12. History and architecture – 2 Days in Transylvania

1. Day 1 – Peleș Castle and Bran Fortress visits.

Our tour starts with a drive to Sinaia, where Peleș Castle – the summer residence of the Royal Family – was built between 1873 and 1914. This Bavarian Neo-Renaissance style Castle was the state of the art when it was finished, with an electric elevator and built-in vacuum system for cleaning. We take the extended tour that takes us deep into the castle, to see the music room, the pipe organ, the library and Emperor Franz Joseph’s apartment, custom-built for his visit in 1896. (Not available on Mondays)

After lunch, we will visit Bran Fortress, better known as Dracula’s Castle. This Medieval structure goes back to 1377, when the King of Hungary, Louis I of Anjou, granted the citizens of the city of Brasov the right to build a guard post that would also act as customs point in the Bran pass way. 500 years later, the drawings and stories of this amazing castle sparked Bram Stoker’s imagination and he placed Count Dracula inside it.

Our accommodation for the night is a 3* hotel in the center of Brașov, a beautiful historic city with Medieval roots.

.               Day 2 – Brașov walking tour and the Black Church. Prejmer Fortified Church.

In the morning, we will visit the Black Church (1477), the largest and most important Gothic building in Eastern Europe, then take a relaxed walking tour of the old center of Brașov.

After lunch, we will drive to Prejmer, the largest and strongest fortified Saxon Church in Transylvania, to learn about its history, defense strategy against invaders and town life in Medieval Times.

Later in the afternoon, we will return to Bucharest and drop you off at your hotel.