Poenari Castle

<p>Poenari Castle is not a castle like Bran. It's a ruin. A legendary ruin, perched on a rocky spur at 850 m above the Argeș gorge. To reach it, you climb 1,480 steps — about 30-40 minutes. Your lungs will complain. Worth it.</p><p>This is where Vlad the Impaler actually ruled — not Bran, which is tourism marketing. Poenari was his real stronghold, refortified around 1457 using boyars he punished (legend says he made the "rich old men" rebuild it, literally). What remains: walls, towers, foundations, and a spectacular view over the Transfăgărășan highway snaking below.</p><p>Our advice: come early in the morning, avoid noon to 3 PM when the heat is brutal. Bring water, real walking shoes, and an extra layer — it's 5-7°C cooler up there. There are bears in the area, no joke: stay on trails, don't leave food visible.</p><p>Pair it with the Transfăgărășan road (open June-October), Vidraru Lake, and Curtea de Argeș Monastery. It's a full day — plan it as such. And if the steps are wet from rain, turn back. They're dangerous wet.</p>