We arrived in Bucharest a couple days early to relax and see a bit more of the country before our Viking Danube River cruise.   We had booked an over night trip to Transylvania with a private guide.   There are 4 of us only so it is a very enjoyable group.   The other couple,  Drew and Janet,  are also going on the same cruise in a couple days! 

Our trip has taken us up to the 2 famous castles of Transylvania. The first. Peleş Castle, the summer palace of the Royal family of Romania built in the 1870s.

Inside it is very grand

We then visited Bran Castle,  a more medievil 13th C castle fortress from which Vlad the Impaler and his father and grandfather all ruled in the 14th and 15th centuries. 

This is a much more rustic fortress

We had a nice lunch in the main square of Brasov where we visited the Black church

We chose the overnight trip so that we wouldn’t have to ride back to Bucharest in 1 day,  and because it added a stay in Sighișoara, the hometown of Vlad the Impaler and, for us,  the opportunity to stay inside the fortified city.  

The square and buildings inside the old city are charming

In the evening light

Neither of us were toooo hungry but a cup of herbal tea and these wonderful desserts,  homemade ice cream and the Romanian national dessert of these small cake-like sweets made with boiled cottage cheese, a cheese dumpling,  with whipped sour cream and blueberry jam. Papanasi it is called.   It sounds strange but they were delicious!

Nice end to a long but interesting day!