Bran · Peleș · Corvin · Râșnov · Făgăraș · Cantacuzino
Which castle do you visit?
Six castles, six different answers. Below: the verdict by your time and base, the comparator with official ticket prices, and the best visiting days with measured road distances.
The quick verdict
Pick by your time, base and party. Distances are measured by road (OSRM/OpenStreetMap).
| One day from Brașov | Bran + Râșnov | 30.7 km to Bran, 13.8 km on to Râșnov: the 1377 fortress plus the Râșnov garden and panorama, about 60 km of driving in total. |
|---|---|---|
| Two days from Brașov | Day 2: Peleș + Cantacuzino | 45.6 km Brașov–Sinaia, 8.3 km Sinaia–Bușteni: royal interiors in the morning, Nevermore in the afternoon. Peleș is closed Monday and Tuesday. |
| From Sibiu | Corvin, there and back | 127.4 km / about 2 h each way, measured: the country's most Gothic castle, adult ticket 55 lei. Open from noon on Mondays. |
| With kids | Cantacuzino + Bran | Wednesday at Bușteni (under-5s free), the Time Tunnel at Bran. Both open on Mondays. |
| Minimum budget | Râșnov + Făgăraș | The Râșnov outer garden plus Făgăraș fortress (adult 30 lei, pupils 10 lei). Făgăraș is closed on Mondays. |
| One single pick | Peleș, if it is open | The country's most visited monument, 100 lei for adults, guiding included. Check the autumn 2026 closures before you go. |
The best days, in measured legs
Every leg is measured by road, not as the crow flies. Totals add up from the legs.
Method: OSRM car routes on OpenStreetMap, measured on 17 September 2026. Times are continuous driving, no stops.
The Bran + Râșnov day, from Brașov
| From | To | km | min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brașov | Bran | 30.7 | 34 |
| Bran | Râșnov | 13.8 | 18 |
| Râșnov | Brașov | 15.4 | 22 |
| Total driving | 59.9 | 74 | |
The Peleș + Cantacuzino day, from Brașov
| From | To | km | min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brașov | Sinaia | 45.6 | 57 |
| Sinaia | Bușteni | 8.3 | 16 |
| Bușteni | Brașov | 39.5 | 54 |
| Total driving | 93.4 | 127 | |
The Corvin day, from Sibiu (there and back)
| From | To | km | min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sibiu | Hunedoara | 127.4 | 119 |
| Hunedoara | Sibiu | 127.4 | 119 |
| Total driving | 254.8 | 238 | |
The castles, one by one
Compare all six
Prices and hours are the officially published ones. Where the official page is silent, the table is silent.
| Castle | Adult ticket | Hours | Closed | Base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bran | from 100 RON | 9:00–19:00 | Mon from noon | Brașov |
| Peleș | 100 lei | 9:15–17:00 | Mon–Tue | Sinaia / Brașov |
| Corvin | 55 lei | 9:00–20:00 | Mon from noon | Sibiu |
| Râșnov | garden ticketed* | — | interior (works) | Brașov |
| Făgăraș | 30 lei | 8:00–18:00 | Monday | Brașov / Sibiu |
| Cantacuzino | 85 RON | 10:00–19/20:00 | open daily | Bușteni / Sinaia |
* Râșnov outer garden: the town hall announces a visiting fee with no published amount. Winter hours differ at Bran, Făgăraș and Corvin — see each card.
Bran Dracula
- Border fortress at the Bran pass; its «birth certificate» is the privilege of 19 November 1377 granted to Brașov.
- Queen Marie's favourite residence from 1920; today a museum with a royal park, torture chambers and the Time Tunnel.
- The only Transylvanian castle matching Bram Stoker's description — «the whole world calls it Dracula's Castle» (official site).
Visiting: 1 Apr–1 Nov: Mon 12:00–19:00, Tue–Sun 9:00–19:00 (last entry); in winter it closes at 18:00. Standard from 100 RON, with Fast Pass from 170, with guided tour from 210. Book online — tickets often sell out.
Peleș National Museum
- Peleș and Pelișor: «the most visited historical monuments in Romania» (the museum's wording).
- Timed ticket slots, 2,000 visitors/day at Peleș and 1,500 at Pelișor; Romanian tours form at the entrance, no extra fee.
- Run by the Peleș National Museum, under the Ministry of Culture.
Visiting: Wed 10:00–17:00, Thu–Sun 9:15–17:00, Mon–Tue closed. Adult 100 lei Peleș / 30 lei Pelișor; last entry 16:00. Closed for overhaul: Pelișor 28 Sep–3 Nov 2026, Peleș 2 Nov–1 Dec 2026. Tickets are non-refundable.
Corvin Gothic
- First building phase finished before 1446, under John Hunyadi, governor of Hungary.
- Late Gothic: the Capistrano tower keeps the monument's only Gothic fireplace.
- A museum with a castle tour; guiding in Romanian, English and Hungarian.
Visiting: Published season 1 Apr–30 Sep 2026: Mon 12:00–20:00, Tue–Sun 9:00–20:00. Adult 55 lei; guiding 60 lei (RO) / 100 lei (EN/HU); photo 15, video 30. Winter hours are unpublished — check the official page.
Râșnov garden only
- First medieval fortress raised in 1211–1225 by Saxons and Teutonic knights; the stone walls are Saxon work.
- Withstood the sieges of 1335 (Tatars) and 1421 (Ottomans); the community's refuge until the 18th century.
- The interior is a restoration site: only the Outer Garden (ticketed) and the panoramic platform can be visited.
Visiting: The fortress is closed; the town hall's announced date (2024) has passed. The panoramic platform is free on foot, ticketed on the inclined lift. No amount published officially.
Făgăraș museum
- Documented 1455: «our fortress of Făgăraș» (John Hunyadi to the Brașovans).
- Noble and princely residence in the 16th–17th centuries; 11 Diets held here between 1670 and 1691.
- Today the «Valer Literat» Făgăraș Country Museum; disposable overshoes compulsory on the circuit.
Visiting: Summer (4 Apr–30 Sep): Mon closed, Tue–Fri 8:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–18:00; in winter it closes one hour earlier. Adult 30 lei, pupils/students 10, pensioners 15. Tickets only at the entrance office; last entry one hour before closing.
Cantacuzino Wednesday
- Filming location for Wednesday / Nevermore Academy (the official site's note).
- Three formulas: castle + gallery + park, castle + park, gallery + park; guided tours in Romanian and English.
- Bușteni, 1 Zamorei Street; park with grotto, fountains, hunting tower and church.
Visiting: Mon–Thu 10:00–19:00, Fri–Sun 10:00–20:00. Adult 85 RON (castle + gallery + park) or 65 (castle + park); park alone 25; parking 20 RON/4h. Under-5s and disabled visitors enter free.
Făgăraș sits halfway on the Brașov–Sibiu road (DN1): 67.9 km / 75 min from Brașov, 77.0 km / 84 min on to Sibiu, measured. Visit it on the way, not as a full-day destination.
Practical
Tickets
Book Bran and Peleș online: Bran often sells out, Peleș sells timed slots with 2,000 places/day. Făgăraș sells tickets only at the gate.
Mondays
Closed on Mondays: Peleș (plus Tuesdays) and Făgăraș. Bran, Corvin and Cantacuzino are open; at Bran and Corvin Monday hours start at noon.
Money
Priciest adult ticket: Bran and Peleș, 100. Cheapest full circuit: Făgăraș, 30 lei. Râșnov and Corvin's winter have no published figures.
Bases
Brașov for Bran, Râșnov, Făgăraș and Sinaia; Sinaia/Bușteni for Peleș + Cantacuzino; Sibiu for Corvin (127.4 km / about 2 h each way, measured).
Questions
Which is the most beautiful castle?
Depends what you want: royal interiors — Peleș; a Gothic fortress — Corvin; Dracula — Bran; views and Wednesday — Cantacuzino; quiet and a low price — Făgăraș.
How many castles fit in one day from Brașov?
Two, comfortably: Bran + Râșnov (about 60 km of driving) or Peleș + Cantacuzino (about 93 km). Three in a day leaves under an hour for each.
Is Bran really Dracula's castle?
The tourist legend says yes, history says otherwise: Bran is a 1377 fortress and Queen Marie's former residence. Stoker never visited Romania; his castle resembles Bran from a contemporary English engraving.
Why is Râșnov closed?
Major restoration: the town hall announced 2024 as the reopening date, now passed. The Outer Garden (ticketed) and the panoramic platform stay open.
Do you need a booking at Peleș?
In practice yes: timed hourly slots, 2,000 visitors/day, non-refundable and non-reschedulable. Also check the autumn 2026 closures before you go.
What does a Bran + Râșnov day cost?
Bran from 100 RON per adult, plus the Râșnov garden fee (unpublished amount) and about 60 km of driving, measured. On a strict budget, Făgăraș costs 30 lei.
Sources
- Bran — tickets and prices
- Bran — hours (visitor map)
- Bran — the fortress (history)
- Bran — the royal residence and Dracula
- Peleș — hours and fees
- Corvin — hours and fees
- Corvin — short history
- Râșnov — town attractions (Town Hall)
- Făgăraș — visit information
- Făgăraș — fortress history
- Cantacuzino — visiting and prices