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Of all the spooky places you could think of to spend Halloween, it’s hard to get more bone-chilling than Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. And you’re in luck: it exists, and it throws one hell of a Halloween party.
Okay, so the fortress popularly known as ‘Dracula’s Castle’ is actually called Bran Castle; Bram Stoker never visited; and it takes some imagination to match his descriptions of the Count’s lair to the geography of the castle.
However, looming over the village below with forests and mountains surrounding it, Bran certainly lives up to the eerie vibe of the world’s most famous vampire. And at Halloween, it really comes into its own, holding a spectacular annual party to make the most of its peerlessly scary credentials.
The Castle is open with its usual tours throughout the day and until midnight, with guests free to explore its intimidating towers, winding corridors and scary AF dungeons. There’s also the option to go down a ‘Magic Time Tunnel’: an interactive experience with fancy lighting and sound effects, set in an abandoned gallery 100 feet down an old well. Creepy, right?
After that, guests can join the party in the park next to the castle, which lasts from 9pm until 5am. You’re encouraged to dress up (obvs) with prizes for the scariest costumes.
The main catch is that all this isn’t exactly on Halloween. This year, it’s actually this Saturday October 29 – but that shouldn’t stop it from totally slaying.
A combo ticket for the night-time castle tour and access to the party costs 200 lei (£35, $41), with an extra 50 lei (£8.90, $10.20) for access to the ‘Magic Time Tunnel’. You can get tickets here. And if you can’t make it to Transylvania this weekend, then there’s always next Halloween.
Did you see that Romania’s epic new Transylvanian hiking trail is now open?
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