This Dark legends of Bucharest tour kicks off with a pick-up from the Bucharest Airport (or any other location in Bucharest) in an air-conditioned European car, microbus or coach (depending on number of travelers) piloted by your English-speaking driver/ guide. German, Italian, Spanish, and French guides are also available on request.
Make the 50-kilometer drive to Snagov through beautiful Romanian countryside to visit the monastery where, according to legend, Vlad the Impaler was buried after his assassination.
Named for his barbaric method of dealing with his enemies, Vlad Tepes ruled Romania for 8 bloody years, and is thought to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Snagov Monastery is located on a small island in Snagov Lake, so you’ll have to take a boat trip across eerily calm waters to reach your destination. The architectural style of the monastery is redolent of the ancient monasteries built on the Holy Mount Athos in Greece.
Return to Bucharest to check out the remains of the Old Princely Court, where Vlad Tepes lived for seven years. Local folklore says Vlad kept his prisoners in the court dungeons, many of which extended underground.
Today, only a few walls, arches, tombstones, and an evocative Corinthian Column still stand.
The Old Court Museum dates back to 1972, when archaeologists discovered the ruins of the court along with the oldest known document attesting to the city’s origin under the name Bucharest, affixed with the signature of Vlad Tepes himself.
Your guide will be able to recommend the best restaurants in the city for a delicious Transylvanian lunch (payable direct).
Round out the day with an expanded tour of Bucharest, or enjoy free time to shop or explore some of the city’s beautiful parks.
You’ll stay overnight in a 3-star hotel in the heart of Bucharest.