Known as "Dracula's Castle," Bran is 42 miles from Sinaia - built in 1377-1382

One owner had a party, gave them drinks, locked the doors, and this set castle on fire - 500 people were burned!

Gothic cross at entrance of impressive defense fortress against Ottoman raids - also served as a customs station

Walls made of river boulders were raised by the Master Masons of Brasov  -  built on a 197-ft high rock

Castle has irregular trapezoid shape and has four levels

Courtyard from Middle Ages with a well in center

In 1920, inhabitants of Brasov offered castle as gift to Queen Mary of Romania, granddaughter of Queen Victoria

Relics preserved from Queen Mary's summer days at the castle with her family of five children

Favorite room of admired and beloved Queen Mary

Dracula fiction promoted in 20thC based on Vlad the Impaler

Actually belonged to Vlad's grandfather, Mircea the Old -- Vlad (1431-1476) known for cruelty to Turks which inspired Dracula legend

Queen Mary's heart was placed in silver casket buried in grotto by the castle

View of Transylvania country-side from Bran Castle, located in pass between Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mtns

School children, with pretzels, visiting castle now claimed ownership by a Hapsburg descendent

Bed & Breakfast in village of Moeciu de Sus

Lunched at Restaurant Craissa Muntilor in lovely village

Some guests arrived by unique transportation!

Ladies in restaurant were knitting, crocheting, displaying craft

Fairy-tale Peles Castle in Sinaia built for the Romanian royal family in 1880s as a summer place

Castle, made of wood, stone, brick, marble, has more than 160 rooms - style is German Renaissance

Peles Castle is one of Romania's most important museums - final resting place for King Carol I, who died here in 1914

Hall of Honor, reception hall, is paneled with oaken timber cases, strained-glass skylight, specific to 1990 fine arts

Margaret and Kaye, sisters, pose at ironwork window

Courtyard murals are signature of a Czech architect

Statuary garden and terraces of castle in Italian neo-Renaissance style

Queen Elizabeth's Study decorated in German neo-Renaissance style if Heymann's workshops in Hamburg

Living Room decorated by August Bembe of Mainz, silver by Paul Telge/Edmund Wolenweber's workshops

Rich collection of over 4K European and Oriental pieces of different weapons from 14th-18th centuries

Gordon and Bill walk back to bus after leaving castle

Nancy inspects hand-woven tablecloth made by the weaver