Recently Viewed
Small Group Tour: Bucharest to Transylvania Castles
4.5
979 Ratings
Sinaia
This is a small group full-day tour from Bucharest to Transylvania on a very picturesque route through the Carpathian Mountains allowing you to discover two of the most beautiful Romanian castles - Peles Castle & Bran (Dracula’s) Castle - as well as the city of Brasov in south Transylvania.
This is a small group full-day tour from Bucharest to Transylvania on a very picturesque route through the Carpathian Mountains allowing you to discover two of the most beautiful Romanian castles - Peles Castle & Bran (Dracula’s) Castle - as well as the city of Brasov in south Transylvania.
Duration:
14 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Peles Castle - The first stop is Peles Castle, the former home of the Romanian Royal Family and the most popular castle in Romania. Tickets are not included, so please purchase them on the official Peles Castle website. Choose only the first time slot for this castle, either 9:15–12:00 or 10:00–12:00, depending on the day.
If you choose not to…
- Peles Castle - The first stop is Peles Castle, the former home of the Romanian Royal Family and the most popular castle in Romania. Tickets are not included, so please purchase them on the official Peles Castle website. Choose only the first time slot for this castle, either 9:15–12:00 or 10:00–12:00, depending on the day.
If you choose not to explore the interior, you can enjoy the castle gardens or relax at a nearby café. The guide will share fascinating stories and historical insights during the visit.
Please note that Peles Castle will be closed from 3 November to 2 December for cleaning and restoration. During this period, the visit will include viewing Peles Castle from the outside and visiting Pelisor Castle instead.
-
Brasov Historical Center - Upon arrival in Brasov city, there will be a brief guided walking tour of Brasov’s downtown, followed by some free time for personal exploration and a lunch break.
-
Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) - Tickets are not included. The expected arrival time is between 16:15 and 17:45, so please select a 16:00 or 17:00 time slot. Choose either a Standard Ticket or Royal Tour Plus Fast Pass (please do not select a guided tour, as the TravelMaker guide will provide all necessary explanations).
What's Included
- Live commentary on board by a professional English-speaking tour leader
- Short walking tour of Brasov downtown
- Transportation by modern air-conditioned minivan or minibus with WiFi on board
- Audio guides in Spanish, Italian, French & Hebrew on your phone with general info about each place
- Live commentary on board by a professional English-speaking tour leader
- Short walking tour of Brasov downtown
- Transportation by modern air-conditioned minivan or minibus with WiFi on board
- Audio guides in Spanish, Italian, French & Hebrew on your phone with general info about each place
What's Not Included
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
Additional Information
- Minimum age is 7 years
- Please note that we operate this tour with small groups (maximum 16 people)
- Please put a note in your reservation if you require an audio guide (Italian, Spanish or French)
- The order of the visits depends on the season, weather & the opening hours.
- Tickets to Peles Castle are not included in the tour price. If you wish to…
- Minimum age is 7 years
- Please note that we operate this tour with small groups (maximum 16 people)
- Please put a note in your reservation if you require an audio guide (Italian, Spanish or French)
- The order of the visits depends on the season, weather & the opening hours.
- Tickets to Peles Castle are not included in the tour price. If you wish to visit the interior, please purchase your tickets in advance directly from the official Peles Castle website. We recommend booking only the first or second time slot available on your selected date. Ticket availability is limited daily, so please book as soon as possible after confirming your tour.
- Peles Castle will be closed for general cleaning and preventive conservation from Nov 3 to Dec 2, 2025. During this period, visitors will have the opportunity to visit Pelisor Castle instead.
- Not recommended for people with impaired mobility.
Location
Peles Castle
Str. Pelesului 2
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(979 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Tarangp
May 28, 2026
The Only Thing Scarier Than Dracula? Big Bus Tours. Go Small Group! - I booked the small‑group day trip to Peles Castle, Bran (Dracula’s) Castle, and Brașov, and although it was a long day, it was absolutely worth it. Pickup was right at my hotel at 7:30am and we returned around 8:30pm. The drive through the Romanian countryside was beautiful — a peaceful contrast to the busy, traffic‑heavy streets of Bucharest.
Admission Fees
Entry to both Peles Castle and Bran Castle is not included in the tour price.
I highly recommend purchasing your Peles Castle ticket in advance, but make sure to confirm the exact time window with your tour operator first.
Bran Castle tickets can be easily purchased on‑site.
Length of Visit
We spent about 1.5 hours at each location, which felt just right — never rushed.
It is a long day overall, but the van rides between stops give you time to rest and recharge.
Atmosphere
Both castles are full of history, beauty, and awe.
Some surfaces can be slippery, so wear proper shoes.
Bring water — the tour includes restroom breaks and quick snack/drink stops.
Food and drinks weren’t allowed inside our van, but the vehicle was very comfortable with air‑conditioning and tinted windows.
Crowd Size
I’m very glad I chose a small‑group tour.
We were much more agile navigating crowds, timing, and narrow areas compared to the large 50+ passenger buses.
Our smaller vehicle could also drop off and pick us up right at the entrances, while bigger buses had to park much farther away.
Staff & Guide
Our guide was knowledgeable, funny, and very open to questions. His English was excellent.
Our driver was fantastic — extremely safe and smooth. I never once felt the need to hit the imaginary brake pedal.
Best For
This tour is great for solo travelers, couples, families, and even elderly travelers.
Just keep in mind the no‑food/no‑drink rule in the van and the long day of travel
Review provided by Tripadvisor
284carlosu
May 21, 2026
Great 3 site tour - Great experience peles castke is one of the best kept in Europe, Dracula castle was also interesting , Serban was a good guide and everythi g worked as promosed
Review provided by Tripadvisor
George_l
May 17, 2026
Pure joy! - The experience is well developed and the driver and the guide were beyond exceptional. I dislike long tours -this was worth it. 13 hours of joy!
Review provided by Viator
Paradise20471405815
May 17, 2026
Excellent day trip - well worth it! - We booked the two castles day trip, visiting Peles Castle and Bran Castle with a stop in Brasov and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our time in Bucharest.
Our guide Serban was incredibly entertaining!He clearly knew the history and talked with plenty of humour and good stories along the way. He made the whole day very enjoyable.
The driver was excellent - made good time, which on a full day out made a real difference.
We'd happily recommend Walkabout Tours. Excellent value, well organised and a really memorable day out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelsf5843yo
May 17, 2026
Very good - It was very nice. Serban is a dedicated and funny guide; we felt very well taken care of.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daytrip06291923895
May 16, 2026
Captivating - The day is exceptionally dense, but well organized. Serban, our guide, has a constant energy and good humor from morning to night; he is a passionate and cheerful professional.
The small group and the free time make the visit very enjoyable.
I was with my young nephew, and here he is with an unforgettable souvenir.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Doris_c
May 31, 2026
Too l Iong a d rushed - Too long and at second stop too rushed
The wash closets hard to find and most charge unless your at a restaurant.
The walk paths unlevel and for older people hard to navigate. The driver and tour guide kept us safe and helped when needed.
Review provided by Viator
Jeremy_h
May 23, 2026
2 Castles Small Group Tour - Fairly well organised only 14 people on a small mini bus limited leg room
Serban our guide was excellent although our timings were out on the day based on what I was expecting
Peles Castle is a fabulous place took a little while to get in a lot to see so took a bit longer than expected. Plans changed here and we went straight to Bran Castle so we had to modify our ticket times this too took longer so our time in Brasov was only about an hour and 15 minutes just enough time to eat and go back in Bucharest by 8:30 pm approximately.
Overall I saw the places I wanted to see but would have liked more time in Brasov. But it was a good tour overall . Buy castle
tickets in advance is my tip for this trip.
Review provided by Viator
Albert_d
May 7, 2026
Why am I a tourist? - Long day tour with lots of queues outside and inside Pele's castle. Shoving and pushing of frustrated tourists who all had advanced bookings and were there on time. At Bran castle there are lots of narrow stairs to climb for what? A myth? But we all do these stupid things because that is what tourists do. And if on top of all of that you end up with a tour guide like we had you question your own sanity of also being a tourist.
Review provided by Viator
Jeffrey_s
May 31, 2026
The Driver Deserved Five Stars. The Tour Did Not. - There are so many things wrong with this tour that it's difficult to know where to begin.
First, the three castle admissions are not included and must be purchased separately. The problem is that you have no way of knowing exactly when you'll arrive at each castle, making it difficult to book timed-entry tickets. Several people on our tour ran into this exact issue. Why isn't this coordinated by the tour operator? I'd rather pay a higher price and have the admissions organized properly than deal with the uncertainty and confusion.
Second, this was advertised as a small-group experience, but there were 16 people on the tour. At nearly €60 per person, that hardly feels like a premium or intimate experience.
Third, our guide, Matthew, was extremely disappointing. The information provided was superficial, poorly organized, and often felt no better than what you could find in a basic online summary. For someone who conducts this tour regularly, I expected far more depth, context, and historical knowledge. Even more concerning, when a member of our group encountered a problem at Bran Castle, Matthew's response was essentially, "That's not my job." Customer service and basic concern for guests appeared to be completely absent.
Fourth, the tour heavily leans into the Dracula connection, yet Vlad the Impaler never lived in Bran Castle. Much of the castle's interior reflects the tastes and furnishings of Queen Marie and the Romanian royal family from the late 19th and early 20th centuries—roughly 400 years after Vlad's time. This critical historical context was either minimized or poorly explained.
Fifth, the traffic was horrendous. To be fair, this is not the tour company's fault, but it turned what should have been a day trip into a 13- to 14-hour ordeal, with most of that time spent sitting in a van. The one bright spot was Peter, our driver, who handled the difficult conditions professionally and safely throughout the day.
Finally, I booked this tour because I believed Viator's quality standards would provide some assurance of a worthwhile experience. Unfortunately, that trust was misplaced. This was one of the most disappointing tours I have taken, and I would not recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
More activities from this operator
