First off, it’s not REALLY Dracula’s castle. Not in the historical sense. It is the official tourist version of Dracula’s castle. I’m talking about Castle Bran. Dracula’s REAL castle, at Poenari, is in ruins. To spend the night there would require a hike, a sleeping bag and “roughing it.” Personally I would love that, but not everyone would be down for it. Also, there is SOME evidence that Castle Bran MIGHT have inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional Castle Dracula in his novel, so there is a legitimate connection of sorts. Then there’s the fact that the real Dracula, Vlad III, is believed to have been briefly held prisoner at Bran. It’s also likely—though this has not been verified—that he visited Bran on other occasions during his brief rule of the principality of Wallachia.
Online friend, Dracula scholar and great-grand nephew of Bram, Dacre Stoker, has teamed up with the folks at Airbnb to offer two lucky people the chance to spend Halloween night at Castle Bran. You can enter the contest here. I probably shouldn’t be advertising this, as the more people who enter, the lesser my own chances of winning. But let’s be honest; I’m not going to win, anyway. And who knows, by sharing the love around, maybe I’ll increase my lucky juju.
