10 things you need to know before visiting Transylvania

20.08.2024 - 23:24 / lonelyplanet.com

Aug 20, 2024 • 8 min read

Driven by vampire lore and mystery appeal, Transylvania has become Romania’s most popular region for travelers. But legends aside, this magical land of castles, medieval bastions and old-world villages packs in a lot of charm.

A paradise for nature and adventure seekers, the vast wilderness of the Carpathian Mountains preserves some of the last virgin forests in Europe and a simpler way of life. Here are the things you need to know before you explore "the land beyond the forest" – the literal translation of Transylvania's medieval name.

Transylvania is famous for its vampire legends and bloodthirsty Count Dracula, popularised by Bram Stoker’s 1897 fantasy novel. But the Vlad Ţepeş that inspired the book was very real – referred to throughout history as "Vlad the Impaler" for his agonizing method of empaling his enemies on long spikes.

In fact, the 15th-century prince of Wallachia never actually lived at clifftop Bran Castle – popularly known as Dracula’s Castle and attracting close to one million visitors per year. Nor did Stoker himself ever set foot in Transylvania. 

But the castle is still a must-visit on any Transylvania trip. Try to come during the off-season, to avoid long lines. Better yet, arrange a private tour at night without the crowds, when the atmosphere is more suitably eerie for a fortress famed for spooky mystery.

If you find Bran Castle too crowded, there are many more castles to keep you busy in Transylvania. Just 50km (31 miles) south of Bran, the mountain resort of Sinaia has the country’s most resplendent castle –Peleș Castle, picked by King Carol I of Romania as a summer residence in 1875 due to its magnificent Bucegi Mountains backdrop. The flamboyant neo-Renaissancearchitecture honors the family’s German heritage.

A 20-minute train ride to Bușteni will take you to Cantacuzino Castle , a neo-Romanian castle built on the orders of Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, prime minister of Romania in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Set on the premises of a former hunting lodge, this was the filming location for the Nevermore Academy in Tim Burton’s ultra-popular Addams Family spin-off, Wednesday , on Netflix.

Romania's medieval past bursts to life across Transylvania. Start by exploring the Siebenbürgen, the "seven citadels" built by Saxon merchants brought in to protect the region from invading Turks and Tatars in the 12th and 13th centuries.

One of the best-preserved fortress towns, Brașov is picture-perfect with its tall Gothic spires and orange-hued rooftops. Conveniently close to the PoianaBrașov ski resort, it’s the most visited destination in Romania, and abrand-new international airport was inaugurated in 2023, providing easy access.