Transylvania Route
Castles, Dracula and the Heart of the Balkans
Vlad Tepes was not a myth. He was a prince. And this land holds his story.
PRICE
from
EUR 4.800 / person
UPCOMING DATES
5–14 Maio 2027
FOTOS ILUSTRATIVAS
THE JOURNEY
Transylvania was never just a Gothic horror setting. It was a territory contested between the Holy Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary for centuries — and that tension shaped a unique landscape: medieval castles on cliffs, Saxon towns with fortified churches, villages where time seems to have stood still. This expedition starts in Bucharest, climbs the Carpathians to Peles Castle, crosses Brasov and Sighisoara — the only inhabited medieval city centre in Europe — and ends in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital where Thracian, Roman, Ottoman and Slavic layers coexist on every street. It is a journey into Europe's least-known interior, where Vlad Tepes, Bram Stoker and Prince Charles intersect in ways that no tourist guide usually explains.
ITINERARY
Arrival in Bucharest
The Romanian capital and its complex history. From the Belle Époque to Ceaușescu's communism — how a city reinvents itself after decades of imposed architecture.
Bucharest — Palace of the Parliament
The second largest administrative building in the world, symbol of Ceaușescu's megalomania. The Romanian Athenaeum and the historic Lipscani neighbourhood.
Sinaia and Peles Castle
Climbing the Carpathians. Peles Castle, the summer residence of the Romanian royal family — a Neo-Renaissance palace built between 1875 and 1914 in the heart of the forest.
Brasov and Bran Castle
Brasov, the medieval capital of Transylvania. Bran Castle — the "Dracula Castle" — and the real story of Vlad Tepes, the Impaler.
Sighisoara
Vlad Tepes's birthplace and the only inhabited medieval city centre in Europe listed by UNESCO. The Clock Tower and the 14th-century lanes that haven't changed.
Sibiu — The Saxon City
Transylvania's Saxon jewel. The "houses with eyes" — facades with dormer windows that look like faces — and the history of the Germanic settlers who shaped the region.
Viscri and the Saxon Villages
The village under Prince Charles's protection, with its 12th-century fortified Lutheran church. What the preservation of rural communities says about identity and memory.
Journey to Sofia, Bulgaria
Crossing the Bulgarian border. Sofia, one of Europe's oldest capitals, founded by the Thracians over 7,000 years ago.
Sofia — Layers of Empires
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Roman Temple of Serdica, the Ottoman Banya Bashi Mosque and the Synagogue — four civilisations within 200 metres of each other.
Closing in Sofia
Visit to the Rila Monastery (half-day excursion) — the largest Orthodox monastery in the Balkans, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Transfer to the airport.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
UPCOMING DEPARTURES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Bran Castle really Dracula's castle?
The association is literary, not historical. Vlad Tepes had a connection to the castle, but Bram Stoker never visited Romania. The expedition explores exactly that distinction — the myth versus the real history.
What is the Romania–Bulgaria border crossing like?
The crossing is made by premium coach with a guide. Both countries are EU members. The crossing is smooth, typically under an hour.
INTEREST IN THE EXPEDITION
Limited to 6 guests.
Contact us to check availability and reserve your spot.
I WANT TO JOIN!INTEREST LIST
Receive updates on new itineraries directly in your inbox.