor also offers a little insight into the folklore and mythological characters of the region.
Each room is rather small, but there is even an armory. At the end of the self-guided tour, you will get to the small courtyard with the gorgeous coin filled medieval well and to a souvenir shop.
Extra Exhibitions
You can also pay to take part in two separate extra exhibitions when you purchase your ticket. We didn't do that because we felt it wasn't worth our time.
That's the medieval torture exhibition located in the castle and the time tunnel.
The time tunnel is a sensory, audio, visual experience that takes you through a tunnel telling the story of Bran. It's connected below the castle to the palace gardens via an elevator.
When is the most suitable time to visit?
The museum can be visited daily.
In the summer months, 1st April to 30th September, it's open from 9 am to 6 pm. On Mondays, it's noon to 6 pm.
In Winter, 1st October to 31st March it's from 9 am to 4 pm and Mondays from noon to 4 pm.
We were initially not informed that the last admission time was 6 pm, so we came at 5 pm, thinking we would have the place more to ourselves.
Instead, I recommend that you enter the castle 5 minutes before closing time, that means 5:55 pm in the summer and 3:55 in the winter. I promise, you will have the place literally to yourself!
As an alternative, visit when the castle is opening its doors or move your trip to a not so busy Tourist month.
Most visitors that we encountered at Bran were foreigners, but we also came across groups of Romanian school classes and bus tours.
I think the castle will appear all the more interesting in the colder months. It was very hot in the summer in the small castle rooms.
Pro and Cons of visiting Bran Castle
Pros:
- The rooms with the exhibition about Marie, queen of Romania are exquisitely decorated.
- You get to know about the castle if you care about history.
- It's adorable and comes with a green forest setting, neighboring Piatra Craiului mountains and national park.
Cons:
- It feels like a tourist trap because of the tourist stalls at the castle compound entrance and as a result of the whole Dracula story.
- The castle is full of tourists, as they don't have a visitor's quota. You will squeeze through people in narrow hallways.
Should you add it to your Romania itinerary?
I don't think anybody in this world should travel all the way to Romania just to see Bran castle. It just doesn't make any sense.
You'd be better off visiting other palaces and castles nearby.
But if you are anyway nearby traveling and exploring Transylvania and Romania, you'd be silly not to stop at Bran. At least you can say you have been there and you saw it.
At the same time, if you are tight on time, visit the city of Brașov or any of the other wonderful Transylvanian cities instead and go to Peleș castle for a more fulfilling experience.
Other Castles in Romania
We visited several related and mesmerizing castles, palaces, and citadels on our latest trip to Romania. Each is special in its own right.
- Peleș Castle — In Sinaia, located near Bran, a day trip away from Brașov. Truly, a stunning royal residence that you shouldn't skip.
- Cantacuzino Castle — We literally stumbled upon this castle accidentally on our way from Brașov to Peleș Castle. It's the filming location for the Netflix series Wednesday, and the gardens are stunning.
- Corvins' Castle — Not to be missed. This castle is everything that you imagine when you think of a castle in Romania and Europe in general.
- Râșnov Citadel — Situated on the way between Brașov and Bran. A fantastic view awaits you here.
- Poenari Citadel — The ruined mountain top citadel and a former residence of Vlad Țepeș. It was known as the impenetrable castle citadel, and you can get there by climbing 1400 steps.
FAQs
Did Vlad the Impaler live in Bran Castle?
No, he didn't. He lived at Poenari castle, which is now a ruined hill top castle along the famed Transfăgărășan road. It's a steep hike to get there.
Who owns and runs the Bran Castle Museum now?
Archduke Dominic of Austria, of the house of Habsburg-Lorraine, owns Bran castle. His mother was princess Ileana and his grandmother was the last queen of Romania.
Is the castle wheelchair accessible?
No, it's not, and I don't think it would ever be because of the staircases, the narrow and steep corridors, and masses of tourists.
