So much more than Dracula: Transylvania with kids

While most known for the spooky, blood sucking count Dracula, Transylvania deserves to be famed for its beautiful landscape, rich history and picturesque medieval towns. It’s a fascinating holiday destination for children and grown ups alike.

Surrounded by the stunning Carpathian mountains to the South and the West, Transylvania (also known as Siebenbürgen in German) is a region in central Romania. Cluj-Napoca in the North of Transylvania is Romania’s second largest city. Coming from Bucharest, Brasov is the gateway to Transylvania, just over 3 hours drive from the capital.

Bucharest – Romania’s Capital

Romania’s capital offers an easy entry point to Transylvania. It’s well served by international airlines and only a few hours drive from Brasov. Having said that, Bucharest is worth a visit in its own right.

We only spent a couple of days in Bucharest before heading north to Transylvania. That was enough to get a little glimpse of its famous landmarks and a taste of its historic centre.

Situated in the heart of the old town is the tiny but beautiful Stavropoleos Church, built in the 18th century. You can pop in to take a look at the beautifully decorated interior and ceilings.

Probably one of the most beautiful shops I’ve ever visited, Cărturești Carusel is bookshop, art museum and cafe in one.

The seat of the Romanian parliament, Palatul Parlamentului, is famously one of the largest governmental buildings in the world. With kids, it’s a 20-30 minute walk from the pedestrianised town centre but there is a small park and playground nearby.

The enormous Parliamental Palace
Bucharest’s historic old town
The heavenly ceiling at Stavropoleos Church
World’s most beautiful bookshop: Cărturești Carusel
The Romanian Victory Arch
The lake at King Michael I park invites to relax
Romanian specialties cooked over open fire at Beraria H

Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest’s answer to Paris’s Arc de Triumphe, commemorates Romania’s victory in the First World War. The monument is situated at the southwestern entrance to King Michael I park, a beautiful inner city park surrounding a large lake. There is a Japanese Garden, countless statues and monuments, water sports and several cafes strewn through this large park.

On the eastern shore of the lake is Beraria H. The large beer hall and spacious beer garden offers a welcome break after a hot day exploring the capital. There is a Romanian BBQ and traditional dishes out of large pots cooked over the open fire. The perfect spot for us to rest our legs, kick back and enjoy the atmosphere.

Leaving Bucharest behind, we returned to Henri Coandă Airport to pick up our hired car. From there we headed north towards Transylvania, and our destination Brasov.

Snagov Monastery

Tucked away on a little island on Lake Snagov, lies the small but picturesque monastery which is said to be the burial ground of Vlad Tepes aka Count Dracula. Snagov is an hour’s drive north of Bucharest and makes for a worthwhile stop on the way to Brasov and the Transylvanian region.

With its history reaching back as far as the 14th century, today only the church, bell tower and fountain remain of the old structures, several others have been rebuilt. Locals as well as some historians believe that Vlad the Impaler was buried here after his death.

Snagov Monastery is tucked away on a little island
The intricately decorated interior of Snagov Church
The final resting place of Vlad Tepes

Peleș Castle

Peleș Castle lies just 50 km outside of Brasov, near the town of Sinaia. Not one from the medieval history books, but a worth a visit nonetheless due to its stunning surrounding. Originally built for King Carol I of Romania in the late 19th century, the castle impresses with its neo-renaissance exterior and picturesque gardens and surrounding lands. The nearby café offers sensational views over the castle and valley.

Peles Castle
King Carol I overlooking his vast gardens
The family dog guarding the palace
The castle is nestled within the Carpathian hills

Brasov – Gateway to Transylvania

Nestled against the Carpathian mountains surrounding it, Brasov is the southern gateway to the region of Transylvania. You know when you’ve arrived, thanks to the Hollywood-esque letters proudly towering over the city.

Much of Brasov’s history has been shaped by Germanic settlers, arriving on invitation of Romanian kings during the 12th and 13th century. Up until the early 20th century, a significant proportion of the Brasov population was German, and traces of this heritage remain visible across the town.

Brasov is a beautiful place and understandably popular with tourists. The large Townhall Square surrounding the Black Church, is the undisputed heart of the town. Cafes and restaurants invite to relax, enjoy solid Romanian (or Italian) food and watch the world go by.

If you want to enjoy the view from above (or peak through the hillside Brasov letters), a cable care takes visitors up Tampa mountain. Several hiking paths zigzag through the forests; we opted to travel up by cable care and walk back down to the town centre on foot. (Not suitable for pushchairs, and I recommend sturdy shoes as it’s quite uneven in places).

To the north end, the Fortress-on-Straja towers of the town centre and offers fantastic views of the city and surrounding mountains.

To give the kids a break from all the walking and exploring, we spent a few hours at Paradisul Acvatic, the Brasov waterpark. A clean and lovely pool for the family, with a couple of flumes, whirlpools, kids pool and steam rooms. In the summer it also offers a large outdoor pool.

Views over Brasov and its Hollywood-esque letters from the Fortress
Brasov town square with the Black Church
Countless cafes and restaurants line the beautiful square with its Germanic feel
Fortress de Straja towers over the city
The aerial view from Tampa Mountain
Hiking back down from Tampa mountain

Bran Castle – Inspiration for Dracula’s Tranylvania

A thirty minute drive south of Brasov lies the village of Bran, best know for Bran Castle and its famous ‘never resident’ Vlad Tepes, also know as Vlad the Impaler, also known as Count Dracula. The association with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, is merely co-incidental – the author is said to have been inspired by Romanian castles, and the story of the ruthless ruler Vlad Tepes (Vlad Dracul) – but neither Bram nor Vlad actually ever set foot in Bran Castle. Nonetheless, the town is running with it and fully capitalises on the Dracula association.

Having said all that, as far as medieval castles go (Bran was built in the 14the century), Bran ticks all the boxes. Visible from afar, the castle looks like a picture postcard and there are turrets, torture chambers and hidden walkways to explore. Bizarrely, there is also an award-winning lift, which takes visitors to the underground gallery.

Bran Castle – also known as Dracula’s castle (for no real reason)
The inner court of Bran castle – with an award-winning lift underground
Vlad Dracul Tepes AKA Vlad the Impaler AKA Dracula
The wonderful autumnal view from Bran castle
Lots of spooky stuff to discover at Bran Castle
Spooky myths and creatures are explained and brought to life at Bran castle
Despite its tenuous link to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Bran village certainly makes the most of it

Therme Bucharesti

As you may have read on some of my other posts, we often break up our travel day with a visit to a local swimming pool. It’s an easy way to spend some energy and have some fun while not worrying about luggage or constantly checking the time.

The relatively new Therme Bucharesti is just a few minutes from Otopeni Airport and is a real experience. It is huge! There are several slides, a wave pool, a relaxing pool with pool bar, outdoor pools and much more. It’s perfect for a few hours splashing and chilling, and a steal at around £10 per adult for 3 hours.

Conclusion

We loved our short stay in Transylvania and have vowed to come back, as there is so much more to see and explore. The Carpathian landscape, medieval towns and historic structures are simply stunning. As you can see from the photos, we visited in autumn (October) and got to enjoy the colourful season. I’d love to come back and travel further into Transylvania towards Cluj-Napoca.

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