Land of Dracula - a Family Holiday in Romania (EXFTD)

Duration: 8 days (may vary)
Areas: Romania
Tour types: Family Adventures, History & Culture, Nature & Wildlife, Walking & Trekking

Description

Sinaia & the Bucegi Mountains
Heading straight into the forested mountains of Transylvania, we arrive in elegant Sinaia, the “Pearl of the Carpathians”, nestling in a narrow valley at the foot of the fir-clad Bucegi. We explore the magnificent fairy-tale Peles Castle; its 160 magnificent rooms were the summer residence of the Romanian royals before the communist regime moved in. A popular ski resort in winter, we can take a cable car into alpine meadows with superb views, then descend on easy trails back to town.

Exploring Dracula's Castle
Our next stop is the idyllic mountain village of Moeciu where we take a ride in a traditional horse and cart. To find out more about rural Romanian life, we pay a visit to the small farm next to our cosy guesthouse. Nearby Bran is the site of an imposing castle mythically linked to Vlad the Impaler, a 15th century prince upon whom Bram Stoker's Dracula is infamously based. If we don't get to see him as we roam the eerie corridors, there's plenty of vampire paraphernalia for sale in the village! As well as time to chill out at our village base we also pay visits to the enchanting medieval citadel of Sighisoara and Saxon Brasov.

Searching for Bears
The mountains and forests are home to an array of creatures including wolf, wild boar, lynx and European brown bear. One of the highlights of our tour is a day spent in the company of a local wildlife specialist. We take a walk in the forest to search for carnivore tracks, then visit a bear sanctuary where orphaned or injured animals have been taken for protection. We've a good chance of spotting them from the hides, although sightings can't be guaranteed. Finally, we head for the capital Bucharest and a chance to catch up with city life.

Tour itinerary

Day 1

Join Bucharest; drive Sinaia, welcome dinner.

Day 2

AM visit Peles castle; PM optional cable car to Bucegi mountains and alpine meadows walk.

Day 3

AM in Sinaia; PM drive Moeciu, horse & cart ride.

Day 4

AM visit Dracula's castle at Bran and historic Brasov.

Day 5

Wildlife walk in forest with picnic lunch; PM visit Bear sanctuary.

Day 6

Drive Sighisoara, tour citadel.

Day 7

Drive Bucharest; city tour.

Day 8

End Bucharest.