On this tour, our guests will learn the Dracula's, and vampire's accurate and fascinating stories, as they are illustrated in the original Eastern European chronicles from the 15th–16th centuries. They will also visit the real places related to authentic Dracula as well as to Bram Stoker's, and Elizabeth Kostova’s fictional heroes.

Day One – Thursday, AUG. 3:  Bucharest

We arrive at Henri Coanda Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport and are transferred to a lovely hotel in the center of historic Bucharest. During the rest of the day, we can form an idea about the culture and the taste of the Romanian aristocracy by walking through the elegant neighborhoods of old Bucharest. We will be certainly impressed by a number of graceful public buildings, and sumptuous residences, like that of the princely family of Cantacuzene, within walking distance from our hotel.

Day Two – Friday, AUG. 4: Bucharest

Our second day in Romania is dedicated to the discovery of the Romanian psyche, the key for the accurate perception of real Dracula's personality. In order to achieve this goal, we visit the Museum of the Romanian Peasant. Its rich collections reveal the spirituality, superstitions, folk art, and lifestyle of the Romanian peasants from the three main regions of Romania: Wallachia, Transylvania, Moldavia. Our next stop is the open air National Village Museum that contains a wide variety of peasant houses, farms, and churches from all over Romania. We continue our tour by visiting the remnants of Dracula's court in Bucharest. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day Three – Saturday, AUG. 5: Bucharest – Targoviste – Campulung Muscel, 150 km

On this day, we first visit Dracula's main seat, Targoviste, the former capital of the principality of Wallachia. We will see the Princely Court (14th-16th c.) dominated by the Chindia Tower, built during the Dracula's reign. Our visit includes the tomb of a famous “vampire” and Dracula's relative in Dealu Monastery. After Targoviste, we will cross the picturesque Dambovita valley to Campulung Muscel at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, a settlement of German colonists from Transylvania, the so-called Saxons, and first capital of medieval Wallachia. We will check in to a hotel in the rural area of Campulung Muscel.

Day Four – Sunday, AUG. 6: Campulung – Curtea de Arges – Arefu, 75 km

After exploring the medieval monuments of Campulung Muscel, we will continue travelling the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains to Curtea de Arges. This is another early capital of Wallachia, known for its unique medieval monuments of Byzantine inspiration, like the St. Nicholas Princely Church (14th c.) and Curtea de Arges Monastery (early 16th c.), necropolises of princes and kings. Then we will head north following the Arges Valley to the village of Arefu in the Carpathian Mountains where we will spend the night at a local chalet.

Day Five – Monday, AUG. 7: Arefu – Poenari Castle – Vidraru Reservoir – Balea Lake – Sibiu, 120 km

We start our day by visiting Poenari Castle, built in the Carpathian Mountains as Dracula's secondary residence and as stronghold against its main enemies, the Ottoman Turks—1480 steps leading to the ruins of this fortress. From there, we will have an admirable view over the southern Carpathians. Onward, we journey through the Carpathians to Transylvania, following the Transfagarasan Highway (the highest altitude road in Romania). On days with high visibility, the view is splendid. Sights include Vidraru Reservoir and Balea Lake. We cross the mountains and arrive in the Transylvanian Plateau. We continue our route to the idyllic city of Sibiu (Hermannstadt in German), founded by German settlers (Saxons) in the 12th century. In 2007, acquired the title of European Capital of Culture. According to contemporary sources, Sibiu and its surroundings were affected by Dracula's harsh policies. The city is also tragically related to Dracula's family: Prince Michael the Bad, Dracula’s son, was assassinated in front of its main landmark, the Gothic Lutheran Cathedral (14th c.). Overnight in Sibiu.

Day Six – Tuesday, AUG. 8: Sibiu – Sibiel – Sebes – Hunedoara – Alba Iulia, 215 km

We visit the stunningly beautiful old town of Sibiu and also dedicate some part of our time to the open-air museum of Romanian civilization ASTRA. Then, we are heading west towards the village of Sibiel, a part of Dracula's Transylvanian domains. Being in Sibiel, we cannot miss the Zosim Oancea Museum of Icons on Glass, a unique folk art cultivated by the Romanian peasants in Translylvania. We continue west towards Hunedoara. On our way, we stop at Sebes, best known for its Lutheran fortified church (13th-16th c.). In Hunedoara, we visit Hunyadi Castle (14th c.). This majestic castle, allegedly linked to Dracula, was used as residence by Dracula's ally John Hunyadi (c. 1407-1456), Regent-Governor of the Kingdom of Hungary. Our day will end in Alba Iulia, capital of the Principality of Transylvania during the 16th-18th centuries. Accommodations in Alba Iulia.

Day Seven – Wednesday, AUG. 9: Alba Iulia – Turda – Cluj-Napoca, 100 km

We start our day by exploring the historic city of Alba Iulia. Its impressive Catholic cathedral (13th c.) is the resting place of John Hunyadi. Then, we are departing for the city of Turda, where our guests will have a unique experience inside its salt mine, an underground marvel! We end today’s explorations in Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg in German and Koloszvar in Hungarian), the last capital of Translylvania.  Known as “the Heart of Transylvania,” this majestic city has a history going back to the Roman times. Furthermore, it is acknowledged as a cradle of Unitarianism. We spend the night in the old city of Cluj-Napoca.

Day Eight – Thursday, AUG. 10: Cluj-Napoca – Dej – Bistrita, 110 km

We gain familiarity with Cluj-Napoca and its main monuments, like St. Michael Catholic Church (14th-15th c.), one of the most appreciated Transylvanian monuments—our tour also includes the National Ethnographic Park “Romulus Vuia.” Then, we are heading east towards Bistrita (Bistritz in Bram Stoker’s Dracula) via an old Saxon settlement, the city of Dej (German: Desch). We will explore the old town of Bistrita dominated by a unique Lutheran church (15th-16th c.), and certainly evoke Bram Stoker's fictional character Jonathan Harker. In accordance to his story, we will have a meal at a hotel also named Golden Krone (Coroana de Aur in Romanian). Accommodations at Coroana de Aur.  

Day Nine – Friday, AUG. 11: Bistrita – Colibita Lake – Tihuta – Vatra Dornei – Bistrita, 170 km

This day, we visit the main setting of Bram Stoker's Dracula, the wonderful land of Bistrita in the eastern Carpathians. Our main goal is reaching Tihuta Pass, the Borgo Pass in Stoker's novel, which connects Transylvania with the Bukovina region in northern Moldavia. We travel along Colibita Lake and reach the “Pearl of Bukovina,” Vatra Dornei, the most popular spa and ski resort in the Moldavian Carpathians. On our way back to Transylvania, we stop at the Dracula Castle Hotel, built in the shape of a castle. Return to Coroana de Aur.

Day Ten – Saturday, AUG. 12: Bistrita – Targu Mures – Sighisoara, 150 km

Today, we travel south to explore two other historic cities of Transylvania: Targu Mures and Sighisoara; at the end of this tour, we will better realize the cultural specificity of Transylvania. In Targu Mures, we will visit the Fortress Church (14th-15th c.) and the remarkable Cultural Palace (early 20th c.). Sighisoara is widely known for its well-preserved medieval citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the citadel’s landmarks is the reputed Dracula's birthplace, the house of his father, Prince Vlad Dracul. We spend the night in Sighisoara.

Day Eleven – Sunday, AUG. 13: Sighisoara – BierTan – Fagaras Castle – Bran, 170 km

We are departing for the village of Biertan (Bierthälm in German). It is also included in the list of Unesco World Heritage Sites for its fortified church with three rows of walls, documentary attested in the 13th century. We continue south with the exploration of the mountain area that repeatedly knew Dracula's crossing troops, and we will have the opportunity to visit Fagaras Castle (14th-17th c.), one of Dracula's Transylvanian strongholds. The mountainous Bran area, in the southernmost tip of the Carpathians, is the end of today’s tour. We will enjoy the peace and beauty of the landscape at one off the country inns where we will spend our evening.

Day Twelve – Monday, AUG. 14: Bran – Poiana Brasov – Brasov, 50 km

This morning, we visit Bran Castle (14th c.) built in order to guard Transylvania's entrance point. Nevertheless, it was unable to keep away Dracula's armies. In accordance with Bram Stoker, Bran Castle is advertised as the residence of the legendary prince. We continue crossing the southern Carpathians and even take a mountain walk in the ski resort of Poiana Brasov. Today’s final destination is Brasov—under the name of Kronstadt, it became the most important among the Saxons' settlements in Transylvania. During the Dracula's reign, the local Saxon authorities were constantly coping with his invasions. We will stroll around the Council Square and visit the splendid Black Church (14th-15th c.), and the hidden Greek Church (18th c.). Accommodations in Brasov.

Day Thirteen – Tuesday, AUG. 15: Brasov – Cheia – Valenii de Munte – Snagov – Bucharest, 210 km

Return to Bucharest. On our way down the Carpathian slopes, we visit picturesque Cheia Monastery (18th c.), and the Nicolae Iorga (1871-1940) Memorial House and Museum at Valenii de Munte. Considered as the most important Romanian historian, Iorga promoted through his scholarly writings the image of Dracula as a European freedom fighter and national Romanian hero. Snagov Lake is the next destination. After crossing a footbridge, we arrive in Snagov Monastery situated on an island in the lake. According to tradition, Dracula's body is buried inside the monastery's church. Depart for Bucharest, where we will spend the evening and the next day.

Day Fourteen – Wednesday, AUG. 16: Bucharest

Our day starts with a visit to the fabulous palace built six centuries after Dracula by another Romanian leader also reputed for his cruelty and extravagance, Nicolae Ceausescu, the Communist dictator of Romania (1965-1989). Today, it houses the Romanian parliament. Interestingly, many of his contemporary Romanians accused Ceausescu of practicing vampirism. We grab the opportunity to see the collections of the National Museum of Romanian History nearby, as well as a number of architectural monuments, characteristic of the Romanian capital, like Stavropoleos Church (18th c.) and Manuc’s Inn (early 19th c.). The day ends with a traditional Romanian diner and traditional Romanian music.

Day Fifteenth – Thursday, AUG 17: Bucharest – Ivanovo – Veliko Tarnovo – Arbanasi, 190 km

After breakfast, we depart from Bucharest heading south. We reach the banks of the Danube, natural border between Romania and Bulgaria. We cross the river over the “Friendship Bridge” (1954), a monument of Soviet engineering, and after a half hour drive, we arrive at the breathtaking Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue traveling south to Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (12th-15th c.). Situated on the banks of the Yantra River, Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most beautiful towns in Bulgaria. Our tour includes Tsarevets Castle and other architectural landmarks that compose the unique character of this medieval town. After the submission of the Second Bulgarian Empire to the Ottoman Turks (1422), Dracula’s Wallachia became the bastion of Christendom against the Ottoman expansion. Overnight in the suburb of Arbanasi.

Day Sixteenth – Friday, AUG. 18: Arbanasi – Kazanlak – Plovdiv, 200 km

We will start our day with a visit to Arbanasi. Established by Romance-speaking migrants from Greece or Albania, Arbanasi became the stronghold of Greek culture and of an economic activity extending over Eastern and Central Europe (17th-18th c.). It was also the birthplace of personalities who excelled in the political life of the Romanian principalities. Its architectural monuments reflect that former glory. According to Kostova’s narration in The Historian, we continue our trip towards Plovdiv. On our way, we will admire the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with marvelous frescoes from the 4th century BCE. We will end our day in Plovdiv, the second-largest city in Bulgaria. Famous for its Roman antiquities (theater, stadium, forum, etc.), and a well preserved old town, Plovdiv was selected for European Capital of Culture 2019. Accommodations at a central hotel in Plovdiv.

Day Seventeenth – Saturday, AUG. 19: Plovdiv – Bachkovo Monastery – Plovdiv, 55km

A complete Dracula tour cannot omit Bachkovo Monastery (11th c.), a crucial place in Kostova’s book. Her vampire hunters had been there shortly before they discovered Dracula's body in the fictional church of Sveta Petka, imagined as located nearby, where it was lying for many centuries. Bachkovo is also a very important Byzantine monument that still reflects the refined taste of its Georgian founder. After our return to Plovdiv, we visit the Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum in the heart of the old town. The museum building is the finest example of the Ottoman urban architecture of the 19th century. We stay at the same hotel in Plovdiv.

Day Eighteenth – Sunday, AUG. 20: Plovdiv – Rila Monastery, 225 km

Following a journey across a mountain landscape of striking beauty, dominated by coniferous forests, we arrive at Bulgaria’s top landmark, closely related to Kostova’s Dracula story: Rila Monastery (10th c.). The monastic complex is inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO as “the most important spiritual and literary center of the Bulgarian national revival, with an uninterrupted history from the Middle Ages until present times.” It is one of the most well-maintained Eastern Orthodox monasteries, rich with murals, wood carvings, and other artifacts. We spend the night at a hotel nearby.

Day Nineteenth – Monday, AUG. 21: Rila Mountains – Boyana Church – Sofia,     130 km

Today we are heading to our final destination in Bulgaria, the capital of the country Sofia. At the city’s entry, we visit the Boyana Church (10th-11th c.), world-famous for its frescoes, and also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We do not miss the National History Museum nearby, known for its artistic collections like the Panagyurishte Gold Treasure (400-300 BCE), and we may encounter a vampire skeleton with a stake driven through its chest! The rest of the day is dedicated to the discovery of the city’s real identity. We contemplate streets, sights, markets, neighborhoods, and secret corners. Accommodations at a central hotel in Sofia today and tomorrow.

Day Twentieth – Tuesday, AUG. 22: Sofia

Our visit to Sofia continues with a guided tour of the historic center and its characteristic landmarks: Alexander Nevski Cathedral (19th-20th c.), Largo (20th c.), St. George Rotunda (4th c.), St. Sofia Church (6th c.), Banya Bashi Mosque (16th c.). We will certainly evoke the statement of Kostova’s hero from the Cold War era: “Sofia was strangely beautiful, however—a blend of nineteenth-century elegance, medieval splendor, and shining new monuments in the socialist style.” The day ends with a ceremonial meeting of the trip participants, and the exchange of impressions and ideas on Dracula and his literary image.

Day Twenty One – Wednesday, AUG. 23: Sofia

A last view of Sofia. Transfer to Sofia Airport. End of the trip. Return home. 

Tour schedule is subject to change due to local conditions