As a big castle lover and someone who loves to dress up in costumes (but rarely does), experiencing the Halloween party at Bran Castle in Transylvania had been a dream of mine for years.
There’s just something about celebrating the creepiest night of the year next to a centuries-old Gothic castle perched on a cliff in Romania that felt perfectly dramatic.
And this year, I finally made it happen! So, of course, I had to document everything — how to get there, what to expect, and whether it’s actually worth the hype.
Article overview
Plan your trip
I assumed the party would be on Halloween night, but it’s always held on the closest Saturday. In 2025, that meant November 1st. That turned out to be a good thing since we had to fly into Bucharest on Friday afternoon.
We decided to spend a full week in Romania since it was our first time in the country. After reading reviews about people having a hard time getting back to Brasov after the party, we decided to stay 2 nights in Bran. Which I’m super happy about. It was so nice being able to walk back and forth to the castle.
Just keep in mind that Bran is much smaller—home to only about 5000 people compared to Brașov’s 240,000—so it’s quieter with fewer things to do. Luckily, we had time to explore both.
🌟 I wanted to book the beautiful Conacul Törzburg with views of the castle, but it was already booked out in August. Queen’s Heart Guesthouse is another great, modern option close by.
📍If you prefer to stay in Brașov, I recommend Casa Chitic, a beautifully renovated hotel in a historic building in the heart of the Old Town.
Ticket options
At the beginning of the year, I messaged the castle to ask when Halloween tickets would become available. I missed it last year. They told me hopefully sometime in April, but after checking every week, I only found the tickets for sale in August.
These were the options:
- Halloween Special Tour – Explore the castle’s eerie, dimly lit rooms between 9:00 and 22:00. 150 lei for adults / 70 lei for children. (Party not included.)
- Halloween Combo Ticket – Includes both the castle tour and the legendary Halloween Party in a large tent in the Royal Park (21:00–04:00). 500 lei, adults only. This is the one we got, $114 in USD.
- Count’s Special Guest Ticket – Adds a four-course Halloween dinner at Queen Maria’s Tea House, plus access to the tour and party. 1200 lei. From what I heard from other people, it was not really worth it.
- Ultimate Experience – An exclusive party in the castle’s inner courtyard with open bar, buffet, DJ, and access to all three floors. 2000 lei, limited to 100 guests.
- Time Tunnel Show – A short interactive experience full of sound and visual effects. 50 lei.
If you don’t want to do any planning yourself, you can also book through a tour company that provides guides and transport to and from Brasov. Although I do think these tickets are overpriced.
Choose a costume
One of the most fun parts of celebrating Halloween at Bran Castle is picking your costume — and truly, anything goes. I was honestly surprised by how creative people got.
I went classic and dressed as a vampire — I even ordered a custom cape from Etsy. I also tried red lipstick and vampire teeth for the first time, which was… an experience. They looked great for a few hours, but getting them to stay in was a real struggle.
If you’re going for fangs, get this kind that comes with powder that turns into a cement-like paste, not the type you have to melt silicone — trust me on that one.
You’d think everyone would be dressed as vampires, but I only saw a few! Instead, there were Maleficents, Frankensteins, Aladdins, Stormtroopers, Where’s Waldos, angels, devils, princesses, and even a Roman soldier or two wandering around the castle grounds.
My sister totally stole the show, though. She used our mom’s old nurse uniform and turned it into a “dead nurse” costume — several people said she had one of the best looks of the night!
How to get there
If you’re planning to celebrate Halloween at Bran Castle, you’ll most likely fly into Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) — it’s Romania’s main international hub.
Depending on where you’re coming from, you might also be able to fly into Sibiu International Airport (SBZ), which is smaller but slightly closer at around 2.5 hours away, though it has fewer international connections.
Brașov‑Ghimbav International Airport, 10 km northwest of Brașov, opened a few years ago but has even fewer international connections.
✈️ NB! >> If you plan on flying Wizz Air out of Henri Coandă, arrive early. It was the worst check-in experience I’ve had since Delhi. Self bag drop didn’t work. When I asked if it would be fixed, the guy just shrugged and said “don’t know”. So I had to get in line, but there was only one counter open for non-priority. I waited in line for over 1,5 hours. When I got close, people started sneaking in from the sides. After finally placing my bag on the belt, someone else handed over their tickets, so I said, “Oh, I think it is my turn”. The check-in guy just looked at me, super annoyed, and said, “I don’t know whose turn it is, and I don’t care”. I almost missed my flight even when arriving at the airport 2,5 hours before departure.
We arrived in the afternoon on the 31st, so I booked a private transfer with Welcome Pickups to take us straight from Bucharest to Bran. Their prices are often very reasonable; we paid €200 for 3 people.
It was the easiest option since we had luggage and costumes, but it wasn’t exactly quick. It took us between four and five hours, thanks to weekend/Halloween traffic and the fact that there are no motorways between Bucharest and Transylvania.
Renting a car is the best choice if you want to explore more of Transylvania and the country. The mountain villages are beautiful, so I would have loved to explore outside the cities. You can also use Daytrip if you arrive early and want to make the most of your time.
If you want to save a bit, the most common route is to take the train or bus from Bucharest to Brașov (around 2.5–3 hours on weekdays), and then continue by local bus, taxi or Bolt/Uber to Bran, which takes another 30-40 minutes.
Bran Castle
Bran Castle was originally built in the late 14th century as a fortress to defend the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, strategically perched on a rocky hill with sweeping views of the surrounding valleys.
Over the centuries, it served both military and administrative purposes and even became a royal residence in the early 20th century when it was gifted to Queen Marie of Romania, who transformed it into a fairytale-like summer home.
The castle’s association with Dracula came later — and mostly through fiction. Bram Stoker, the Irish author of Dracula, never visited Romania, but his description of the vampire’s castle in the novel happens to resemble Bran Castle’s dramatic silhouette.
Add to that the fact that Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Țepeș), the real-life ruler who inspired the Dracula legend, ruled in nearby Wallachia and briefly passed through the region, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for myth-making.
Today, Bran Castle leans into its spooky reputation — but it’s also a beautiful historical site worth visiting in its own right.
Castle tour
We opted to tour the castle early in the day, since we didn’t want to stand in line in costumes at night, when I expected it to be much colder.
I do think we could have gone through the castle again at night because they only check that you have your wristband, which you get at the main entrance. The line didn’t look too bad around 9:00 pm.
When we got there at 10:00 am, we had to wait in line for 25 minutes. So we should have been there right as they opened an hour earlier. The entrance is not along the fence like I first thought. You have to walk through an area with souvenir and food stalls to find the black main gate.
There’s no guide included with the ticket; you go through the small and narrow castle on your own. You basically walk in line the entire time because there are so many people there for Halloween.
We didn’t have time to read most of the information boards or have enough space to take photos. So I would’ve loved to return on another weekday.
I have to admit that the special Halloween decorations and actors in costume felt a little dollar store; some were cool, but generally quite tacky. For the money they pull in on this weekend, I would have liked to see some effort put into the decorations inside.
What to expect at the party
After having dinner and drinks in town, we arrived at the party around 9:30 pm. As soon as we walked onto the grounds, I couldn’t help but grin — it was more elaborate than I’d imagined. The castle itself glowed behind us with a light show that was genuinely impressive.
While a DJ, though not in costume, kept the energy high inside the massive heated tent. It was already pretty full. Everyone was dancing, laughing, and showing off their costumes under the colorful lights.
We made sure to grab drinks as soon as we arrived (the lines got long fast). There was a decent selection, and we went with classic vodka Red Bulls and vodka sodas, which cost around 35–40 lei (about $8–9) for a large glass.
Outside the tent, there were several fun photo ops — two red velvet-lined coffins, carved pumpkins, hay bales, and plenty of creepy props to pose with. The only thing I missed inside the tent was a few more seating options or those standing tables.
The vibe was super friendly — people from all over the world, taking pictures together, swapping costume compliments, and just enjoying the fact that we were literally partying at Dracula’s Castle.
Good to know
Eat before arriving. There’s a small food truck near the exit (the sausages were amazing!), but it’s best saved for after the party. We went to dinner before, although I couldn’t really eat because of my teeth. At first, we were a little shy about going into restaurants in costume, but after 8:30 pm, half the restaurant and town were in costume.
Bathrooms are limited. You can use the restrooms under the castle after the tour, but near the main party area, it’s porta-potties only — so plan ahead!
Transportation tip. If you book through a tour operator, round-trip transport from Brașov is usually included. Otherwise, Uber rides cost around $35 each way for the 30-minute drive. Though you might have to wait a while. If you get a taxi, agree on a price before you get in.
Stay warm in line. Don’t worry about freezing — there’s a free coat check inside the party tent, so bundle up and bring your warmest jacket. Or layer up in wool underneath, as my sister did. It was about 13°C during the day and 4°C when we walked home at night.
The party is heated! The Halloween bash takes place in a big heated tent on the castle grounds, perfect for dancing and mingling all night. We also walked around the garden without getting too cold. I’m guessing the party in the castle courtyard does get quite cold.
Pack light (and smart). Bring a small purse that zips, a fully charged phone, and maybe gloves. I wished I’d brought a small flask — the bar lines were long and no one checked our bags.
So was it worth it?
Absolutely — I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I think it would be most fun if you’re very sociable or come as a group, as we did.
Just bring a great costume, some patience, and maybe some vampire fangs that actually stay on. I would go bigger at put more effort into my costume next time.
And don’t just come for the weekend, spend a week at least. Romania is a beautiful country that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. I can’t wait to explore more of Transylvania and further north in the country, hopefully soon, and with a car.
🌟 Read next >> Daytrip review: Transfer from Brasov to Bucharest via Peles Castle
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