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Bran Castle, Transylvania, Romania

Despite entertainment-media archetypes, the province of Transylvania (located in northwestern Romania) is actually an idyllic, totally not-creepy part of the world. Transylvania means “across the forest” in Latin, and the heavily forested region is dotted with famous castles and fascinating towns.

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One such castle is Castelul Bran, or Bran Castle, just an hour's bus ride from the city of Brasov. Bran is famous because Bram Stoker picked it to be the home of the titular character of Dracula, based on the real Wallachian king Vlad Tepes III (Vlad the Impaler). While Vlad Tepes may have used Bran as a base in the 15th century, he likely lived at one of many different castles.

The castle sits on a hill surrounded by lush greenery, unadulterated wilderness and fairytale Romanian peasant houses. It was remodeled and decorated by later Romanian royalty, leaving it pleasant and well-appointed; essentially, it's the opposite of the stereotypes.

The view of the surrounding area from one of several towers is breathtaking, while the bottom of the castle offers shops with cheesy Dracula souvenirs that are almost ironic in their incongruity with the serene forest.

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Despite entertainment-media archetypes, the province of Transylvania (located in northwestern Romania) is actually an idyllic, totally not-creepy part of the world. Transylvania means “across the forest” in Latin, and the heavily forested region is dotted with famous castles and fascinating towns.

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One such castle is Castelul Bran, or Bran Castle, just an hour's bus ride from the city of Brasov. Bran is famous because Bram Stoker picked it to be the home of the titular character of Dracula, based on the real Wallachian king Vlad Tepes III (Vlad the Impaler). While Vlad Tepes may have used Bran as a base in the 15th century, he likely lived at one of many different castles.

The castle sits on a hill surrounded by lush greenery, unadulterated wilderness and fairytale Romanian peasant houses. It was remodeled and decorated by later Romanian royalty, leaving it pleasant and well-appointed; essentially, it's the opposite of the stereotypes.

The view of the surrounding area from one of several towers is breathtaking, while the bottom of the castle offers shops with cheesy Dracula souvenirs that are almost ironic in their incongruity with the serene forest.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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