The city of Brasov, Romania is one of the most visited cities in Romania. Located in the heart of Transylvania at the base of the Carpathian Mountains, Brasov brings visitors in for just about every activity you can imagine: historical buildings in the old town, mountain activities in both the summer and winter, the ever present vampire lore, and our personal favorite, the surrounding castles of Transylvania.Although the city is a beautiful one to explore, we found ourselves leaving just about every day to explore the nearby castles and fortresses. In particular were Rasnov Fortress, Bran Castle, and Peles Castle. While there are many more nearby, these three give a great look into the history of Romania throughout the ages; not to mention the beautiful architecture and natural surroundings that go with it.
Rasnov Fortress
While our quest for the first day trip from Brasnov was the famous Bran Castle, we decided to make a detour to Rasnov Fortress which was along the bus route to the castle.
The fortress at Rasnov is said to have been built in the early 1200s and remained relatively active until 1850 when the defensive need was eliminated due to new country borders and more political stability. It fell into disrepair for over 100 years until restoration work began to rebuild the fortress to a point suitable for visitors. Even with that work, the inner buildings are still mostly in ruin.
A tour of the grounds at Rasnov can be quite brief. Other than a few shops and workers dressed in medieval clothing touting archery and axe throwing games, there isn't much to see. The real treat of a visit to the fortress is the view of the city, surrounding mountains, and vastness of Romania far off in the distance. As the strategic point of this fortress is due to it being on the top of a hill, you'll have the same amazing view that the soldiers had centuries ago.
Out of the three castles and fortresses we visited while in Brasov, if you need to skip one, this would be it. But if you have a couple extra hours on your way to Bran, this is worth a stop for the view alone.
Bran Castle
In what is perhaps the most famous castle of Transylvania, Bran Castle has become popular for reasons that are not even true!
First, there are the vampire legends from centuries past in Romania and popularized by Bram Stoker's Dracula. As much as we would have loved to explore a castle in the heart of real vampire lore, this fable is an obviously fictitious one. The second popular misrepresentation about Bran Castle is that Vlad Tepes (or Vlad the Impaler), often cited for inspiring Stoker's vampire character, was affiliated with this castle. Again, another lie, as there is no proof he even visited!
But those two historical mistakes don't stop the visitors from coming, and Bran Castle has become a hotspot for both of these popular tales. A tour of the gorgeous castle does touch on these, and actually does a very good job at trying to explain the background of the myths. After all, if everyone is coming thinking of Vlad the Impaler and vampires, it is best to give the crowds what they want.
We were worried that the commercialization would be too much here after speaking with other travelers in Bucharest, but it is only on the exterior of the grounds where the 3rd party sellers have popped up like in most other attractions around the world. For the castle, we were relieved to find a tastefully done museum from the moment you enter until you leave.
The interesting thing about Bran Castle is that it has only been opened to the public since 2009. In the past it was occupied by Romanian royalty until they were forced to abdicate in the 1940s. In the decades since the ownership of the castle has exchanged private hands, back to the government, and finally to the descendants of the last owners in a relatively brief legal battle. Now it is open to the public in an amazingly beautiful museum to highlight the past.
To reach both Bran Castle and Rasnov Fortress, head to Autogar 2 in Brasov. Buses typically leave every 20-40 minutes depending on the day of the week and will have the city names (Bran and Rasnov) on the signs. Pay the driver directly and get off when you are close to the castles. For Rasnov, this is likely the 2nd stop in the city, and Bran will be right in front of the castle. A train also exists that travels between Brasov and Bran, but is relatively infrequent.
Peles Castle
In the tiny village of Sinaia you are able to find the summer residence of the King and Queen of Romania from the late-1800s to early-1900s. Out of the three castles we visited during our stay in Transylvania, Peles Castle was the most stunning on the inside and out.
When looking at the castle from the outside, you can only help but think it is something out of a fairy tale. Or for us, something we'd want in a future house (keep dreaming, I know). But while the exterior of the castle was fanciful and extravagant, the inside was far different from what we expected.
The inside of Peles Castle felt more like a home than an estate, a refreshing break from the palace cycle you may see in Western Europe. Each room had a purpose for the King and Queen, whether it is one of the many receiving rooms, beautiful dinning room, or ornate hallways and staircases. While this may sound like more of the same if you have been to other palaces in Europe, what is unique about this castle are the other items that fill it: electrical appliances, a telephone, an elevator, a vacuum cleaning system, and more.
It truly is a modern castle, but feels like it should be in a time long forgotten.
My only complaint of this castle is that visits are only possible with a guided tour from one of the employees. You are not free to roam the castle like you are at Bran, and you must endure 45 minutes, 75 minutes, or 90 minutes of a relatively boring guide making bad jokes and horrible puns (at least, ours was like this). Even still, you don't go to Peles Castle for the guide, and a bad one cannot detract from showing off this beautiful sight.
Unfortunately, you must pay almost the same price as admission to take photos on the inside, so we passed on this one. If you really want to know what it looks like on the inside, click here. Or, a better idea, go to Brasov and visit yourself! This one was definitely the highlight of our stay.
To reach Peles Castle in Sinaia, you can either take the train on its way to Bucharest or a bus that leaves every 60 minutes or so. For the bus, head to Autogar 1, right next to the train station. Depending on the demand of the seats, the driver may try and get only passengers going to Bucharest to maximize their earnings. We almost did not get a seat because the driver refused to take our money until the last possible second, even though we were the first on the bus. For this journey, the cost of the bus is about half that of the train and approximately the same duration. When at Peles Castle, take the longest tour that is available on the day you visit; you won't regret it.
