Romania 7-day private tour: Castles, monasteries, guided
Seven days following Dracula's footsteps through Transylvania's castles and gorges
A 7-day private guided tour of Romania starting from Bucharest, visiting medieval castles, fortified churches and monasteries across Transylvania and the Danube region. You travel in a private car with an English-speaking guide who drives and narrates, staying in different towns each night. The tour includes accommodation, all meals, entrance fees, transport and the flexibility to adjust the itinerary as you go.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Peles Castle, Sinaia Monastery, Brasov
- Visit Peles Castle
- Tour Sinaia Monastery
- Explore Old Town Brasov
Day 2: Bran Castle, Sighisoara, Viscri Village
- Visit Bran Castle
- Tour Sighisoara Citadel
- See Sighisoara Clock Tower
- Visit Viscri Village
Day 3: Biertan Church, Sibiu City Tour, Cathedrals
- Visit Biertan Church
- Tour Sibiu Great Square
- Visit Sibiu Orthodox Cathedral
- Visit Sibiu Evangelical Cathedral
Day 4: Densus Temple, Corvin's Castle, Bigar Waterfall
- Visit Densus Temple
- Tour Corvin's Castle
- See Bigar Waterfall
Day 5: Iron Gate Cruise, Decebal Statue, Roman Ruins
- Take Iron Gate River Cruise
- Visit Rock-Carved Statue of Decebal
- Explore Roman Ruins
Day 6: Brancusi Ensemble, Horezu Monastery, Polovragi Cave
- Visit Constantin Brancusi Sculptural Ensemble
- Tour Horezu Monastery
- Explore Polovragi Cave
Day 7: Poienari Fortress, Vidraru Dam, Curtea de Arges
- Climb to Poienari Fortress
- See Vidraru Dam
- Visit Curtea de Arges Monastery
What’s included
- Private car and licensed English-speaking guide throughout the 7 days.
- accommodation in hotels each night.
- all meals.
- entrance fees to Peles Castle, Sinaia Monastery, Bran Castle, Sighisoara Citadel, Sibiu's cathedrals, Corvin's Castle, the Iron Gate river cruise, Brancusi Sculptural Ensemble, Horezu Monastery and Poenari Fortress.
- all transport costs including fuel, parking and road tolls.
- wireless internet in the car.
- Every day 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00
Information
Seven days exploring Romania's medieval castles, fortified churches and monasteries with a private guide and car included: Peles Castle, Bran Castle.
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Traveler reviews
The experience
Seven days means you cover ground most day trips miss. The route moves through Transylvania's medieval heartland: Peles Castle and Sinaia Monastery on day one, then Bran Castle (the fortress tied to Dracula legend) and the 12th-century Sighisoara Citadel where Vlad the Impaler was born. You stop in Viscri, a fortified village that Prince Charles has visited, and spend a full day in Sibiu walking the Great Square and touring both the Orthodox and Lutheran cathedrals. The itinerary is not fixed: if a stop interests you more than planned, the guide adjusts the schedule.
Days four and five take you south into Wallachia, where the landscape shifts. You see Corvin's Castle, one of Europe's largest gothic fortresses, then descend to the Danube Gorge for an Iron Gate river cruise. The rock-carved statue of Decebalus rises 128 meters above the water: a 10-year carving project honoring a Dacian king. Roman ruins and the ancient Tabula Trajana tablet sit nearby, marking thousands of years of settlement. Day six brings you to Targu Jiu to walk the Constantin Brancusi Sculptural Ensemble, four monumental pieces laid out on a 1,275-meter axis, then to Horezu Monastery (a UNESCO site) and Polovragi Cave in the Carpathian foothills. The final day loops back through Poenari Fortress (1,480 stairs climbing to a ruined castle at 860 meters), and Curtea de Arges Monastery before returning to Bucharest.
Your guide speaks English and drives the private car throughout, handling navigation and commentary. Accommodation, meals and all entrance fees are included, as are car expenses: fuel, parking and road tolls. The car has wireless internet. You can request changes to the route even after the tour starts, and the guide adjusts accordingly. Food and drinks beyond what is provided are your own cost.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Hebrew and Romanian.
What is Bran Castle and why is it on this tour?
Bran Castle is a 15th-century fortress in Transylvania widely believed to have inspired Bram Stoker's fictional Dracula's castle, though it is actually tied to Vlad the Impaler's history. The tour includes it because of its architectural importance and the chance to taste traditional Romanian foods (handmade cheeses, pálinka brandy, and cured meats) sold outside the castle grounds.
How many stairs are there to climb at Poenari Fortress?
Poenari Fortress sits at 860 meters elevation and requires climbing 1,480 stairs to reach the ruined castle at the top. It is a physical climb, but the tour is suitable for all fitness levels, and you set your own pace.
What is the Brancusi Sculptural Ensemble and where is it?
The Constantin Brancusi Sculptural Ensemble in Targu Jiu consists of four monumental sculptures (The Table of Silence, The Chairs Alley, The Gate of the Kiss and the Infinity Column) arranged along a 1,275-meter axis. It is a UNESCO-recognized work and a symbol of Romanian cultural heritage, visited on day six of the tour.
Does the tour include accommodation and meals?
Yes. Accommodation and meals are included throughout the 7 days, with overnight stays in different towns: Brasov, Sibiu, Hunedoara, Drobeta Turnu Severin, Ramnicu Valcea and back to Bucharest. All entrance fees to the sites visited are also covered.
Can I change the itinerary once the tour starts?
Yes. The tour offers flexibility to adjust the daily schedule even after you begin, so if a particular site or region interests you more than planned, your guide can modify the route accordingly.
Operated by Nicolas Experience Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 4 days ago
Romania 7-day private tour: Castles, monasteries, guided
7d · EN · ES · FR · DE · IT +3 · at your hotel
from US$ 2,809 per person
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