It's the stuff of literary legend — and the view's not half bad either. We're talking about Bran Castle in Transylvania, the fictional hilltop home of the world's most famous vampire, Count Dracula.
Deep out in the Romanian countryside, this towering 12th century fortress certainly looks the part — the spooky towers were purportedly the setting of Bram Stoker's 1897 horror novel, Dracula. And that's not the only real-life inspiration for the famous book – the blood-thirsty ruler Prince Vlad Dracul (aka the Vlad the Impaler) apparently lent his name to the titular character. Unfortunately, Vlad's own residence is now in ruins, and Bran Castle is as close as you'll come to true vampiric architecture.
Despite being more than half a century old, the historic building is getting lots of modern additions, especially since half a million tourists visit the property every year. The coolest new feature? An elevator ride — complete with a show narrating the Bran's history and legends — that connects the castle with the garden. Plus, if you plan your trip strategically, you can take in the medieval tournament or a special Halloween celebration. No word on whether Dracula will be in attendance, however.
This story was updated to correct the fact that the castle is not for sale as news reports previously indicated.
[h/t Travel + Leisure
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
