Taking the Kids to Dracula's Castle
Brasov.
Despite the clever marketing associating this castle with Dracula, we did not encounter any ghouls or blood-sucking vampires during our tour.
But that shouldn’t deter you from visiting.
Far from it!
The old Romanian relic, rich in stories and myths provides a unique perspective of Transylvanian history worth exploring.
Bran’s history
We learned that the site, built by Teutonic Knights back in 1212, was initially intended to be a fortress and only later converted into a castle. Because of its strategic importance as a prominent tax collection and military base, the Castle became the subject of ongoing feuds that lead to different owners on a continuous basis throughout the centuries. By the late 1800s after decades of neglect it became the property of the nearby town of Brasov which was by then under Romanian sovereign rule. The Castle’s luck seemed to change when In 1920 it was bequeathed to the English-born Romanian Queen Marie by the city of Brasov.


Touring the Castle
For the ticket fee of eight US dollars for adults and six for students, (free for anyone with a disability) visitors can tour the castle’s maze-like interior on their own or with a guided tour. Perched on a high hill with magnificent views of the meadows below, the Castle has none of the fancy or elaborate decorations one might expect to see in a ‘real’ castle.We discovered the landmark’s most striking feature to be the fact that though impressive from the outside; it still manages to look and feel surprisingly ‘homey’ on the inside.


Autism travel tips:
- Visitors are expected to walk up the hill to the Castle on somewhat uneven ground, so sturdy closed toe shoes are strongly recommended.
- The rooms in the Castle are relatively small so they can get crowded and stuffy on hot summer days. Mke sure you bring a water bottle and a small fan if your kid is temperature sensitive.
- The Castle is a popular tourist attraction so try to arrive first thing in the morning to beat the crowds.
