It's Hallowe'en - in real life! Insight Vacations is offering an a private, after-hours evening visit to Bran Castle as an Insight Experience during its 18-day Treasures of the Balkans guided tour. Bran Castle is also known as the inspiration of Irish novelist, Bram Stoker’s "Count Dracula," and the castle is often called "Dracula's Castle."
Guests will travel to the forested area of Transylvania, were the gothic structure is perched atop a 200-foot-high rock surrounded by Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. And the nighttime, private, after-hours visit will provide a much different atmosphere compared to a day-time visit.
During the private tour of this medieval fortress, which was completed in 1388, Insight’s Local Expert discusses the legends around Count Dracula and the life of Queen Marie of Romania, the granddaughter of England’s Queen Victoria who was the last royal resident of the castle from 1920 to 1938. Guests can explore the castle’s winding stairways connecting over 60 rooms and also have the opportunity to explore the castle’s secret and underground passages, including a secret stairway which leads to a wood-panelled library.
At the end of the tour, guests will head to Queen Marie’s Tea House and enjoy a private 3 course dinner including local wine. The Tea House was built in the 1920s where Queen Marie would receive guests to Bran Castle.
Treasures of the Balkans Itinerary Details
The Bran Castle evocative, after-hours tour is part of Insight Vacations' 'Treasures of the Balkans' tour.
In addition to Dracula's Castle, guests visit the former Communist headquarters of Romania in Bucharest, see Bulgaria’s Roman ruins in Sofia and experience Bosnia’s Tunnel of Hope in Sarajevo.
After exploring the medieval city of Brașov, travellers take the mountain roads to the Transylvanian border and join a private visit of Bran Castle after hours followed by private dinner.
Afterwards, guests will move onwards to Mostar, where a Local Expert will serve as a guide through the city’s sights ahead of a Sarajevo Dine at Home experience.
Then, guests will sit down with a Sarajevan family for a feast of local cuisine, traditional Bosnian coffee and tales of local life before the tours continues in Hungary. The tour ends with views from Budapest Fisherman's Bastion.
For more information, visit Insight Vacations' web site.
