Vlad the Impaler Tour: Poenari Castle & Curtea de Arges

Climb 1,480 stairs to the fortress where Vlad ruled, then walk the ruins of two royal courts in a single day.

A private, full-day tour from Bucharest to three medieval sites tied to Vlad the Impaler and Romanian royalty: the Royal Court of Targoviste with its 15th-century Chindia Tower, Curtea de Arges Monastery where Romanian kings are buried, and Poenari Castle, where the legendary prince once hid state treasure. A licensed guide drives you in a private car and narrates the history at each stop.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Royal Court of Targoviste2h
2. Curtea de Arges Monastery45m
3. Poenari Castle2h

Explore Vlad the Impaler sites and landmarks

• Drive from Bucharest to Targoviste
• Visit Targoviste Fortress and princely court
• Walk up Chindia Tower for panoramic views
• Explore ruins of princely palaces and churches
• Visit Curtea de Arges Monastery and old town
• Climb 1480 stairs to Poenari Castle
• See Vidraru Dam and surrounding lake
• Drive back to Bucharest

The experience

The drive from Bucharest takes about an hour to reach Targoviste, where the Royal Court sits as one of Romania's most important medieval monuments. You'll climb to the top of Chindia Tower, the symbol of the princely court, and look out from its balcony across the ruins of two 16th- and 17th-century palaces. The small Holly Friday Church, built in 1415, still stands in its original form, one of the few 15th-century structures that survived in Southern Wallachia. Your guide walks you through what remains of the palace and explains how Vlad Dracul fortified this residence against enemy attacks.

From Targoviste, you head to Curtea de Arges, the first capital of Romania. The Arges Monastery is the centerpiece: an important historical monument with a story your guide will share as you walk the grounds. You'll also see the ruins of the Wallachian princely court and the 13th-century Royal Church. The monastery holds the graves of Romanian kings, a detail that anchors the weight of the place.

The final and most demanding stop is Poenari Castle, where you climb 1,480 stairs to reach Vlad's fortress. The source material describes this as following in Dracula's own steps. On the way back toward Bucharest, you stop at Vidraru Dam (166 metres high, completed in 1966), where the arch spans 305 metres across the Argeș River and creates a reservoir with a 28-kilometre shoreline. The return drive takes two and a half hours. Your private guide and driver handle all logistics: fuel, parking, tolls and route changes if you want them.

What’s included

• Private car for your group.
• private, licensed English-speaking guide throughout the day.
• all car expenses including fuel, parking and road tolls.
• flexibility to adjust the itinerary as you go.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:00

Book up to1h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Romanian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Nicolas Experience Tours

Is this one for you?This tour suits anyone interested in medieval history and Vlad the Impaler's real story rather than legend, willing to climb 1,480 stairs at Poenari Castle for the fortress itself. The private car and guide mean you set the pace at each stop and can ask questions without a group schedule pressing you forward.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and Romanian.

What is the Royal Court of Targoviste and why does the tour start there?

The Royal Court of Targoviste was the capital of Southern Romania in medieval times before Bucharest took that role. It dates back to 1417–1418 and was expanded by Vlad Dracul into a fortified princely residence. The tour opens there because Chindia Tower, the court's symbol, gives a panoramic view of the entire complex and the ruins of two palaces from the 16th and 17th centuries.

How many stairs are there to climb at Poenari Castle?

Poenari Castle requires climbing 1,480 stairs to reach the fortress. The climb is the main physical effort of the day, and the source notes it as the path Vlad himself would have taken.

Where are the Romanian kings buried on this tour?

Curtea de Arges Monastery holds the graves of Romanian kings. The monastery is an important historical monument in the old town of Curtea de Arges, which was Romania's first capital.

What is Vidraru Dam and why is it included?

Vidraru Dam is Romania's largest dam, completed in 1966 on the Argeș River. It stands 166 metres high with an arch 305 metres long and creates a reservoir with a 28-kilometre shoreline. It is a major landmark on the route back to Bucharest and offers a different kind of view (engineering and landscape) after the historical sites.

Can the itinerary be changed during the tour?

Yes. The tour includes flexibility to adjust the daily itinerary even after the tour starts, so you can spend more time at a site or skip a stop if your interests shift.