Bran Castle - Rasnov fortress – Peles Royal Castle - Sinaia Monastery

Route: Brasov – Bran Castle - Rasnov fortress – Peles Royal Castle - Sinaia Monastery - Brasov
Duration: 8 h
During our tour you will see Bran Castle  ( Castle of Dracula), Rasnov Fortress, Peles Royal Palace and Sinaia Monastery. Our firs stop will be at Bran Castle which was built between 1377 and 1388 atop a strategic site overlooking a heavily trafficked mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia, the land over which Vlad the Impaler ruled in the 15th century. Also known as Vlad III Dracula, the ruler is widely believed to be the inspiration for Count Dracula due to his historic bloodlust. He liked to torture people and would impale his enemies on the battlefield to deter his other enemies. During invasions, he was also known to use the scorched-earth policy, a military strategy that consists of destroying any possible resource that the enemy could use by poisoning water supplies and burning crops. Our next stop will be at  Rasnov Fortress which located on a rocky hilltop, 200m above the town of Rasnov. The fortress is on the Bran Pass, a trade route connecting Wallachia with Transylvania. The view from the top of the castle hill is spectacular. Saxons first settled in Transylvania in the 11th century, and the Saxon town of Rasnov was founded in 1225. Following the first Tartar invasion of 1241, a series of fortresses were constructed by the Teutonic Knights to defend the people. Rasnov Fortress is one of these peasant fortresses. This building differs from some in that it was meant to be a place of refuge for the commoners from sieges over extended periods of time. As such it had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel, and other buildings more commonly associated with a village. Our next place of our tour will be Sinaia (Peles Royal Palace) which Located in Sinaia, Peles Castle is considered by many one of the most beautiful castles in all Europe. The castle was built in wood, stone, bricks and marble and comprises more than 160 rooms. The representative style used is German Renaissance, but one can easily discover elements belonging to the Italian Renaissance, Gothic, German Baroque and French Rococo style. Almost adjacent to Peles Castle is Pelisor ("Little Peles"). King Ferdinand, who succeeded Carol I, intended to use Peles Castle as a summer residence. Supposedly he found Peles too big and overwhelming, so he commissioned the smaller, art-nouveau style, Pelisor Castle. Pelisor's 70 rooms feature a unique collection of turn-of-the century Viennese furniture and Tiffany and Lalique glassware. Our last stop will be Sinaia Monastery. The monastery consists of two courtyards surrounded by low buildings. In the centre of each courtyard there is a small church built in the Byzantine style.After we will back to Brasov.
Price: per person