🦇Romania Calling: How Dracula Inspired My Latest Travel Adventure

I knew there was only one place I wanted to spend my 36th birthday: TRANSYLVANIA.

Vampires have always fascinated me—books, movies, folklore—you name it. So it only made sense that I finally made the pilgrimage to the land of Dracula. But Romania turned out to be so much more than spooky castles and fanged legends. I was blown away by the depth, history, and sheer beauty of the country.

🎭 Quirky Travel Is My Thing

While most people book cruises, hop over to Italy, or roam the streets of London as their first travel adventures, I’ve always done things a little differently. My passport has been stamped in Korea, Japan, and Egypt—and now Romania (and Bulgaria.)

Looking back, it all makes sense. Even in college, I was the only person who ever checked out the Egyptian Book of the Dead from our campus library. That’s when I started to see a pattern—I’m drawn to the mysterious, offbeat, and oddly specific. I’ve realized that quirky travel is my niche. If you’d rather dine in a vampire café for your birthday than blow out candles at a beach resort, welcome to the club!

Maybe it’s my Scorpio stellium talking (if you know, you know), but the pull toward dark, obscure, and layered destinations feels written in the stars.

🏰 So Why Romania?

It started—unsurprisingly—with my love of vampire lore. But what I discovered was so much more.

The storybook charm of Brasov
The vibrant nightlife and architecture in Bucharest
The resilience of the Romanian people, especially their journey from communism to independence

Every new city peeled back another layer. The deeper I explored, the more I appreciated this under-the-radar gem of a country.

✈️ Booking, Flights & Budget

This trip ended up costing a third of the original price thanks to travel points:

I didn’t stay a full week and I don’t eat a ton when I travel, so those two factors helped bring my costs down a lot. If you’re like me and prefer cash, $500 is a safe budget for five solo days.

Flight: Covered 50% with points
- Recommended Airlines: United Airlines + Detla
Hotel: Covered 80% with points
- Rec: IHG Hotels / I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Bucharest. I had a wonderful stay and the even provided me with a slice of cake for my birthday, so when booking make sure to answer the “Purpose of stay” question.
- Though it isn’t in the big city center, it IS relatively close to the airport and located in a less congested area.
Cash Spent: Way less than expected
- If I had known the cost of Uber’s beforehand, I wouldn’t have ended up with as much extra cash left over like I had.
- 💵 Suggested cash: $500, for solo traveler
Transportation: 🚗 Ubers: Budget ~$100
- Ubers are CHEAP in Bucharest. No matter where I was coming from. the Ubers ended up being less than $10. I’ve never in my life experienced such cheap Ubers.
💳 Tip: I don’t use credit cards, but if you bank with US Bank, you can order foreign currency (free over $300) before your trip.

Photos: I HIGHLY recommend hiring a photographer to capture the essence of Bucharest. I was lucky enough to find an incredible photographer that made the entire experience incredible. If you book with him, let him know I sent you!

🍽️ Food Vibes

I read mixed reviews on Romanian food pricing, but I personally found it reasonable. My money stretched further than expected, and I never felt like I had to skimp. If you’re into meat-heavy dishes, soups, and cozy cafés, you’ll be satisfied.

🍴 Food: Surprisingly affordable

I highly recommend visiting The Van Gogh Grand Cafe Bucharest (not really for the food but for the experience!)

🚫 Travel Tips & Warnings

A few honest heads-ups from my experience:

❌ Skip American Airlines and British Airways: My flight experience was a COMPLETE mess. You’ve been warned.
🛍️ Souvenirs are hit or miss: Romania doesn’t have an official tourism board, and it shows. A lot of the Dracula-themed merch was… cringey. Cartoonish Dracula’s that looked like they came from a dollar store. I even bought a tote bag in “TANsylvania” (yep, they forgot the R). Check for spelling and quality before buying.
💸 Tipping is optional: Multiple times I offered to tip photographers or guides (booked through Viator), and they politely declined or said it was optional. It felt a bit awkward, so just go with your gut.

✨ Final Thoughts

Romania was everything I hoped it would be—and then some. It scratched my itch for all things gothic and mysterious, but also surprised me with warmth, beauty, and resilience. If you’re a traveler who likes your adventures with a side of weird, eerie, and wonderfully unexpected, Romania should be high on your list.

So here’s to more trips that feel like they were made just for us—the travelers who’d rather chase legends than lounge on beaches.