Five centuries later Bran Castle became home to another royal resident: Queen Maria of Romania. A distant member of the Hapsburg royal family, Queen Maria renovated the castle in the 1920s, transforming it Draculas Castlefrom an imposing medieval fortress to a comfortable summer getaway. Romania's flapper queen introduced modern amenities -- indoor plumbing, electricity, telephone access -- and supervised the interior décor of the castle's Yellow Room, Music Room, Tyrolese Room of King Carol II, and Saxon Room of Prince Nicolae. She also authorized improvements to the castle's grounds, including the addition of a royal hunting house, church, greenhouse, rose garden, guest house and tea house. Queen Maria died in 1938, and according to her wishes, her heart was placed in a stone crypt adjacent to the castle's church. Although the church no longer stands, Queen Maria's crypt remains a popular attraction among castle visitors.

Visiting The Castle

Bran Castle attracts thousands of native Romanians and international tourists each year. Upon arrival, just beyond the castle's gates, visitors encounter a bustling open-air market run by local vendors. Here one can buy all manner of Dracula-themed souvenirs as well as traditional Transylvanian clothes, cheeses and palinka, a potent vodka-like mixture distilled from apples.

Once inside the castle's gates visitors can explore the "Museul Satelui" or Village Museum, featuring folk architecture from Bran and the surrounding local villages. From the museum, a cobblestone footpath leads uphill to the base of the castle. Intimate by European standards, Bran Castle offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and river valleys. The castle's courtyard is diminutive yet inviting, and vampire seekers will especially enjoy climbing up the cramped and dusty "secret staircase."

What It Costs

Romania was recently accepted into the European Union in 2007. The country's official currency is the Lei, although Euros and American dollars are often accepted for financial transactions.

First, purchase airline tickets to Bucharest, Romania. Next, travel 100 miles from Bucharest to the Transylvanian city of Brasov. For this leg of your trip one can rent a car, take a train, or go by bus. After arriving in Brasov, take a bus or drive 16 miles to the village of Bran. Next, choose to stay in a hotel in Brasov or a local villa in Bran. The cost to enter Dracula's Castle is approximately $6 per person. The castle is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

  • $800 to $1,500 - round trip airfare to Bucharest, Romania (depending on the departure city and season of travel)
  • $40 to 45 per day - car rental (unlimited mileage)
  • $20 - round trip coach fare on a train from Bucharest to Brasov
  • $20 - round trip bus fare from Bucharest to Brasov
  • $6 - round trip bus fare from Brasov to Bran
  • $50 to $100 - hotel in Brasov
  • $30 to $60 - local Villa in Bran
  • $6 - admission fee
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