Vlad the Impaler Castle & Snagov Monastery: Targoviste day tour

Nine hours tracing Vlad the Impaler from his fortress to his grave

A nine-hour private tour from Bucharest to Targoviste's Princely Court, the medieval fortress where Vlad the Impaler ruled, with stops at the Chindia Tower for views over the ruins, a traditional lunch at Casa Seciu vineyard, and Snagov Monastery on an island in Snagov Lake, believed to hold Vlad's burial site. A professional English-speaking guide leads the route. Hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Royal Court of Targoviste1h
2. Snagov Monastery45m

Explore Targoviste and Snagov Monastery

• Visit Targoviste Fortress
• Climb Chindia Tower for views
• Relax at Chindia Park
• See Vlad Dracula's grave at Snagov Monastery

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Bucharest hotel and the drive to Targoviste, where the Princely Court stands as one of Romania's most important medieval monuments. Built in the 15th century, this former royal residence housed some of Wallachia's most powerful princes, including Vlad the Impaler himself. The fortress is not a single intact structure but a complex of ruins and preserved buildings that tell the story of five centuries of rule. Your guide walks you through the site, explaining the layout and the history embedded in what remains.

The Chindia Tower, the symbol of the princely court, is the climb that frames the whole fortress. From the tower's balcony, you see the panoramic sweep of Targoviste and, more importantly, the ruins of two princely palaces from the 16th and 17th centuries spread across the court below. After Targoviste, the route moves to Casa Seciu, a vineyard estate in the countryside hills, where you sit down to a traditional Romanian lunch. The meal is unhurried: a break in the day that lets the landscape and the food settle before the final leg.

The tour ends at Snagov Monastery, built on a small island in the middle of Snagov Lake near Bucharest. The monastery is an architectural monument from the feudal period, and the reason many come here is the grave: Vlad the Impaler is said to be buried in this secluded spot, surrounded by water and dense vegetation. The isolation and the legend make it a fitting close to a day spent following one man's shadow through Wallachia's history.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a professional tour guide who speaks English.
• and hotel pickup and drop-off at the end of the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private tour in EnglishUp to 7 per booking · 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30Only your group takes part, pickup is included

Private tour by SUVUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English or Romanian · 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30Only your group takes part, pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Romanian

Audio guideSpanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 28

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Supplier

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so the pace and stops are yours alone with the guide, and the nine-hour span lets you move unhurried through three distinct sites without the rush of a group schedule. Lunch at the vineyard is your choice of what to order, priced separately by what you eat and drink.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Romanian.

What is the Chindia Tower and what can you see from it?

The Chindia Tower is the symbol of Targoviste's Princely Court, and climbing to its balcony gives you a panoramic view of the entire fortress complex, including the ruins of two princely palaces from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Is Vlad the Impaler actually buried at Snagov Monastery?

Snagov Monastery is believed to be the burial site of Vlad the Impaler, though the claim remains a matter of historical debate. The monastery sits on an island in Snagov Lake and is itself an important architectural monument from the feudal period.

What happens at Casa Seciu during the tour?

Casa Seciu is a vineyard estate in the countryside hills where you stop for a traditional Romanian lunch in a peaceful setting, breaking up the day between the Targoviste fortress and Snagov Monastery.

How long is the drive from Bucharest to Targoviste?

The tour is nine hours total from hotel pickup to return, which includes the drive to Targoviste, time at the Princely Court and Chindia Tower, lunch at Casa Seciu, and the visit to Snagov Monastery.