The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

I was just looking at this website, and this just totally struck me funny:

I have been to Transylvania :)

It is a really nice country with a lot of history. Many of the castles and old buildings are in ruins now which is sad and people are starting to use western ways with an odd mixing of local ways (they charge you to take photos inside Vlad's castle, but not if you're taking photos from Vlad's castle)

If you get a local tour book, or get lost, knocking at the gate of most castles will get you a tour with a caretaker who needs the money :D

There are a lot of beggars and homeless people - Nu (Noo) is 'no' in Romanian, that's all you need. Steer clear of the gypsies.

In places it is a poor but proud country, well worth the visit if only to finally clear up the (Stoker's) Dracula myth from the (Vlad) Dracula fact

And if you travel in-country by train or bus beware (as mentioned above) of the beggers. What got me was the kids that have their arm broke on purpose or fresh cuts to the arms or legs. Perhaps their famliy did it to make them appear more needy. Just walk away and be stern with them. If you bump into the law, give them what they want plus extra leu for the trouble, then walk away as fast as you can.

Love to see the lure of the Count's country side. But I know the country would be dead w/out the money from tourism.

Indeed it would be even poorer but hey they got the oil. They also have a goverment again !!

I am just letting people know your first encounter can be...well...terifying. I was shaking after mine. It's hard.

Please dont get me wrong i met lots of wonderful people haha try thier moonshine jezzz its a pure rush !!

I watched a documentary on this actually. The tourism there is insane! And what's funny is that they went around asking people if they believed in vampires and everyone said no; but they like 'vampires' because the tourism from it gives them a great economy lol. BTW Transylvania = Romania

I would love to go. Although, I would love to see more than just the historical places of Dracula...perhaps experience Bucharest, and beyond. Just from watching 'Blood and Chocolate', it seemed to have a pretty neat ambiance. It was like Seattle grunge meets ancient Europe.

I'd love to go as well, but alas, there is that money issue and that fact of I have a baby.....If my situation were different, I would try and go with someone. It'd be more fun that way

I would love to go as well, I have read much on the history of Transylvania and the entire region. I want to take a carriage ride through the mountains or the train. But the political tensions within the country are still an issue as well as the dangers mentioned above. But all in all I would take the risk.

the romanian countryside has been one of my desired vacation destinations for years. well, there and pretty much anywhere in europe that has old gothic castles. i REALLY want to poke around inside an ancient castle one of these days before i die. i hear tell that germany and scotland have some nice ones.
and yeah, my brother-in-law is married to a polish immigrant and she says the eastern european gypsies can be pretty terrible if youre not careful and especially if you look like a tourist.

I would love that tour. It would be my version of Disneyland/Disneyworld. I can't wait to go one day.

I would love to go, I love to travel and the countryside looks to be beautiful, thick forests and rich with history. To stand in the same places that Vlad did, I have to wonder if it would feel spooky or if you would have a feeling of sadness perhaps.

I think it would be like most places a lot of history and you would find something you would like about it.

I have been in Transylvania. It is very pretty there. I have visited Bran Castle that is known as "Dracula's Castle", it is marketed as the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula, which has led to persistent myths. The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. It is worth a visit.

If you are thinking of going to Transylvania, you should not be heading for Bucharest. Its a loooong way across country on a transport system that is confusing if you're not used to it.

Your best bet is to get to Budapest in Hungary, from there you can get an internal flight on a little plane ($$$) or a bus through the beautiful mountains (very cheap but long and uncomfortable) over the border and head for Romania's second capital - Cluj Napoca - the begging problems are slightly less prevalent up there. You must pre-book everything and have a back up plan, especially if the bus leaves without you.

If you are travelling Eastern Europe, Cluj is also a great stopping point for coaches out to the Ukraine - it all just takes getting used to.

By far the average Romanian is humble and hard working, honest and polite, just getting on with their lives ... the police are a little more forceful than most in the West are used to ... like you would in any strange country, be a little careful about where you go and you'll be fine

Yes, I was going off topic with the idea of Bucharest :P It just seemed like a neat place in Romania to check out as well :)

well it sounds like it would be interesting. If nothing else, I would love to visit and take in all the history that the counrty has to offer. It definantely would be an experience, but I am leery of going to foreign places such as that. LOL I scare myself but it is just me thinking of certain movies that take place around the area LOL. I would go if in a group .... feel safer that way LOL.

I have never been there but I would definately love to visit it. As for it not being a horror tour, that I couldnt fathom. Vlad was a blood thirsty person and the things he did was horrific. But I guess some people wouldn't find it greusome.

i'd love to go to transilvania... all the history... the stories... especialy vlads

My good friend is from Romania. She has told me a great deal about it.
she thinks the hype around Vlad and his domain is a bit overated. The country itself is very beautifull so you can find better places to go than transylvania. But if youre into Vlad I rekon its great.

damn, I love reading how all of you are really excited about visiting Transylvania ..
I'm from the capital of Transylvania, which artemka mentioned, Cluj-Napoca ..
all the stories about the flourishing economy because of tourism aren`t quite true .. actually, Romania is poor - very poor.
people here aren't polite. they're a bunch of peasants and profiteers. take my word for that :)
well, I mean the majority.
on the other hand, the surroundings and countryside are worth seeing .. if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask :)

i always imagined his castle all in good shape and stuff , but from when i saw ghosthunters going there , it seemed in pretty bad shape... am i mistaken?

I've always wanted to go but never had the cash to get there :(
I enjoyed everyone's storys!!

i would love to go there, i love history and even if it is a bloody history it still sounds like a wonderful place to go

i also want to go somewhere related to my family history. We have some relatives who may have come from there, and immigrated in the 1600's

I have not been but I think it would be an excellent trip for VR members to take together!!

I really wish i could go as well but nope like most of you i have job and money concerns.. But wow it would be great to go all the same.

I was considering going to Romania a couple of years ago then moving onto the Carpathian Mountains which really seem to be amazing with all the natural wildlife as well such as wolfs, bears, eagles etc which you so rarely see in Europe today.

I would like to visit the main towns as well but don't really want to follow to normal 'tourist trail' and be herded around like a sheep. What can i say, i like to think of myself as an individual. Again the main reason for not going to the country so far is money, but least I'm travelling from the U.K so distance's are not so huge to navigate. Perhaps in a couple of years...

The summer i graduate, im visiting all the places i want, and translyvania is first on my list. I would love to go

RYBAXXX - Vlad's castle in Sighisoara is in good shape, its like a town inside walls, with lots of little alleyways and paths, leading up to the main keep overlooking the 'modern town below ... there a really old graveyard at the back which is as gothic as you can get

He had more than one castle though, I visited two smaller ones on the way back to the Ukraine - one had really really gory tales (and a trap door that dropped people onto a bed of spikes, which was really mind-blowing), that one ws being restored

The others were a little run down, but really, really worth a look

I think Vlad was mad and yet a genius. I would would love to go and check it out

Heck, I would go to Transylvania just to see the castle, and the rest of the lands, it's got to be somewhat interesting even outside of all the Vlad the Impaler stuff, lol.

I'd be interested to experience what "a pleasant enjoyable walk through the bloody times of Dracula" would be like.

I stumbled upon a website as well today in regards to touring Transylvania. I would love to be able to take the time and go visit; I bet it would be an awesome adventure if nothing else.

You can check out the page by clicking here.

It's one place I would love to visit, for two main reasons:

The first - it is the birth place and home of Vlad and the beginning of so many vampire stories.

The second - the old buildings in the country are stunning and i love gothic design.

I would love to go and travel the countryside. It's on my to do list

I think that if you could sleep on location it would be even better. I will go there sometime.

It would be good to camp in the surrondings near the castles and in the forest Vlad built in the mountains surrounding the country.

pah to Transylvania - go to Bohemia in the Czech Republic. The real home of vampire lore lol

I was born in Transilvania(we spell it without a "Y" nowdays) an I am the last male descendant of an old transilvanian family.
It`s a place with great landscapes, great views, an ancient civilisation and great places to visit.
Unfortunately the services are not so good in all Romania and due to the massive emigration a lot of nice people leaved leaving us with a lot of scums.
However if you really wish to visit it`s onna be a hell of a ride!Mwahahaha.

Usually made misconceptions about Transilvania:

1.The political situation is unstable.

Wrong.Remember we have a NATO base in Constanta and that should tell you all about it.Recently we were recieved in the European Union and the economical progress is better and better.


2.Bran is the real Dracula Castle.

Wrong.
Although Bran is the best preserved castle contemporary with Dracula and the Romainian tourism present it like the real Dracula castle, you risk to visit it without knowing the truth.
I would say nobody goes to the ruins of Poienari castle wich is not so far away and it`s the real Dracula castle(though it`s in Muntenia, not in Transilvania).


3.Transilvania=Romania

Transilvania is only a part of the Romanian territory.


4.There is a single Dracula Castle.

As I said before, the real Dracula Castle is maybe the Poienari fortress, but a lot of places have ruins related with the existence of Vlad: Sighisoara, Old Voievodal Court in Bucharest, Sibiu, Targoviste etc.Some of them are in Transilvania, some of them in Muntenia.

5.The visit in Transilvania is like a horror Dysneyland.

No way!Everything here is wild and the touristic services and some roads could be very bad.Also if you want to see the sight from Poienari Castle you`ll have to go up 1500 steps.NO error there: 1500.A fortress is on the top of a high cliff. ;)

I`ll post here some info about what you might want to see if you want to come and visit the real sites related with Dracula.Prepare though, everything might look expensive for a foreign visitor.

Main places related to Dracula:

1.in Transilvania

Sighişoara citadel (the Birthplace of Vlad III and one of the few medieval city inhabited without interruption since the Middle Ages)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sighi%C5%9Foara


Râşnov castle (owned by Vlad II Dracul, father of Vlad)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sighi%C5%9Foara

Făgăraş castle (idem)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C4%83g%C4%83ra%C5%9F

2.In Muntenia:

Poenari Castle( Dracula`s personal hiding lair from where his wife flank herself into the river, as the legend says)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poienari_Castle

Târgovişte Voievodal Palace ruins(the main Court of Vlad III Dracula and off his father`s)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A2rgovi%C5%9Fte

Bucurest- Curtea Veche( The old Voievodal Court rised by Vlad Dracula)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtea_Veche

And if you are really interested in ancient castles and interesting places you might want to visitsome friendly sites:



1.in Transilvania:

Bran castle(the so called Dracula castle lol, very well preserved!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Castle

Huniade castle(a contemporary castle with Vlad; very beautiful)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Castle

The fortified saxon churches near Medias:
http://www.fortified-churches.com/locations/medias/24/

Brasov City
(with it`s old center and the Black Church)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brasov

Sibiu City
(European Capital of Culture in 2007)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibiu

Sarmizegetusa
(the capital of the Dacian State more then 2000 years ago; the famous ancient sanctuary is a really wonderful place)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmizegetusa




2.In Muntenia:

Iulia Hasdeu Castle(a castle rised by the esoteric design communicated by the young genius Iulia to her Father the great writer B.P.Hasdeu after her death!!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iulia_Hasdeu_Castle

Peleş Castle( you`ll love it - very well preserved and in a wonderful region)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pele%C5%9F_Castle

I have never been there but I would greatly enjoy visiting sometime. There are two strong attractions for me: Dracula (Vlad the Impaler)'s castle and the fact that there have been "dwarf" dinosaurs found there. Double the fun :)

i always would like to travel there, but i don't think that there was the origin of vampires.

I haven't been, but I have a co-worker who is Romanian and was actually born in the area and grew up there.

Ladyakkera, I`m sure you mean Dracula`s castleS!
;)