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The standard apprehension of Dracula,
of vampires in general derives from many films and few books.
You may, on the contrary, be well informed, but you did not
yet measure your knowledge up against the reality. Why did
the Irish novelist Bram Stoker baptized his vampire-count
with the name of a 15 century Romanian prince called Vlad
Dracula? Who was this man? What was he like? And how much
did Bram Stoker really know about him? You will have the opportunity
to discover where does the legend of Dracula comes from and
follow the Prince's footsteps through Transylvania and Valachia.
Vlad Tepes was the son of Vlad Dracul, one of the most
important landlords of Valachia. For the first two monetary
emissions, Vlad used his emblem, the dragon, therefore, the
Romanians whose word stock is mainly Latin, nicknamed him
Dracul - Dracula (from Latin Draco - onis). In the Romanian
language "Drac" means Devil, which mixed up the
things even more. This nickname turned into surname for his
descendants, Vlad, his son being known as such. Vlad Tepes
ruled Valachia from 1456 to 1562 and nowadays he is known
also as Price Dracula.
Therefore, this tour of the most important places related
to Vlad the Impeller, best known under the name of Count
Dracula, is not meant to be a scary horror tour, but a
pleasant enjoyable walk through the history of Romania.
During this trip we'll focus as well on the monuments or historical
places that were mostly connected with Vlad the Impaler, but
also other cultural monuments of the country. We walk through
the medieval towns Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara and Cluj -Napoca.
We'll visit the castles of Bran and Rupea, the Peles Royal
Palace, Poienari and many others!
According to your wishes, we offer two alternative tours:
- 7 days tour on the foot steps
of Dracula - legend and history
- 5 days tour on the foot steps of Dracula
7 days tour on the
foot steps of Dracula - legend and history
Day 1 - arrival in Oradea;
- transfer to Cluj-Napoca;
-city tour of Cluj-Napoca: church of St. Michael, the Equestrian
Monument of King Matei Corvin, Banffy Palace - The Art Museum,
the Orthodox Cathedral, Tailors' Tower, the Reformed Church
(1436), St. George statue, and many other.
- accommodation and dinner in Cluj-Napoca.
Day 2 - visit the Salt Mine
in Turda;
- city tour of Sighisoara, the only medieval citadel inhabited
today, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
- visit at Biertan, one of the many fortified churches in
the nearby Saxon villages;
-optional dinner in "Dracula House" restaurant;
Vlad the Impaler was born in this house in 1430.
-accommodation and dinner in Sighisoara.
Day 3 - departure to Brasov;
- city tour in Brasov, a very well preserved medieval town,
former named Korona: Black Church (1385), the City Hall Tower
(1417), the Citadel, the Councilor Square, St. Nicholas Chirch.
- visit Harman and Prejmer fortified churches;
- Peles Royal Castle, built by Carol I in Bavarian Style,
is waiting for you in Sinaia in a wonderful landscape
- accommodation and dinner in Brasov or Sinaia city.
Day 4 - visit at the Bran Castle,
the most famous " Dracula Castle".
-departure to Curtea de Arges Monastery, where the Mason Manole
entombed his beloved wife into the monastery walls to make
the construction last forever;
- visit the Princely Court
-departure to Poienari - the ruins of historical Dracula Castle,
on the top of a hill, 1450 steps climbing (optional climbing);
- crossing the Southern Carpathians, either via Transfagarasan
way or along Olt river valley
- accommodation and dinner either at Balea Hut or Sibiu city.
Day 5 - sightseeing tour of
Sibiu, enchanting medieval preserved city mentioned first
time in documents in 1192.
-drive to Hunedoara and visit the Hunedoara Castle built by
Iancu de Hunedoara, by combining gothic, renaissance and baroque
elements to a fairy tale like castle style
-visit Alba-Iulia Citadel,
the Cathedral and the Union Museum
-accommodation and dinner in Cluj-Napoca
Day 6 - hiking trip in the Apuseni Mountains
- Rimetea village, Piatra Secuiului ( or, as alternative Scarisoara
Ice Cave)
- lunch either at Rimetea or Scarisoara village
- accommodation and dinner in Cluj-Napoca
Day 7- departure to Oradea
- optionally you can chose to go to Felix thermal baths.
Tour information:
- duration - 7 days tour; flexible according to your wishes
and tour alternatives;
- validity - thoughout the year;
- minimum persons required - 2.
- transport - the tour is planed to start from Oradea, but
on request, starting and returning can be a matter of change;
Rates:
- 614 euros / person for minimum 2 persons;
- 390 - 410 euros / person for 3 - 4 persons;
- 223 - 312 euros / person for 5 - 7 persons;
- 152 - 210 euros / person for 8 - 11persons;
- 119 - 139 euros / person for 12 - 14 persons;
Note:
get 10 euros off the total price by being accommodated at
Retro
Hostel!
Prices includes:
- transfer and tour Oradea - Cluj - Sighisoara - Brasov- Curtea
de Arges - Sibiu - Cluj - Rimetea - Cluj - Oradea - Cluj,
by car or minibus;
- English, German, Italian or Hungarian speaking guide;
- snack and refreshings, in the car;
Prices excludes:
- all the drinks during the way
- accommodation, all the meals during the tour;
- entrance tickets to all the visiting places
- personal expenses
5 days tour on the
foot steps of Dracula
Day 1: Cluj-Napoca - Sighisoara
- city tour of Cluj-Napoca: church of St. Michael, the Equestrian
Monument of King Matei Corvin, Banffy Palace, Museum of Art,
the Orthodox Cathedral, Tailors' Tower, the Reformed Church
(1436), St. George statue.
- visit the Salt Mine in Turda;
- in the middle of Transylvania lies the best-preserved 15
century walled town in Europe - Sighisoara, the only medieval
citadel inhabited today, designated a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO;
- visit at Biertan, one of the many fortified churches in
the nearby Saxon villages;
- optional dinner in "Dracula House" restaurant;
Vlad the Impaler was born in this house in 1430;
- accommodation and dinner in Sighisoara.
Day 2: Sighisoara - Brasov
- city tour in Brasov: Black Church (1385), the City Hall
Tower (1417), the Citadel, the Councilor Square, St. Nicholas
Church;
- visit Harman and Prejmer fortified churches;
- Peles Royal Castle, built by Carol I in Bavarian Style,
is waiting for you in Sinaia in a wonderful landscape; Peles
alone is worth your entire trip to Romania. It is said to
be the most beautiful royal palace in Europe!
- accommodation and dinner in Brasov or Sinaia city;
Day 3: Brasov surroundings
- visit Bran Castle, the most famous " Dracula Castle".
This is the "American Castle Dracula" (since 1960),
as it "looks very much like the vampires' castles in
the Hollywood movies" (TSD survey)
-The peasant fortress of Rupea (also called the Citadel of
the Cohalm) is situated near Brasov. It was built between
the 14th and 18th centuries. Nowadays, the fortress houses
the Rupea Ethnographic Museum. Inside the fortress there stands
a Gothic church built in 1488. It shelters a valuable collection
of Oriental rugs.
- accomodation and dinner in Brasov;
Day 4: Brasov - Valachia
- departure to Curtea de Arges Monastery, where the Mason
Manole entombed his loved wife into the monastery walls to
make the construction last forever; visit the Princely Court;
- departure to Poienari - the ruins of historical Dracula
Castle, on the top of a hill, 1450 steps climbing (optional
climbing);
- crossing the Southern Carpathians;
- accommodation and dinner either at Balea hut (in the summer
season) or in the city of Sibiu (fall, winter or spring)
Day 5: Sibiu - Cluj-Napoca
- sightseeing tour of Sibiu, enchanting medieval preserved
city mentioned first time in documents in 1192;
- visit Alba-Iulia Citadel, the Cathedral and the Union Museum
- accommodation and dinner in Cluj-Napoca
Tour information:
- duration - 5 days tour; flexible according to your wishes
and tour alternatives;
- validity - thoughout the year;
- minimum persons required - 2.
- transport - the tour is planed to start from Cluj-Napoca,
but on request, starting and returning can be a matter of
change;
Rates:
- 537 euros / person for minimum 2 persons;
- 328 - 350 euros / person for 3 - 4 persons;
- 187 - 260 euros / person for 5 - 7 persons;
- 129 - 178 euros / person for 8 - 11persons;
- 100 - 118 euros / person for 12 - 14 persons;
Note:
get 10 euros off the total price by being accommodated at
Retro
Hostel!
Prices includes:
- transfer and tour Cluj - Sighisoara - Brasov - Curtea de
Arges - Sibiu - Cluj, by car or minibus;
- English, German, Italian or Hungarian speaking guide;
- snack and refreshings, in the car;
Prices excludes:
- all the drinks during the way;
- accommodation, all the meals during the tour;
- entrance tickets to all the visiting places
- personal expenses;
The programs are flexible according to your time of departure,
the weather conditions and nevertheless, your own proposals.
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