Happy Halloween everyone! Here in the states it is a big deal, full of little children in costumes running around and gorging themselves on candy. For Alex and I it means packing and gorging ourselves on candy (I mean why not? It is Halloween). I couldn’t help but think of the past few Halloweens I have spent and one came back to me in particular, when Alex and I went to Bucharest.
I had always wanted to go to Bucharest and visit Vlad the Impaler’s castle both in Bucharest and Poenari (Not Bran Castle, the one Bram Stoker based Dracula’s castle on but Vlad the Impaler’s actual castle) thanks to a book I read called The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. The Historian is not your typical book about Dracula but more about Vlad the Impaler and it blends historical research with a hunt for Vlad the Impaler/Dracula and crosses three different periods of time. I absolutely adore the book and it has definitely influenced where I have traveled and how I have seen certain cities. I viewed Istanbul through a different lens because of that book, the Romanian countryside as well. I also can’t deny that I love Dracula by Bram Stoker as well. There is something intriguing about a real historical figure that is still so prominent today. The 15th century was by no means a time of great communication and the fact is that Vlad the Impaler was famous even during his own time speaks something to the force of his personality and his cruelty. Because of this I was set on visiting where Dracula had actually lived during his tumultuous reign of Wallachia and fought back the Turks from Europe.
Unfortunately I miscalculated a bit and was not able to make it out to Poenari Castle which is about 150Km from Bucharest and required renting a car (Something that has always been a downfall of all our best plans, think of that ill-fated punk rock road trip Alex mentioned) but we were still able to visit his Castle in Bucharest. It is a crumbling ruin and holds nothing of the grandeur you would expect from a 15th century King who fought so hard to keep his throne but it had a haunting presence to it, perhaps because Vlad looks down on you while you explore the bare remains of his seat of power.
While Vlad’s Castle was not exactly what I expected it to be I loved it for its crumbling facade, columns laid out on the ground everywhere and for the man who watched us the entire time. It was a unique way to spend Halloween abroad and it definitely was a little more creepy than some of the Haunted Houses I’ve been to and I am so glad that my odd obsession with Vlad the Impaler (and possibly vampires, I may watch Vampire Diaries…..) convinced me to visit a city that is up and coming, full of life, with great food and beer and warm people that I am definitely going to visit again, plus now I have a reason to go back. I still haven’t seen Poenari Castle!
Check out some of our other awesome articles about Fall and more History!
My Favorite Time to Travel: Fall Sunset over St. Stephens in Budapest
The Real Vlad Behind the Legend
Part of what makes a visit like this so compelling is how much the history differs from the legend. Vlad III, ruler of Wallachia in the 15th century, was known as Vlad Dracula, a name that came from his father's membership in the Order of the Dragon. "Dracula" roughly means "son of the dragon," and the nickname "the Impaler" came later, earned by his favorite method of punishing enemies and wrongdoers. To Romanians he is often seen less as a monster and more as a ruler who defended his principality against the Ottoman Empire and kept order with a ferocious hand.
That split in reputation is exactly what I love about the story. Depending on who is telling it, he is a tyrant, a national hero, or a vampire in a cape. Standing in the ruins, it was hard not to think about how many versions of one man were circulating in my head at once.
Bucharest Castle Versus Poenari: What to Know
It is easy to mix up the castles associated with Dracula, so here is how I keep them straight:
- Bran Castle is the tourist favorite in Transylvania and the one most often linked to Bram Stoker's novel, though Vlad's connection to it is tenuous at best.
- Poenari Castle is the genuine mountain fortress tied to Vlad's reign, perched high above the Arges valley and famous for its long climb of stairs.
- The Bucharest ruins are the remains of the old princely court, the seat of power where Vlad ruled and where Wallachian princes after him kept their court.
Because the Bucharest site sits in the middle of the city, it is the easiest of the three to reach. That is the practical lesson of my trip: if you only have a short stay and no car, the court ruins are the one you can see on foot, while Poenari demands a real plan and a day of driving.
Planning Around the Rental Car Problem
I will admit it, the missing car is entirely my own fault. Poenari is roughly 150 km from the capital, and public transport out to the remote villages near the fortress is limited. Anyone hoping to go should think about renting a car well in advance, or hiring a driver or joining an organized day tour, and should leave plenty of daylight for the trip. Mountain roads in the region can be slow, and the climb up to the ruins takes real effort once you arrive.
Next time I will build the whole itinerary around that one excursion rather than treating it as an afterthought squeezed between meals and sightseeing. Lesson learned, again.
Exploring the City Beyond the Ruins
Even without Poenari, Bucharest rewarded us. The city is a layered place, with grand old buildings next to heavy communist-era blocks, and tucked-away courtyards full of cafes. After a morning among the crumbling stones, we found that the best cure for a chilly autumn day was a long meal of hearty Romanian food and a cold local beer. Fall is a lovely time to wander because the crowds thin out and the weather is crisp enough to justify lingering over a second coffee.
Walking was our main way of getting around, and it gave us a feel for how the old and new sit side by side. The locals we met were warm and happy to point us in the right direction, even when our questions were about a ruined castle and a long-dead prince.
Reading Your Way Into a Place
If you are drawn to history and travel, I highly recommend pairing a trip with a book that frames the place for you. Reading The Historian before my visit changed what I noticed, from the shape of a monastery wall to the way a street name echoed an older story. Stoker's Dracula does the same for a very different reason, giving the region a gothic shimmer that no guidebook can match.
For more autumn travel and history, have a look at our September 2013 archive, where the season of crisp air and long evenings is just getting started.