Xceltrip

Bran Castle Absolutely not Dracula’s Castle , Bran really does look the part, as though it ought to be Dracula’s Castle. The truth is that Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Ţepeş) - the inspiration behind part of the Dracula myth - never spent much time here. The ruins of his real castle are at Poienari, on the other side of the Carpathians. Perched on a rock, strategically overlooking one of the most important mediaeval trading routes in this part of Europe, Bran is certainly impressive - even scary - from afar. And while Romanians are quick to point out that Bran Castle has indeed little to do with our fanged friend, you’ll notice quickly that the local tourist authorities have become experts in making innocent tourists believe otherwise. The castle was constructed in 1377 to guard the mountain pass and to levy a tax on all merchants passing through. The castle was for a long time the property of the city of Brasov, but in 1921 it was offered as a summer residence to Romania...

Cotroceni Palace This palace has a fascinating history. It began as a monastery in the 17th century, after which it became the summer residence of King Carol I. Constructed from 1888-93 at the behest of Romania's first king, Carol I, Cotroceni Palace has since 1991 been the official residence of the Romanian President. Built on the site of a former monastery (the foundations and cellars of which remain, and form part of the tour of the palace), the palace was designed by a French team of architects, led by Paul Gottereau. The design would form something of a blueprint for Romanian domestic architecture for years to come. It served as the Bucharest residence of the Romanian royal family until 1939. The part that serves today as the president's office, and official home, however, was added after the great Bucharest earthquake of 1977, and bears the stamp of local architect Nicolae Vladescu. Part of the palace is open to the public, and can be visited on a tour. ...

National Museum of Art of Romania The National Museum of Art of Romania showcases the most important and the most comprehensive collection of fine art works in the country. It was set up in the former Royal Palace of Bucharest, a historical building which dates back to 1837, originally erected by order to Alexandru Ghica. The proximity to the Romanian Athenaeum enhances the tourist visibility of the museum, though, if truth be told, the museum is, regardless of its surroundings, a sight in itself not to be missed out by visitors of Bucharest. The artistic patrimony of the museum is divided into two galleries, namely, the National Gallery and the European Art Gallery. The National Gallery exhibits works by celebrated Romanian artists, such as Theodor Aman and Nicolae Grigorescu, not to mention the extensive collection of sculptures by Constatin Brâncuşi, perhaps the most famed Romania-born artist with consistent contribution to the history of international art. The Eur...

“ Dimitrie Gusti ” National Village Museum is the “museum from the heart of the capital” who opened his gates for the public in 1936. The permanent exhibition covers a 14ha area having 360 monuments, 60.000 objects in his collections and over 250.000 documents regarding the village and its traditional life in the Archive. Indoor and outdoor exhibitions attract more than 500.000 visitors annually. The Village Museum is the most visited cultural objective from Romania, opened all week long to and a trusted Romanian and European BRAND.  The National Village Museum of Bucharest is unanimously deemed by foreign tourists a sight not to be missed out, being rated one of the best and most complete museums in the country. Enjoying a virtually central location in Bucharest, the museum stands out in sharp relief as an oasis of tranquility, a dreamlike set seemingly clipped from a time immemorial rural legend. This outdoor museum fills a surface of some 10 hectares, a park popul...