Full Day Tour of Dracula's, LiBEARty Brown Bear Sanctuary, Brasov town and Rasnov Fortress

Departure in the morning from Bucharest. Our first Stop is at “Libearty” Brown Bear  Sanctuary ,established in 2005. From 2008 this wild place is occasionally visited but under some strict rules meant to reintegrate the bears in their natural habitat and not to disturb them. “Libearty” Sanctuary it is located close to Zarnesti town, just 2 km away from “Piatra Craiului” National Park. This lovely place covers an area of 69 acres of oak forest, streams and ponds and it’s the largest of his kind in the entire world. Most of the bears, used as a form of entertainment, were rescued from tiny cages and since the sanctuary was open over 80 bears were saved and brought here. The money raised from tickets and donations are used for maintenance and offering a life for the bears in their natural habitat.

After just 15 minutes we arrive in Rasnov where we will make a short stop to the impressive Rasnov Fortress, built in the 13th‐14th century and one of the best preserved peasant fortresses in Transylvania. Its purpose was to provide protection for the population against Tartar attacks and it managed to fulfil its function since the only person who ever managed to conquer it was Prince Gabriel Bathory around the year 1600. Although inside the fortress there is a very small museum waiting to receive tourists, the main attraction is the beautiful 360‐degree view over Piatra Craiului Mountains and Brasov Depression. The fortress gained its fame also because some of the scenes “Cold Mountain” movie was filmed here in 2003.

Next on the tour you will take a journey to Bran Village, the climax of the trip, where you will visit the famous Bran Castle – better known as Dracula’s Castle, with its remarkable architecture and Gothic elements. The castle was built between 1377-1382, at 60 m high. Built originally as a fortress and surrounded by a massive wall with small windows which were used to shoot enemies, Bran Castle proved to be a successful defense point. In the inner courtyard of the castle there is a fountain used to provide water in case of a siege. Bran Castle got its fame from the novel Dracula, written by Bram Stoker, and later adapted into a movie.

Finally a stop is made in Brasov, a lovely medieval town located in southern Transylvania at the foot of Mount Tampa. You shall feel free to contemplate the picturesque streets with medieval houses which will definitely transpose you into the past!

The tour ends in Bucharest.