Bucharest to Peles Castle and Bran Castle: Guided day tour

In the 1860s, King Carol I visited the small village of Sinaia in the Becugi foothills, and was so smitten with its scenery that he commissioned the construction a palace. Built in the Neo-Renaissance style, the 160 rooms each have their own style, depending if they were intended for the king or queen. Carol, an accomplished soldier, had amassed a 4,000-piece collection of weaponry. His wife on the other-hand, had Gustav Klimt decorate her movie-theatre - the first in the country. Next door, King Carol’s successor, King Ferdinand built a smaller version, but equally grand. Today, visitors can select from a range of tour options to marvel at the furniture, art, and decor that shifts from room-to-room in one of Europe’s most beautiful homes. Please note: the castle is closed on Mondays. You can check the castle’s schedule at http://peles.ro/program-si-taxe/

Perched on a 200 foot high rocky outcrop, ‘Dracula’s Castle’ was actually founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1212, and rebuilt by the Saxons of Kronstadt under the permission of Louis I of Hungary in 1377. Despite its name, Prince Vlad, Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula, never lived in the castle. However, it did serve as the royal residence between 1920 and 1957. A gift from the people of Brasov to Queen Marie. Today, the castle is a museum open to the public. Following underground passages and winding stairways through 60 timbered rooms, visitors can admire Queen Marie’s collection of art and furniture, see weapons and armor dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and even take a closer look at the tools of torture.