# 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

- 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

### The Bran + Râșnov day, from Brașov

- Brașov → Bran: 30.7 km, 34 min

- Bran → Râșnov: 13.8 km, 18 min

- Râșnov → Brașov: 15.4 km, 22 min

### The Peleș + Cantacuzino day, from Brașov

- Brașov → Sinaia: 45.6 km, 57 min

- Sinaia → Bușteni: 8.3 km, 16 min

- Bușteni → Brașov: 39.5 km, 54 min

### The Corvin day, from Sibiu (there and back)

- Sibiu → Hunedoara: 127.4 km, 119 min

- Hunedoara → Sibiu: 127.4 km, 119 min

## The castles, one by one

### Compare all six

- 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

### Bran

- 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).

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

- 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.

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

- 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.

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

- 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.

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

- 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.

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

- 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.

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.

## 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](https://bran-castle.com/pages/tickets)

- [Bran — hours (visitor map)](https://bran-castle.com/pages/visitor-map)

- [Bran — the fortress (history)](https://bran-castle.com/pages/bran-fortress)

- [Bran — the royal residence and Dracula](https://bran-castle.com/pages/count-dracula)

- [Peleș — hours and fees](https://peles.ro/program-de-vizitare/)

- [Corvin — hours and fees](https://www.castelulcorvinilor.ro/info-vizitatori/?lang=ro)

- [Corvin — short history](https://www.castelulcorvinilor.ro/scurta-istorie?lang=ro)

- [Râșnov — town attractions (Town Hall)](https://www.primariarasnov.ro/turist-in-rasnov/atractiile-orasului-rasnov)

- [Făgăraș — visit information](https://cetateafagarasului.com/visit)

- [Făgăraș — fortress history](https://cetateafagarasului.com/fortresss-history)

- [Cantacuzino — visiting and prices](https://cantacuzinocastle.com/vizitare/)