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I cut my hair during the pandemic. So, if I’m meeting you for the first time, I no longer look like my old bio photos or my cartoon either. I also don’t look like my passport photo – to the point that on a domestic flight recently, airline personnel stopped me at the gate before boarding to address that I do not not look like the photo on my ID (any of my ID). I countered, “Wouldn’t a faker try to look more like the image in the passport?” The passport office in Canada, however, won’t give me a new one. My fingers are crossed that the customs agents in Panama (in a couple weeks) let me into the country.

I’m the author of Lost in Moscow (published by Turnstone Press in Canada) which CBC radio dubbed “the ultimate what-I-did-last-summer essay ever.” And I was the anthology editor of the Travelers’ Tales (USA) book Wake Up and Smell the Shit. I’ve had around 85 stories (plus my photos) published in books, magazines, and newspapers around the world.

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The 2024 Dracula Expedition is sold out, but we have a waiting list for cancellations and also a waiting list for 2025’s information. Please contact us if you are interested in joining an expedition at: writers-expeditions@mail.com (and cc kirstenkoza@gmail.com). We respond quickly (if you don’t hear back within 24 hours, check your spam bin). You can also message us at our Writers’ Expeditions Facebook Page.

You’re invited to join our annual Vlad Dracula Expedition, a seven-day dinner party and Halloween celebration through Romania which includes our private dinner on Halloween night in the room where real-life Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) was born (inside the medieval walled town of Sighisoara), and it also includes the ultimate costume party at Bran Castle (“Dracula’s Castle”) celebrating Romania’s Day of the Dead.

2024 Expedition Dates: October 28 through November 3

Group Size: small group – 15 participants (it fills fast)

Scroll down past the itinerary for prices, inclusions, and the hosts’ biographies.

When we entered the cemetery in Sighisoara (the birthplace of Vlad Dracula) we were greeted by an Alfred Hitchcock sky. (Photo by Writers' Expeditions's photography host Christopher Campbell).
(Above photo by the Dracula Expedition photography host Christopher Campbell)

We’ve made the reservations—you just need to pack a costume and your inner child (or demon) for this howling party across Romania. Our seven-day (small group) expedition includes attending the Halloween festival on Day of the Dead, at Bran Castle (known as Dracula’s Castle, built circa 1377), which was owned by Vlad’s grandfather (Mircea the Old). And on Halloween night our group will have a private dinner in the chamber where real-life Dracula, Vlad Drăculea (known as Vlad the Impaler), was born, in 1431. We’ll be spending Halloween night at an inn of similar vintage, just a few doors down from the house where Vlad was born, inside the (UNESCO) medieval walled city of Sighișoara. We were the first people (and are the only) to ever host a Halloween dinner party in the room where Dracula was born, and each year we barely make it through cocktails before we are regaling each other with spine-tingling ghost stories and scary experiences from our lives.

We'll dine in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(We’ll dine in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431. Photo by Christopher Campbell)
The ruins of Poenari (AKA Dracula's Vulture's Nest) Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by our local Romanian guide and expert)
(The ruins of Poenari AKA Dracula’s Vulture’s Nest) Transylvania, Romania. Photo by our local Romanian guide and expert)

Our Transylvanian guide (with whom I explored Romania extensively) and I have designed a journey that will take us to the best local haunts: medieval castles with gruesome history, torture chambers, moody cemeteries, all contrasted with one of the most beautiful times of year to visit Romania which will be glowing in autumn colours.

And Christopher Campbell, professional photographer (Chatelaine, Food Network, HarperCollins), will be guiding you during our escapades to capture photos of a lifetime, whether you’re using a mobile device, point & shoot, or a DSLR with multiple lenses. Plus he’ll be providing you (throughout the expedition and when you get back home) with digital images of your adventures.

*New to 2024, video: We’ll be joined this year by the producer and videographer of a 19-times Emmy Award winning news correspondent who will not only provide you with video of your trip but will help those who wish to shoot video like a pro, even if you’re just using a phone.

Keep scrolling for itinerary, prices, inclusions, and hosts’ bios.

Corvin Castle. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
(Corvin Castle. Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)
You'll see horse wagons like this on our scenic drive through Transylvania's Carpathian mountains (Photo by your host, Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
(You’ll see horse wagons like this on our scenic drive through Transylvania’s Carpathian mountains. Photo by your host, Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)
The Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, photography host for The Dracula Expedition)
(The Beer Chariot, Bucharest. Photo by Christopher Campbell, photography host for The Dracula Expedition)

Day 1:  October 28th  – Meet in the lobby of our hotel, in the old town of Bucharest in the late afternoon. Next door to our hotel are the ruins of the Princely Palace, the castle that Dracula built in celebration of his own greatness or evilness. In the evening we’ll explore the historic pedways of the old town which was first settled in 70 BC and by the 1400s was the wealthiest city in Eastern Europe. Then we’ll dine at The Beer Chariot, a dazzling 19th century restaurant which is always packed with locals and boasts an extensive menu of tasty Romanian dishes. – Dinner, Overnight at Europa Royale Bucharest Hotel ****

2019's Vlad Dracula Expedition participants peruse the menus at The Beer Chariot. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(2019’s Vlad Dracula Expedition participants peruse the menus at The Beer Chariot. Photo by Christopher Campbell)

Day 2: October 29th – After a hot buffet breakfast in the hotel’s award winning restaurant, we’ll travel along the grand boulevard outside the Palace of Parliament, the heaviest building in the world (according to Guinness World Records) and the second largest administrative building in the world (following the Pentagon), and it’s also a legacy of a more recent “Dracula,” the communist dictator Ceaușescu (executed in 1989). Then we’ll break out the treat bags for our scenic drive to Targoviste and Curtea de Arges.

The Ottoman army returned to Constantinople when they encountered 20,000 impaled corpses outside Vlad's home, Targoviste.
(The Ottoman army returned to Constantinople when they encountered 20,000 impaled corpses outside Vlad’s home, Targoviste.)

The townsfolk of Targoviste were blamed by Vlad for their involvement in the assassination of his brother by the Turks. Vlad killed nobles and enslaved the townsfolk to build his clifftop castle at Poenari. Poenari is where Vlad Dracula’s wife plunged to her death to avoid capture by the invading army of Turks. We’ll be going there tomorrow. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner – Overnight in Curtea de Arges****

A beautiful cathedral with a dark secret, at the monastery of Curtea de Arges. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
(A beautiful cathedral with a dark secret, at the monastery of Curtea de Arges. Photo by Kirsten Koza)

Day 3: October 30th – Dracula’s Fortress (where Vlad’s first wife plunged to her death off a cliff to avoid capture) and then to the mind-blowing Transfăgărășan – The ruins of Poenari Castle (Dracula’s Fortress) are perched high on a rugged crag above the Arges river gorge. There are 1,480 stairs to Dracula’s “vulture nest.” One of our previous participants worked it out to being 100 storeys. Now, if you really think you can’t make the climb–there’s a lovely lodge and restaurant down the road from the first step. Please note, that due to bears in the area, sometimes we can only view the ruins from the bottom. A bear proof fence has been installed around the area, though. Following Poenari, we’ll cross the Carpathian Mountains on the Transfăgărășan Highway.

Crossing the Carpathians on the Transfagaras Highway. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(Crossing the Carpathians on the Transfagarasan Highway. Photo by Christopher Campbell)

We then plunge further west into Transylvania to Corvin Castle where Vlad Dracula was fugitive, or some argue prisoner. This is one of the largest castles in Europe and has been host to many paranormal investigative television shows from around the world. You’ll see why, or maybe some of you will feel it. – Breakfast, lunch, dinner – Overnight in Hunedoara ****

Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
(Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)

Day 4:  October 31st – Halloween – tonight we have a private dinner party in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431! After exploring Corvin Castle and the grisly torture chambers at its gates, we’ll take a picturesque drive to Sighisoara, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

(A small sample of food on our expedition. We can cater to omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, vampires and carnivores.)

A typical salad in Romania is beyond typical. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Ribs in Sibiu, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Mushrooms and polenta, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Pasta at Werk, across from Corvin Castle, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Romanian pretzels in Transylvania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
The tomatoes in Romania are out of this world. (Writers' Expeditions)
The tomatoes in Romania are divine. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Traditional soup in bread bowl - Romania. (photo by Christopher Campbell)
Papanasi - Romanian dessert (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions
Romanian cabbage rolls and polenta. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Romanian beans - photo by Christopher Campbell - Writers' Expeditions
Hashtag sausages, Romania. (Writers' Expeditions)

Night shot on the medieval streets of Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, host of the Vlad Dracula Expedition)
(Night shot on the medieval streets of Sighisoara, Romania. Photo by Kirsten Koza, host of the Vlad Dracula Expedition)

We’ll be spending Halloween night inside this preserved walled town, in a medieval hotel, a few doors down the street from the house where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431, which is where we’ll be dining. After scaring each other with spine-tingling stories around the dinner table, we’ll also pay a nighttime visit to the Saxon cemetery which also has a section along its winding downhill path for soldiers who died in World War I. – Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Palinca tasting. Overnight in hotel which is over 500 years old!

Medieval covered staircase leading to the spectacular cemetery, in Sighisoara.(Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(Medieval covered staircase leading to the spectacular cemetery, in Sighisoara. Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by our local guide and expert - Writers' Expeditions)
(Sighisoara, Romania. Photo by our local guide and expert – Writers’ Expeditions)

Day 5: November 1st – After breakfast we’ll revisit Sighisoara’s hauntingly alluring cemetery in the daylight and will climb the town’s clocktower to see its inner workings and for a breathtaking view. Then off to Rasnov: where we’ll explore the 13th century, mountaintop fortress built by Teutonic Knights, before heading to our picturesque rural mountain inn in Moieciu (where we’ll be spending the next two nights), not far from Dracula’s Castle. -Breakfast, lunch, dinner – overnight at our Transylvanian mountain inn, which although rural still has ensuite baths, wifi, and boasts delicious traditional food.

We'll be staying at our guide's family's lodge in Moecui, just 15 minutes from Dracula's castle. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(We’ll be staying at a beautiful rural mountain inn in Moieciu for two nights. Photo by Christopher Campbell)

Day Six: Day of the Dead! November 2nd: Costume party at Bran Castle!

Bran Castle, known as "Dracula's Castle." (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
(Bran Castle, known as “Dracula’s Castle.” Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)

After a hearty rural breakfast, we’ll drive to Brasov where we’ll conquer the medieval ramparts, watchtowers, and Saxon churches (if they don’t conquer us). But best of all, this walled city boasts one of the narrowest streets in Europe. You’ll have some free time in Brasov to wander or shop, as well.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is halloween-brasov-1024x614.jpg
(Brasov, photo by our Romanian guide, Writers’ Expeditions)

Then it’s back to Moeciu for dinner and to put on our costumes for the festivities at Dracula’s Castle! Tonight is the ultimate costume party –  at Dracula’s castle, Transylvania. Adults of all ages come from around the world for this festival. Every year they decorate the castle differently. You’ll get to photograph some fantastic costumes. Whoever wants to stay to dance into the night is welcome to do so. If anyone would rather return to the inn, they’ll be driven back to Moieciu. – All meals, overnight at mountain inn

2019's participants at our guide's mountain lodge before heading to the Halloween party at Dracula's castle. (Writers' Expeditions - The Vlad Dracula Expedition)
(2019’s participants pose at our mountain lodge before heading to the Halloween party at Dracula’s castle. Writers’ Expeditions – The Vlad Dracula Expedition)
We'll go to the costume party at Bran Castle, AKA Dracula's Castle. (photo by our Romanian guide, Writers' Expeditions)
(Bran Castle, AKA Dracula’s Castle. Photo by our Romanian guide, Writers’ Expeditions)

Day 7: November 3rd today we travel to Vlad the Impaler’s grave on an islandand then back to Bucharest

This morning we’ll sleep in before heading away from Transylvania back to Wallachia, stopping for the climax of Vlad’s life – his death – and his unusual burial wishes.

Farewell: We’ll then drop you off (near 6:00 PM) at the airport, or in Bucharest, or at an Otopeni airport hotel, or the train station in Bucharest, for the next leg of your journey. – Breakfast, lunch, return to Bucharest 

PRICES AND INCLUSIONS (FOLLOWED BY HOST BIOS): This trip includes tons, so please do scroll down to inclusions – it is $2000 USD per person in a double/shared room for two (either twin beds available or queen/double for couples). If you want a single room and don’t want to share, the single room supplement (to have your own burp and fart space) is $250 USD for the entire trip, which is nothing more than the extra cost to have that single room. A deposit (which comes off your total) of $300 USD reserves your spot. Anyone from around the world is welcome, and you can check the currency conversion from USD to yours in a quick google search. Please contact us with questions or to join the expedition at:  writers-expeditions@mail.com (and cc kirstenkoza@gmail.com). We respond quickly (if you don’t hear back within 24 hours, check your spam bin). You can also message us at our Writers’ Expeditions Facebook Page.

Inclusions:

  • All accommodation (the delightful inns are small and unique – three and four star, with private bath, and wifi)
  • All meals (don’t blame us if you gain weight – the food in Romania is fabulous, and you’re the one ordering what you want from the menus)
  • Photography and videography sessions for those who wish
  • Professional digital images of your journey
  • video of your adventure
  • Writing tips for any who wish (however, please note this is a roving dinner party and photography adventure, not a writing workshop)
  • All transfers and transportation on tours
  • English-speaking, Transylvanian guide
  • Our own driver and private vehicle
  • All entrance fees to castles and museums

Exclusions:

  • Airfare
  • Alcohol
  • Visa

Kirsten describes your hosts:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is chris-camera-cock.jpg
(Christopher Campbell, Photographer)

Christopher Campbell: once again I’ve invited one of my favourite photographers (and one of the best travel companions you’ll ever meet) to lead our photographic adventures and share a lifetime of tips, tricks & technique. You have probably seen his images displayed on TV’s Food Network cooking shows or in publications as varied as ChatelaineSpa Magazine, or HarperCollins cookbooks–and most definitely in ads–he’s the one you can blame for making you crave Absolut Vodka, Kahlua, that dew dripping glass of Gordon’s gin, Florida oranges, late night fast food at Wendy’s or McDonald’s (blame him for that), or test driving a Mercedes—that’s Christopher Campbell’s fault too. This is Chris’s seventh year hosting our Dracula Expedition. He’s also been our photography host twice in Jordan and in Vietnam.

(Rigel Noble-Koza, Producer, Videographer – on set in Manhattan)

Rigel Noble-Koza: videographer, producer, editor, and photographer:

Rigel works as a video producer, editor, and all-around camera and tech expert for 19x Emmy Award Winning reporter John Stossel who you probably remember as a correspondent and anchor on ABC’s 20/20.

Rigel will be making a video of your adventure and helping you to capture your own as well.

He regularly produces short documentary style videos that get millions of views on social media.

His work has helped expose unconstitutional overreach, cronies and corruption (like a government seizing an old man’s home, selling it, and keeping the profits over just $8 in unpaid taxes. Yes, really. $8. That’s not a typo).

Rigel has worked on video interviews with big names across all sides of different issues like: whistleblower Edward Snowden (and the man who wanted Snowden executed: Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo), former NBA star Enes Kanter, the controversial Jordan B Peterson, Republican Senator Rand Paul, and previous Democratic presidential hopefuls Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard.

Before his career in journalism, Rigel graduated at the top of his class at Full Sail University.

(Kirsten Koza, author, travel writer, photographer, humourist)

Kirsten Koza: I’m your host and expedition designer and am a professional adventure travel writer, author, humourist and journalist. I ruthlessly pretest the Writers’ Expeditions trips to find the best local guides, tour operators, and unique adventures, so you can have a great experience. I’ve had more than seventy-five stories published in books, magazines, and newspapers around the world, on topics as varied as going inside the largest Syrian refugee camp, bullfighting, cannibalism, tornado chasing, mountain biking, dildos, dictators, Putin, gluten, mutants, and politics. I’ve even made the front page of Kyrgyzstan’s national newspaper. I’m the author of Lost in Moscow: A Brat in the USSR and edited the Traveler’s Tales anthology Wake Up and Smell the Shit: Hilarious Travel Disasters, Monstrous Toilets, and a Demon Dildo.

And we leave you with some photos of Halloween costumes, food and fun from past expeditions and a three-minute documentary made by a participant from a previous expedition. Turn up your speakers for it! The Dracula Expedition Video!

Bucharest police patrolling on Segways - Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Full moon over Bucharest. (Writers' Expeditions)
Night falls at the cemetery in Sighisoara, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Halloween party goers at Bran Castle (Dracula's castle), Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
Transylvania, Romania, Heroes' Cross, Caraiman Peak (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Halloween 2016 food meat balls
A Roma tinsmith, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
We're invited into a gypsy home for fun and drinks. (Writers' Expeditions)
Chris and Kirsten, your Vlad Dracula expedition hosts (Writers' Expeditions)
Repeating pattern, photography tips, at Curtea de Arges, 2018 (Writers' Expeditions - Christopher Campbell)
2017 Vlad Dracula Expedition participant in Sighisoara. (Writers' Expeditions)
2018 Writers' Expeditions group shot after getting ready to go to the halloween party at Bran Castle.
Halloween party 2017 group shot. (Writers' Expeditions)
Papanasi, a donut-like dessert made fresh and served piping hot, in Romanian restaurants. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Autumn colours and snow capped Carpathians. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Halloween group shot 2016 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Bran Castle courtyard during the Halloween party (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
2019 Dracula Expedition, Sighisoara
Sibiu, Romania. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Climbing the stairs to Dracula's fortress. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Writers' Expeditions, Sighisoara, (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Palace of Parliament, Bucharest. Stairs. (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
Bram Stoker's Dracula at Vlad Dracula's costume party with a 2016 participant. (Writers' Expeditions)
Pink waffle truck, Brasov, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
2018 Vlad Dracula participants in their vampire costumes.
Beer at the Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
Romania, 2018, view from Rasnov. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
Outside the torture exhibit, Vlad Dracula Expedition. (Writers' Expeditions)
Writers' Expeditions, Targoviste, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Picturesque drive in Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza of Writers' Expeditions)
Palinca tasting in Sighisoara. (Writers' Expeditions)
Horse wagons are a common in Romania (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Fountains in Sibiu - past Writers' Expeditions participants. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Kirsten Koza, your Vlad Dracula Expedition host, hanging with Vlad. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Dracula's "vulture's nest" (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Sighisoara, Romania - this medieval walled city is a UNESCO site (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
Our Vlad Dracula Expedition group, from 2015, getting ready for the Halloween party at Bran Castle, Transylvania. (Writers' Expeditions)
Vlad Dracula Expedition, palinca toast, Writers' Expeditions, Bucharest.
Local made Romanian cheese aged in tree bark. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
The menu called the dish fourskins. You can imagine the jokes. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
The Beer Chariot, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
In the town square of Sighisoara (Photo by Christopher Campbell, 2016)
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We are sold out for this expedition, but if you’d like to be put on the waiting list in case of a cancellation, please contact us at:  writers-expeditions@mail.com.

Decency Be Damned: a seven-day roving writing workshop across Yorkshire, England, hosted by Writers’ Expeditions and Exploring York – from May 13-19, 2024.

Writers of any genre of fiction and nonfiction: You are invited to leave your safety nets at home and join us for a rollicking week of writing across Yorkshire, where you’ll be encouraged—and enabled!—to go beyond the bounds of decency. You’ll acquire techniques and exercises used by actors on the stage and apply them to the page. With your pen or keyboard, you’ll improvise, method act and perform dangerous feats. Inspiration will be gleaned from the activities we’ve planned and places we’ll stay. We’ll brave a ghost walk in Europe’s most haunted city, devour an orgasm of chocolates, and we’ll hunker down and write with an internationally bestselling crime novelist in the very hotel where Agatha Christie hid during the national manhunt for her. We’ll plot mayhem at the Guy Fawkes Inn, will spend a night in Lewis Carroll’s house, and we’ll feast on the exploits of the Vikings and Romans—of course, all the while, delighting in English countryside, seaside villages, and stately homes.

Writer’s block be damned! Decency be damned! This workshop is a daring adventure of storytelling and writing!

(Scroll down for itinerary, details, and prices for Decency Be Damned. This is a small group workshop which accommodates just 12 participants)

The North Yorkshire Moors steam train we'll take to Whitby, where we'll stay in Lewis Carroll's Yorkshire home.
The North Yorkshire Moors steam train that we’ll ride to Whitby, where we’ll stay for a night in Lewis Carroll’s Yorkshire home, now a seaside boutique hotel with exotic themed rooms.
The Stoker is one of the themed rooms at La Rosa boutique hotel (formerly Lewis Carroll's Yorkshire home). The view of the sea and Whitby Abbey (seen from that bed) inspired Bram Stoker to write "Dracula." (Photo courtesy of La Rosa)
The Stoker is one of the fabulous themed hotel rooms (and we’ve booked them all) at La Rosa boutique hotel (formerly Lewis Carroll’s Yorkshire home). The view of the sea and Whitby Abbey (seen from that bed) inspired Bram Stoker to write “Dracula.” (Photo courtesy of La Rosa)

(Scroll down for itinerary, prices, and hosts’ bios. If you contact us, please know that we respond quickly by email: writers-expeditions@mail.com, and if you don’t hear back, either we didn’t receive your email, or our reply is possibly in your spam bin. We can also be messaged from our Writers’ Expeditions Facebook page, which seems to work without fail.)  

Yorkshire tea. (photo taken during our 2018 expedition by your workshop host, Kirsten Koza)
Yorkshire tea (Photo taken during our 2018 expedition by your workshop host, Kirsten Koza)

TOUR ITINERARY 

Monday, May 13th, 2024

2:00 pm: check in at our hotel (owned by Hilton) at Monk Bar, which is a 14th century gate (not a bar) and is also the largest and most ornate entrance to the walled city.

Afternoon & Evening: meet & greet at our warm-up writing workshop, in the hotel bar (an actual bar and one with an extensive gin menu), before we head to dine at the Guy Fawkes Inn. This medieval inn is the birthplace of the infamous plotter, Guido Fawkes.

Guy Fawkes painting by Henry Perronet Briggs (c. 1823) titled Discovery of the Gunpowder Plot (public domain)
Guy Fawkes painting by Henry Perronet Briggs (c. 1823) titled Discovery of the Gunpowder Plot (public domain)

9:00 pm – Ghost Tour: York is home to some of the world’s more notorious ghosts. It was named the most haunted city in Europe, and tonight our guide promises to give us the creeps as he reveals York’s spooky secrets around each dark corner of the cobbled streets.

The Shambles, at night, York (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Our 2019 participants strolling The Shambles, at night, on our private ghost tour of York. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)

(Dinner, Ghost Tour, Overnight in York)

Tuesday, May 14th

Morning: After enjoying an English breakfast (or something lighter if you prefer), you’ll be given a writing prompt, and then our guide will take us on a tour (imbued with quirky trivia) of York Minster, the world’s third largest medieval gothic cathedral and York’s most acclaimed historical site.

Statue of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, York Minster.
Statue of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, York Minster

Then we’ll indulge in York’s Chocolate Story. Chocolate has resulted in renown and fortune for York for near 300 years. We’ll learn the art of the chocolatier and how to eat chocolate too – yes, we’ll receive a chocolate eating lesson. (Free time for writing and lunch.)

Yorkshire rarebit, in York. (photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
Yorkshire rarebit, in York (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)
Yorkshire Fat Rascals (Photo by our local guide and expert Matthew Greenwood, Exploring York)
Yorkshire Fat Rascals (Photo by our local guide and expert Matthew Greenwood, Exploring York)

Afternoon: We’ll meander the  streets and alleyways of the walled city with our guide. Roman York became the birthplace of Western Christianity, but the Romans’ achievements were brutally exsanguinated when the Vikings transformed Jorvik into an international trading hub centuries ahead of its time, making Medieval York the capital of the North. We’ll visit the Jorvik Viking Centre, where we’ll ride a Jurassic Park-like theme ride through a life-size diorama of Viking Jorvik, complete with an authentic whiff of Viking life and ending in a museum of artifacts, including entire skeletons that are visibly afflicted with the ailments of the era, and a ginormous Viking coprolite (as in a fossilized Viking poop that has been compared to the crown jewels for its significance).

Cocktail Hour & Characters Workshop – and then free time for dinner and to explore more of York.

(Breakfast, Entrances to the Minster, Chocolate Story and tasting, and Viking museum, Overnight in York)

Wednesday, May 15th (pack your steamer trunk this morning, because today we take the steam train to the seaside where you’ll be writing yourself into scenes from Dracula and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass while staying in Lewis Carroll’s Yorkshire home)

Goathland's train station was a film location for the train station at Hogwarts. (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Goathland’s train station was a film location for the train station at Hogwarts. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Whitby, Yorkshire (photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
Whitby, Yorkshire (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)

Morning: breakfast – and then we’ll take the steam train along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering through Goathland (film location for the Hogwarts Express train station at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry), and of course we’ll discuss the success of J.K. Rowling – the whys and hows – and how this relates to stories going viral on the Internet, and then we’ll continue our train ride to Whitby.

Afternoon: We’ll visit the coastal town of Whitby, the birthplace of Captain Cook. But, also, it was while visiting Whitby, after an exhausting theatrical tour, that Bram Stoker got inspiration for Dracula. Then it’s down (or should we go up?) the 199 steps from Whitby’s gothic abbey, culminating in the reward of award winning fish and chips (gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options available).

Whitby Abbey, Yorkshire. (photo by the fabulous George Hodan)
Whitby Abbey, Yorkshire (Photo by the fabulous George Hodan)
Cod & Chips at The Magpie (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Cod & Chips at The Magpie (Photo by Kirsten Koza)

Then we check in at La Rosa boutique hotel where they describe themselves as “more boudoir than boutique.”

Evening: You’ll be given a writing prompt for the evening, and then you have free time in Whitby to dine, explore, and write.

(Breakfast, Steam Train, Lunch, Whitby Abbey Tickets, Overnight at La Rosa in Whitby)

La Rosa, another one of the themed boudoirs at the hotel (Photo courtesy of La Rosa Hotel)
La Rosa, another one of the themed boudoirs, with a sea view, at the hotel. (Photo courtesy of La Rosa Hotel)
And just one more themed room to tease you and show you how varied they all are - this is the Lewis, inspired by Lewis Carroll's study. (Photo courtesy of La Rosa Hotel)
And just one more themed room, with sea view, to tease you and show you how varied they all are – this is the Lewis, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s study. (Photo courtesy of La Rosa Hotel)

Thursday, May 16th

Morning: breakfast will be delivered to you in a hamper in your room this morning! Then we’ll check out of our hotel and travel through the countryside to Castle Howard where you’ll be given a “Decency Be Damned” writing assignment.

Castle Howard
Castle Howard, North Yorkshire

This Yorkshire stately home is one of Britain’s finest. It’s resplendent in world famous art and opulent architecture. You might recognize Castle Howard as it was used in both the TV and film adaptations of Evelyn Waugh’s book Brideshead Revisited.

Writing time: outside on Castle Howard’s spectacular grounds or at one of its indoor or outdoor patio cafes.

Temple of the Four Winds, at Castle Howard, Yorkshire.
Temple of the Four Winds, at Castle Howard, Yorkshire

Afternoon: We’ll take our private mini bus to the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where we’ll be dining and spending the night at The Buck Inn, in the perfect picture-postcard village of Malham. At this evening’s workshop, if you have bladder issues, you might want to pull on some diapers, because you’ll be laughing so hard you won’t just be crying.

The Buck Inn, Malham. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
The Buck Inn, Malham. We’ve booked the entire inn for Decency Be Damned, again! (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)
Malham Cove was a film location used in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and is in walking distance from our lodgings.(Photo by George Hodan)
Malham Cove was a film location used in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and is in walking distance from our lodgings.  (Photo by George Hodan)

(Breakfast, Dinner, Castle Howard Entrance, Overnight at The Buck Inn/Malham)

Friday, May 17th 

We have an exciting creative adventure planned for you today. Our writing workshop will be held in the courtyard of Richard III’s ruined castle.

Middleham, Yorkshire, So English (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Middleham, Yorkshire – so English (Photo by Kirsten Koza)

We’ll have lunch at a country pub, and (in our private mini-bus) we’ll traverse the limestone scenery and the unique valleys known as dales. You’ll see stone-built villages, field barns, drystone walls, Swaledale sheep, flower-laden meadows, plus the Aysgarth Falls (you might remember these waterfalls from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), and the North Yorkshire village of Kettlewell (of Calendar Girls fame).

Kettlewell, Yorkshire (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Kettlewell, Yorkshire (Photo by Kirsten Koza)

Evening: We’ll check in at The Old Swan Harrogate which is surrounded by idyllic English gardens and is just a three-minute walk from the spa town’s centre. Our hotel “combines Victorian splendour with contemporary luxury.” It was here where Agatha Christie hid in 1926, resulting in an 11-day national manhunt for her.

Our views of North Yorkshire. (Photo by George Hodan)
Our views while exploring North Yorkshire (Photo by George Hodan)

Free time for dinner in Harrogate. Your hosts are both foodies and will happily make recommendations.

(Breakfast, Overnight at The Old Swan in Harrogate)

Saturday, May 18th

Morning: breakfast in The Old Swan’s glass-ceilinged Wedgwood dining room – and then we’ll travel to a secluded valley to explore Fountains Abbey, one of the biggest and best preserved ruined (which sounds like an oxymoron) Cistercian monasteries in England.

We’ll stop at The Black Sheep Brewery for lunch where you can also put finishing touches on your story.

Yorkshire, Fountains Abbey (photo by George Hodan)
Yorkshire, Fountains Abbey (Photo by George Hodan)
Fountains Abbey (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Fountains Abbey (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
2019's participants at the 2nd of the breweries. There was a definite winner, but we're not going to reveal. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Some of 2019’s Decency Be Damned participants at an historic pub. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)

Evening: three course dinner in Harrogate at an excellent brasserie, and readings back at The Old Swan.

(Breakfast, Dinner, Overnight at The Old Swan in Harrogate)

Sunday, May 19th

The grand finale of Decency Be Damned: a fabulous day of murder led by internationally bestselling (and also, notably, a Sunday Times bestseller) crime novelist, David Mark—in the library, at The Old Swan, with something other than a lead pipe.

Sink into your armchair and prepare to write dangerously!

David Mark, crime novelist from Yorkshire.

Before writing twenty acclaimed books, including the internationally bestselling Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy series, David spent more than fifteen years as a journalist—and for seven of those years he was a crime reporter with The Yorkshire Post. This man knows murder, and you can tell when you read his books which aren’t just page-turners but are superbly crafted works of literature which engage all your senses.

David is a sought-after performer and public speaker at literary festivals, but the twelve of you have him all to yourselves.

David’s BBC Radio 4 drama, A Marriage of Inconvenience, aired last year, and his first novel is currently being adapted for the stage.

(David Mark at Penguin Random House: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/231321/david-mark/)

Today’s writing workshop with David will end around four PM, and you can either head to the Harrogate train station (just a mile from The Old Swan) to travel to your next destination or airport, or you can book another night so you can enjoy the Turkish baths or a cream tea, in this Victorian spa town.

(Breakfast in the Wedgewood, full day workshop with David Mark)

BIOS OF EXPEDITION HOSTS – FOLLOWED BY PRICES

Kirsten Koza (writing workshop host): is a humourist and adventurer. She is the author of the book, Lost in Moscow, published by Turnstone Press and dubbed by CBC radio Canada “the ultimate what-I-did-last-summer essay ever.” Kirsten edited the Travelers’ Tales (USA) humour anthology, Wake Up and Smell the Shit, and read thousands of stories for that book before narrowing it down to the 31 writers she selected for the volume. She’s had over 75 stories published in books, magazines and newspapers around the world and has repeatedly been invited to speak at the American Society of Journalists and Authors annual conference in New York, on the power of social media for writers and making stories go viral.

Kirsten has taught both postgraduate and 3rd year acting, in England, at the University of East London and East 15 Acting School (famous for method acting). She did her BA in theatre at Dalhousie University, in Canada, and her postgrad in the UK at E-15. The final production of her postgrad was staged in Yorkshire. Prior to becoming a professional writer, she worked in theatres across Canada and was the Artistic Director of Canada’s oldest professional summer theatre. Her theatre background has had a massive impact on how she writes, and she looks forward to sharing these methods and other tips with you on the Decency be Damned writing workshop, in Yorkshire.

You can read a couple of her adventures (published in books and magazines) by following these links, and you’ll probably surmise why the management at Travelers’ Tales publishing house affectionately call Kirsten “the Canadian lunatic”: “Chasing Tornadoes” published in the ninth volume of The Best Women’s Travel Writing books, and “The Mountain Men Who Don’t Exist in Kyrgyzstan” published by Perceptive Travel magazine.

Matthew Greenwood of Exploring York

Matthew Greenwood (your local guide & expert): created his tour company, Exploring York, in 2004, out of a love for his native county of Yorkshire and his lifelong passion for travel. He has guided a wide variety of groups ranging from policemen from Sudan to venture capitalists from New Mexico and adores showing visitors from around the globe his home city and county.

When Matthew was a child he wanted to be a hotel manager and had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of international hotel chains. His interest in all things travel continued through life. He says the reason we embark on journeys is for the unknown, to make discoveries outside our realm of imagination. His own travels have circled the planet. A chance-meeting with a charity worker led to a lifetime dream-trip to Rwanda where he walked among the mountain gorillas, something he couldn’t have imagined coming true when watching Gorillas in the Mist as a child. That trip also fed Matthew’s appetite for learning about war and atrocities and how humanity can endure and overcome. This passion has led to him taking self-study trips (what he calls holidays) to Bosnia, Serbia, Cambodia and Vietnam, where he and Kirsten met in Hanoi outside Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum.

Matthew has a keen interest and knowledge in all aspects of history, British and American politics and world affairs.

PRICES AND INCLUSIONS: prices include hotel accommodations – full breakfasts daily – three three-course dinners –  one lunch – daily tours -museum and historical site entrances – transportation (our own private mini-bus, and a steam train journey) while on tours – private guide – and writing workshops.

The price based upon a twin shared room is £2100 per person. If you prefer a single room all to yourself at the hotels, there is an additional hotel cost of £200 total, for the entire trip.

deposit of £300 reserves your place (this amount comes off the total)Canadians and Americans can pay the deposit in dollars (CAD and US) – the currency conversion will be calculated on the day you make the payment.

The group size for this trip is just 12 participants! Please email Kirsten at  writers-expeditions@mail.com (and to make sure we get your email please cc kirstenkoza@gmail.com), or message us from the Writers’ Expeditions Facebook page with any questions you might have. We respond quickly, so if you don’t hear back within 24 hours, please do try the method you didn’t, or check your spam bin for our reply.

EXCLUSIONS: international flights and transportation to and from the first and last hotels, alcohol.

Bettys Cafe Tea Room, and that's not a typo - Bettys has no apostrophe however much you'd like to add one (photo by our guide, Matthew Greenwood, Exploring York)
Bettys Cafe Tea Room, and that’s not a typo – Bettys has no apostrophe however much you’d like to add one. (Photo by our guide, Matthew Greenwood, Exploring York)
2019's Decency Be Damned participants on the steam train. (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Some of 2019’s Decency Be Damned participants on the adult version of the “Hogwarts Express.” (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Yorkshire Dales (Photo by George Hodan)
Yorkshire Dales (Photo by George Hodan)
2018's participants reading their indecencies at the Old Swan (photo by Kirsten Koza)
2018’s participants reading their indecencies at the Old Swan (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Decency Be Damned participants during our ghost walk in 2019 (Photo by Kirsten Koza).
Decency Be Damned participants during our ghost walk (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Driving through the Yorkshire Countryside in the Spring (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Driving through the Yorkshire countryside in the spring (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
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This is sold out for 2023 and for 2024, but we can put you on a cancellation list (follow link for 2024 details): http://kirstenkoza.com/expeditions/vlad-dracula-expedition-romania-halloween-2024/

You’re invited to join our annual Vlad Dracula Expedition, a seven-day dinner party and Halloween celebration through Romania which includes the ultimate Halloween costume party at Bran Castle, and our private dinner on October 31st in the room where real-life Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) was born.

2023 Expedition dates: October 26th – November 1 (we’ll be running this adventure again in 2024).

Maximum group-size for this expedition is 15.

 Scroll down past the itinerary for prices, inclusions, and the hosts’ biographies.

When we entered the cemetery in Sighisoara (the birthplace of Vlad Dracula) we were greeted by an Alfred Hitchcock sky. (Photo by Writers' Expeditions's photography host Christopher Campbell).
(Above photo by the Dracula Expedition photography host Christopher Campbell)

We’ve made all the reservations—you just need to pack a costume and your inner child (or demon) for this howling Halloween party across Romania. Our seven-day (small group) expedition includes attending the Halloween festival, at Bran Castle (known as Dracula’s Castle, built circa 1377), which was owned by Vlad’s grandfather (Mircea the Old). And on Halloween night our group will have a private dinner in the chamber where real-life Dracula, Vlad Drăculea (known as Vlad the Impaler), was born, in 1431. We’ll be spending Halloween night at an inn of similar vintage, just a few doors down from the house where Vlad was born, inside the (UNESCO) medieval walled city of Sighișoara. We were the first people (and are the only) to ever host a Halloween dinner party in the room where Dracula was born, and each year we barely make it through cocktails before we are regaling each other with spine-tingling ghost stories and scary and experiences from our lives.

We'll dine in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(We’ll dine in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431. Photo by Christopher Campbell)
The ruins of Poenari (AKA Dracula's Vulture's Nest) Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by our local Romanian guide and expert)
(The ruins of Poenari AKA Dracula’s Vulture’s Nest) Transylvania, Romania. Photo by our local Romanian guide and expert)

Our Transylvanian guide (with whom I explored Romania extensively) and I have designed a journey that will take us to the best local haunts: medieval castles with gruesome history, torture chambers, moody cemeteries, all contrasted with one of the most beautiful times of year to visit Romania which will be glowing in autumn colours.

And Christopher Campbell, professional photographer (Chatelaine, Food Network, HarperCollins), will be guiding you during our escapades to capture photos of a lifetime, whether you’re using a mobile device, point & shoot, or a DSLR with multiple lenses. Plus he’ll be providing you (throughout the expedition and when you get back home) with digital images of your adventures.

Keep scrolling for itinerary, prices, inclusions and hosts’ bios.

Corvin Castle. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
(Corvin Castle. Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)
You'll see horse wagons like this on our scenic drive through Transylvania's Carpathian mountains (Photo by your host, Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
(You’ll see horse wagons like this on our scenic drive through Transylvania’s Carpathian mountains. Photo by your host, Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)
The Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, photography host for The Dracula Expedition)
(The Beer Chariot, Bucharest. Photo by Christopher Campbell, photography host for The Dracula Expedition)

Day 1:  October 26th  – Meet in the lobby of our hotel, in the old town of Bucharest, at 5:00 PM. Next door to our hotel are the ruins of the Princely Palace, the castle that Dracula built in celebration of his own greatness or evilness. In the evening we’ll explore the historic pedways of the old town which was first settled in 70 BC and by the 1400s was the wealthiest city in Eastern Europe. Then we’ll dine at The Beer Chariot, a dazzling 19th century restaurant which is always packed with locals and boasts an extensive menu of tasty Romanian dishes. – Dinner. Palinca shots. Overnight at Europa Royale Bucharest Hotel ****

2019's Vlad Dracula Expedition participants peruse the menus at The Beer Chariot. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(2019’s Vlad Dracula Expedition participants peruse the menus at The Beer Chariot. Photo by Christopher Campbell)

Day 2: October 27th – After a hot buffet breakfast in the hotel’s award winning restaurant, we’ll travel along the grand boulevard outside the Palace of Parliament, the heaviest building in the world (according to Guinness World Records) and the second largest administrative building in the world (following the Pentagon), and it’s also a legacy of a more recent “Dracula,” the communist dictator Ceaușescu (executed in 1989). Then we’ll break out the treat bags for our scenic drive towards Poenari and Curtea de Arges.

The Ottoman army returned to Constantinople when they encountered 20,000 impaled corpses outside Vlad's home, Targoviste.
(The Ottoman army returned to Constantinople when they encountered 20,000 impaled corpses outside Vlad’s home, Targoviste.)

The townsfolk of Targoviste were blamed by Vlad for their involvement in the assassination of his brother by the Turks. Vlad killed nobles and enslaved the townsfolk to build his clifftop castle at Poenari. Poenari is where Vlad Dracula’s wife plunged to her death to avoid capture by the invading army of Turks.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner – Overnight in Curtea de Arges****

A beautiful cathedral with a dark secret, at the monastery of Curtea de Arges. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
(A beautiful cathedral with a dark secret, at the monastery of Curtea de Arges. Photo by Kirsten Koza)

Day 3: October 28th – Halloween Party at Dracula’s Castle and the mind-blowing Transfăgărășan! 

Crossing the Carpathians on the Transfagaras Highway. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(Crossing the Carpathians on the Transfagarasan Highway. Photo by Christopher Campbell)

We’ll cross the Carpathian Mountains on the Transfăgărășan Highway. Then we’ll wine and dine family-style at our guide’s gorgeous inn and don our costumes for the Halloween festival at Bran Castle.

We’ll be spending the next two nights in a mountain village near Bran Castle (“Dracula’s Castle”).

We'll be staying at our guide's family's lodge in Moecui, just 15 minutes from Dracula's castle. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)

(A small sample of food on our expedition. We can cater to omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, vampires and carnivores.)

A typical salad in Romania is beyond typical. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Ribs in Sibiu, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Mushrooms and polenta, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Pasta at Werk, across from Corvin Castle, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Romanian pretzels in Transylvania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
The tomatoes in Romania are out of this world. (Writers' Expeditions)
The tomatoes in Romania are divine. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Traditional soup in bread bowl - Romania. (photo by Christopher Campbell)
Papanasi - Romanian dessert (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions
Romanian cabbage rolls and polenta. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Romanian beans - photo by Christopher Campbell - Writers' Expeditions
Hashtag sausages, Romania. (Writers' Expeditions)

Bran Castle, known as "Dracula's Castle." (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
(Bran Castle, known as “Dracula’s Castle.” Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)
2019's participants at our guide's mountain lodge before heading to the Halloween party at Dracula's castle. (Writers' Expeditions - The Vlad Dracula Expedition)
(2019’s participants pose at our guide’s mountain lodge before heading to the Halloween party at Dracula’s castle. Writers’ Expeditions – The Vlad Dracula Expedition)

Tonight is the ultimate costume party –  at Dracula’s castle, Transylvania. Adults of all ages come from around the world for this festival. Every year they decorate the castle differently. You’ll get to photograph some fantastic costumes. Whoever wants to stay to dance into the night is welcome to do so. If anyone would rather return to the inn, they’ll be driven back to Moieciu.

We'll go to the costume party at Bran Castle, AKA Dracula's Castle. (photo by our Romanian guide, Writers' Expeditions)
(Bran Castle, AKA Dracula’s Castle. Photo by our Romanian guide, Writers’ Expeditions)

Day 4: October 29th Brasov and then to Rasnov Fortress: We’ll have a sleep-in after the party followed by a hearty farm breakfast (or lighter if you wish). Then we’ll drive to Brasov where we’ll conquer the medieval ramparts, watchtowers, and Saxon churches (if they don’t conquer us). But best of all, this walled city boasts one of the narrowest streets in Europe. – All meals, overnight at our guide’s Transylvanian mountain farm inn, in Moiecu, and yes there’s high speed internet and private ensuite bathrooms, and a breathtaking view

Brasov, photo by our Romanian guide, Writers’ Expeditions

Day 5: October 30th – ghosts and legends

We continue on our Vlad Dracula Expedition, stopping in Sibiu, a town steeped in legend and named by Forbes magazine as one of the 10 most idyllic places to live in Europe. It was here that Mihnea the Evil, Dracula’s son, was murdered in front of the cathedral. We then plunge further west into Transylvania to Corvin Castle where Vlad Dracula was fugitive, or some argue prisoner. This is one of the largest castles in Europe and has been host to many paranormal investigative television shows from around the world. You’ll see why, or maybe some of you will feel it. – Breakfast, lunch, dinner – Overnight in Hunedoara ****

Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)

Day 6: October 31st – Hunedoara to Sighișoara – tonight we have our private dinner party in the room where Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) was born in 1431!

Night shot on the medieval streets of Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, host of the Vlad Dracula Expedition)
(Night shot on the medieval streets of Sighisoara, Romania. Photo by Kirsten Koza, host of the Vlad Dracula Expedition)

After exploring Corvin Castle and the grisly torture chambers at its gates, we’ll take a picturesque drive to Sighișoara, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Medieval covered staircase leading to the spectacular cemetery, in Sighisoara.(Photo by Christopher Campbell)
(Medieval covered staircase leading to the spectacular cemetery, in Sighisoara. Photo by Christopher Campbell)

We’ll be spending Halloween night inside this preserved walled town, in a medieval hotel, a few doors down the street from the house where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431, which is where we’ll be dining. After scaring each other with spine-tingling stories around the dinner table, we’ll also pay a nighttime visit to the cemetery. – Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Palinca tasting. Overnight in hotel which is over 500 years old!

Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by our local guide and expert - Writers' Expeditions)
(Sighisoara, Romania. Photo by our local guide and expert – Writers’ Expeditions)

November 1st: Day 7 – we’ll travel from where Vlad the Impaler was born to the island of his grave – then back to Bucharest

We’ll revisit the cemetery of Sighișoara by day and will explore the rest of the fortified Saxon town before heading away from Transylvania back to Wallachia, stopping for the climax of Vlad’s life – his death – and his unusual burial wishes.

Farewell: We’ll then drop you off (near 6:00 PM) at the airport, or your Bucharest area or airport hotel, or the train station for the next leg of your journey. – Breakfast, lunch, return to Bucharest 

PRICES AND INCLUSIONS (FOLLOWED BY HOST BIOS): This trip includes tons, so please do scroll down to inclusions – it is $2000 USD per person in a double/shared room for two (either twin beds available or queen/double for couples). If you want a single room and don’t want to share, the single room supplement (to have your own burp and fart space) is $250 USD for the entire trip, which is nothing more than the extra cost to have that single room. A deposit (which comes off your total) of $300 USD reserves your spot. Anyone from around the world is welcome, and you can check the currency conversion from USD to yours in a quick google search. Please contact us with questions or to join the expedition at:  writers-expeditions@mail.com (and cc kirstenkoza@gmail.com). We respond quickly (if you don’t hear back within 24 hours, check your spam bin). You can also message us at our Writers’ Expeditions Facebook Page.

Inclusions:

  • All accommodation (the delightful inns are small and unique – three and four star, with private bath, and wifi)
  • All meals (don’t blame us if you gain weight – the food in Romania is fabulous, and you’re the one ordering what you want from the menus)
  • Some alcohol (see itinerary)
  • Photography sessions for those who wish
  • Professional digital images of your journey
  • Writing tips for any who wish (however, please note this is a roving dinner party and photography adventure, not a writing workshop)
  • All transfers and transportation on tours
  • English-speaking, Transylvanian guide
  • Our own driver and private vehicle
  • All entrance fees to castles and museums

Exclusions:

  • Airfare
  • Alcohol (unless listed on the itinerary)
  • Visa

Kirsten describes your hosts:

Christopher Campbell: once again I’ve invited one of my favourite photographers (and one of the best travel companions you’ll ever meet) to lead our photographic adventures and share a lifetime of tips, tricks & technique. 

You have probably seen his images displayed on TV’s Food Network cooking shows or in publications as varied as ChatelaineSpa Magazine, or HarperCollins cookbooks–and most definitely in ads–he’s the one you can blame for making you crave Absolut Vodka, Kahlua, that dew dripping glass of Gordon’s gin, Florida oranges, late night fast food at Wendy’s or McDonald’s (blame him for that), or test driving a Mercedes—that’s Christopher Campbell’s fault too. This is Chris’s sixth year hosting our Dracula Expedition. He’s also been our photography host twice in Jordan and in Vietnam.

Kirsten Koza: I’m your host and expedition designer and am a professional adventure travel writer, author, humourist and journalist. 

I ruthlessly pretest the Writers’ Expeditions trips to find the best local guides, tour operators, and unique adventures, so you can have a great experience.  I’ve had more than seventy-five stories published in books, magazines, and newspapers around the world, on topics as varied as going inside the largest Syrian refugee camp, bullfighting, cannibalism, tornado chasing, mountain biking, dildos, dictators, Putin, gluten, mutants, and politics.  I’ve even made the front page of Kyrgyzstan’s national newspaper. I’m the author of Lost in Moscow: A Brat in the USSR and edited the Traveler’s Tales anthology Wake Up and Smell the Shit: Hilarious Travel Disasters, Monstrous Toilets, and a Demon Dildo.

And we leave you with some photos of Halloween costumes, food and fun from past expeditions (just click on images to expand) and a three-minute documentary made by a participant from a previous expedition. Turn up your speakers for it! The Dracula Expedition Video!

Bucharest police patrolling on Segways - Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Full moon over Bucharest. (Writers' Expeditions)
Night falls at the cemetery in Sighisoara, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Halloween party goers at Bran Castle (Dracula's castle), Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
Transylvania, Romania, Heroes' Cross, Caraiman Peak (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Halloween 2016 food meat balls
A Roma tinsmith, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
We're invited into a gypsy home for fun and drinks. (Writers' Expeditions)
Chris and Kirsten, your Vlad Dracula expedition hosts (Writers' Expeditions)
Repeating pattern, photography tips, at Curtea de Arges, 2018 (Writers' Expeditions - Christopher Campbell)
2017 Vlad Dracula Expedition participant in Sighisoara. (Writers' Expeditions)
2018 Writers' Expeditions group shot after getting ready to go to the halloween party at Bran Castle.
Halloween party 2017 group shot. (Writers' Expeditions)
Papanasi, a donut-like dessert made fresh and served piping hot, in Romanian restaurants. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Autumn colours and snow capped Carpathians. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Halloween group shot 2016 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Bran Castle courtyard during the Halloween party (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
2019 Dracula Expedition, Sighisoara
Sibiu, Romania. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Climbing the stairs to Dracula's fortress. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Writers' Expeditions, Sighisoara, (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Palace of Parliament, Bucharest. Stairs. (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
Bram Stoker's Dracula at Vlad Dracula's costume party with a 2016 participant. (Writers' Expeditions)
Pink waffle truck, Brasov, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
2018 Vlad Dracula participants in their vampire costumes.
Beer at the Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
Romania, 2018, view from Rasnov. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
Outside the torture exhibit, Vlad Dracula Expedition. (Writers' Expeditions)
Writers' Expeditions, Targoviste, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Picturesque drive in Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza of Writers' Expeditions)
Palinca tasting in Sighisoara. (Writers' Expeditions)
Horse wagons are a common in Romania (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Fountains in Sibiu - past Writers' Expeditions participants. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Kirsten Koza, your Vlad Dracula Expedition host, hanging with Vlad. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Dracula's "vulture's nest" (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
Sighisoara, Romania - this medieval walled city is a UNESCO site (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
Our Vlad Dracula Expedition group, from 2015, getting ready for the Halloween party at Bran Castle, Transylvania. (Writers' Expeditions)
Vlad Dracula Expedition, palinca toast, Writers' Expeditions, Bucharest.
Local made Romanian cheese aged in tree bark. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
The menu called the dish fourskins. You can imagine the jokes. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
The Beer Chariot, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)
In the town square of Sighisoara (Photo by Christopher Campbell, 2016)

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You’re invited to join our annual Vlad Dracula Expedition—a seven-day dinner party through Romania, celebrating both Halloween and then Day of the Dead, as we explore the life of Vlad the Impaler!

Expedition dates: October 28th – November 3rd, 2020 (we’ll be running this adventure again in 2021).

Maximum group-size for this expedition is 13.

 Scroll down past the itinerary for prices, inclusions, and the hosts’ biographies.

When we entered the cemetery in Sighisoara (the birthplace of Vlad Dracula) we were greeted by an Alfred Hitchcock sky. (Photo by Writers' Expeditions's photography host Christopher Campbell).
When we entered the cemetery, in Sighisoara (the birthplace of Vlad Dracula), we were greeted by an Alfred Hitchcock sky. (Photo by the Dracula Expedition photography host Christopher Campbell).

We’ve made all the reservations—you just need to pack a costume and your inner child (or demon) for this howling Halloween party across Romania. Our seven-day (small group) expedition includes attending the ultimate costume party on Halloween night, at Bran Castle (known as Dracula’s Castle, built circa 1377) which was owned by Vlad’s grandfather (Mircea the Old), and we’ll also be dining on Day of the Dead (November 2nd) in the chamber where real-life Dracula, Vlad Drăculea (known as Vlad the Impaler), was born in 1431. We’ll be sleeping that night, in a inn of similar vintage, just a few doors down from the home where Vlad was born, inside the (UNESCO) medieval walled city of Sighișoara. We were the first people (and are the only) to ever host a Halloween dinner party in the room where Dracula was born, and each year we barely make it through cocktails before we are regaling each other with spine-tingling experiences from our lives.

We'll dine in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
We’ll dine in the room where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)

The ruins of Poenari (AKA Dracula's Vulture's Nest) Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by our local Romanian guide and expert)
The ruins of Poenari (AKA Dracula’s Vulture’s Nest) Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by our local Romanian guide and expert)

Our Transylvanian guide (with whom I explored Romania extensively) and I have designed a journey that will take us to the best local haunts: medieval castles with gruesome history, torture chambers, moody cemeteries, all contrasted with one of the most beautiful times of year to visit Romania which will be glowing in autumn colours. And Christopher Campbell, professional photographer (Chatelaine, Food Network, HarperCollins), will be guiding you during our escapades to capture photos of a lifetime, whether you’re using a mobile device, point & shoot, or a DSLR with multiple lenses. Plus he’ll be providing you (throughout the expedition and when you get back home) with digital images of your adventures.

Corvin Castle. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Corvin Castle. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)

You'll see horse wagons like this on our scenic drive through Transylvania's Carpathian mountains (Photo by your host, Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)
You’ll see horse wagons like this on our scenic drive through Transylvania’s Carpathian mountains (Photo by your host, Kirsten Koza, Writers’ Expeditions)

Keep scrolling for the itinerary, more photos, and full details on how to sign up.

The Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, photography host for The Dracula Expedition)
The Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, photography host for The Dracula Expedition)

Day 1:  October 28th  – Pickup at Otopeni Airport outside Bucharest (we’ll also greet you at the airport if you arrive a day in advance). Next door to our hotel are the ruins of the Princely Palace, the castle that Dracula built in celebration of his own greatness or evilness. In the evening we’ll explore the historic pedways of the old town of Bucharest which was first settled in 70 BC and by the 1400s was the wealthiest city in Eastern Europe. Then we’ll dine at The Beer Chariot, a dazzling 19th century restaurant which is always packed with locals and boasts an extensive menu of tasty Romanian dishes. – Dinner. Palinca shots. Overnight at Europa Royale Bucharest Hotel ****

2019's Vlad Dracula Expedition participants peruse the menus at The Beer Chariot. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
2019’s Vlad Dracula Expedition participants peruse the menus at The Beer Chariot. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)

Day 2: October 29th – After a hot buffet breakfast in the hotel’s award winning restaurant, we’ll visit the Palace of Parliament, the heaviest building in the world (according to Guinness World Records), and it’s the second largest administrative building in the world (following the Pentagon) and a legacy of a more recent “Dracula,” the communist dictator Ceaușescu (executed in 1989). Then we’ll break out the treat bags for our scenic drive to Targoviste.

The Ottoman army returned to Constantinople when they encountered 20,000 impaled corpses outside Vlad's home, Targoviste.
The Ottoman army returned to Constantinople when they encountered 20,000 impaled corpses outside Vlad’s home, Targoviste.

The townsfolk of Targoviste were blamed by Vlad for their involvement in the assassination of his brother by the Turks. Vlad killed nobles and enslaved the townsfolk to build his castle at Poenari. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner – Overnight in Curtea de Arges****

A beautiful cathedral with a dark secret, at the monastery of Curtea de Arges. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)
A beautiful cathedral with a dark secret, at the monastery of Curtea de Arges. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)

Day 3: October 30th – Dracula’s Fortress (where Vlad’s first wife plunged to her death off a cliff to avoid capture by an enemy army) and then to the mind-blowing Transfăgărășan! 

Crossing the Carpathians on the Transfagaras Highway. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Crossing the Carpathians on the Transfagarasan Highway. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)

The ruins of Poenari Castle (Dracula’s Fortress) are perched high on a rugged crag above the Arges river gorge. There are 1,480 stairs to Dracula’s “vulture nest.” One of our previous participants worked it out to being 100 storeys. Now, if you really think you can’t make the climb–there’s a lovely lodge and restaurant down the road from the first step. Following our hike, we’ll cross the Carpathian Mountains on the Transfăgărășan Highway. (Please note that last year we couldn’t do the stairs up to the fortress–some of you will be heaving a sigh of relief–because the area was closed due to bear attacks. Eeks! They have since put an electric bear-proof fence around the site and reopened. If bears are still an issue in 2020, we’ll see Vlad’s fortress from below, and will go to Făgăraș Fortress on this day instead–otherwise Făgăraș is on the 1st.)

Fagaras Fortress. (photo by Kirsten Koza)
Fagaras Fortress. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)

We’ll be spending the next two nights in the mountains near Bran Castle (“Dracula’s Castle”), at our guide’s rural, family-run inn, where we’ll have a bountiful, seasonal, home-cooked Romanian dinner. Tonight (for those who’d like an adventure) we’ll walk to a hillside cemetery with chained crypts (perhaps to keep people out – or perhaps to keep them in) to take night shots.

(A small sample of food on our expedition. We can cater to omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, vampires and carnivores.)

A typical salad in Romania is beyond typical. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)

Ribs in Sibiu, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Mushrooms and polenta, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Pasta at Werk, across from Corvin Castle, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Romanian pretzels in Transylvania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)The tomatoes in Romania are out of this world. (Writers' Expeditions)The tomatoes in Romania are divine. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Traditional soup in bread bowl - Romania. (photo by Christopher Campbell)Papanasi - Romanian dessert (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' ExpeditionsRomanian cabbage rolls and polenta. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Romanian beans - photo by Christopher Campbell - Writers' ExpeditionsHashtag sausages, Romania. (Writers' Expeditions)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner – tonight and tomorrow night are at our guide’s mountain lodge. The setting is rustic; the chalet is new (private ensuite bathrooms, wifi).

We'll be staying at our guide's family's lodge in Moecui, just 15 minutes from Dracula's castle. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)
We’ll be staying at our guide’s family’s lodge in Moecui, just 15 minutes from Dracula’s castle. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)

Day 4: October 31st – Halloween festival and costume party at Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) – Wine is courtesy of Dracula tonight!

Bran Castle, known as "Dracula's Castle." (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Bran Castle, known as “Dracula’s Castle.” (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)

After a hearty farm breakfast (or lighter if you wish) we’ll drive to Brașov where we’ll conquer the medieval ramparts, watchtowers, and Saxon churches (if they don’t conquer us). But best of all, this walled city boasts one of the narrowest streets in Europe. From Brașov our quest continues at Râșnov, the 13th century, breathtaking, mountaintop fortress, built by Teutonic Knights. Then we’ll return to the farm to dine, drink wine, and don our costumes for the night’s festivities.

2019's participants at our guide's mountain lodge before heading to the Halloween party at Dracula's castle. (Writers' Expeditions - The Vlad Dracula Expedition)
2019’s participants pose at our guide’s mountain lodge before heading to the Halloween party at Dracula’s castle. (Writers’ Expeditions – The Vlad Dracula Expedition)

Tonight is the ultimate costume party –  at Dracula’s castle. Adults of all ages come from around the world for this festival. Every year they decorate the castle differently. You’ll get to photograph some fantastic costumes. Whoever wants to stay to dance into the night is welcome to do so. If anyone would rather return to the inn, they’ll be driven back to Moeciu.

We'll go to the costume party at Bran Castle, AKA Dracula's Castle. (photo by our Romanian guide, Writers' Expeditions)
We’ll go to the costume party at Bran Castle, AKA Dracula’s Castle. (Photo by our Romanian guide, Writers’ Expeditions)

 Day 5: November 1st – ghosts and legends

We continue (after a little sleep-in this morning) on our Vlad Dracula Expedition, stopping in Sibiu, a town steeped in legend and named by Forbes magazine as one of the 10 most idyllic places to live in Europe. It was here that Mihnea the Evil, Dracula’s son, was murdered in front of the cathedral. We then plunge further west into Transylvania to Corvin Castle where Vlad Dracula was fugitive, or some argue prisoner. This is one of the largest castles in Europe and has been host to many paranormal investigative television shows from around the world. You’ll see why, or maybe some of you will feel it. – Breakfast, lunch, dinner – Overnight in Hunedoara ****

Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)
Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers’ Expeditions)

Day 6: November 2nd – Hunedoara to Sighișoara – Day of the Dead – tonight we have our private dinner party in the room where Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) was born in 1431!

Night shot on the medieval streets of Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, host of the Vlad Dracula Expedition)
Night shot on the medieval streets of Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, host of the Vlad Dracula Expedition)

After exploring Corvin Castle and the grisly torture chambers at its gates, we’ll take a picturesque drive to Sighișoara, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Medieval covered staircase leading to the spectacular cemetery, in Sighisoara.(Photo by Christopher Campbell)
Medieval covered staircase leading to the spectacular cemetery, in Sighisoara.(Photo by Christopher Campbell)

We’ll be spending the night of Day of the Dead inside this preserved walled town, in a medieval hotel, a few doors down the street from the house where Vlad Dracula was born in 1431, which is where we’ll be dining. After scaring each other with spine-tingling stories around the dinner table, we’ll also pay a nighttime visit to the cemetery. – Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Palinca tasting. Overnight in hotel which is over 500 years old!

Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by our local guide and expert - Writers' Expeditions)
Sighisoara, Romania. (Photo by our local guide and expert – Writers’ Expeditions)

November 3rd: Day 7 – we’ll travel from where Vlad the Impaler was born to the island of his grave – then back to Bucharest

We’ll revisit the cemetery of Sighișoara by day and will explore the rest of the fortified Saxon town before heading away from Transylvania back to Wallachia, stopping for the climax of Vlad’s life – his death – and unusual burial wishes.

Farewell: We’ll then drop you off (near 6:00 PM) at the airport, or your Bucharest area or airport hotel, or the train station for the next leg of your journey. – Breakfast, lunch, return to Bucharest 

Inclusions:

  • All accommodation (the delightful inns are small and unique – four star, with private bath, and wifi)
  • All meals (don’t blame us if you gain weight – the food in Romania is fabulous, and you’re the one ordering what you want from the menus)
  • Some alcohol (see itinerary)
  • Photography sessions for those who wish
  • Professional digital images of your journey
  • Writing tips for any who wish (however, please note this is a roving dinner party and photography adventure, not a writing workshop)
  • All transfers and transportation on tours
  • English-speaking, Transylvanian guide
  • Our own driver and private vehicle
  • All entrance fees to castles and museums

Exclusions:

  • Airfare
  • Alcohol (unless listed on the itinerary)
  • Visa (not something for North Americans or Europeans to worry about)

Kirsten describes your hosts:

Christopher Campbell (professional photographer)Christopher Campbell: once again I’ve invited one of my favourite photographers (and one of the best travel companions you’ll ever meet) to lead our photographic adventures and share a lifetime of tips, tricks & technique. You have probably seen his images displayed on TV’s Food Network cooking shows or in publications as varied as ChatelaineSpa Magazine, or HarperCollins cookbooks–and most definitely in ads–he’s the one you can blame for making you crave Absolut Vodka, Kahlua, that dew dripping glass of Gordon’s gin, Florida oranges, late night fast food at Wendy’s or McDonald’s (blame him for that), or test driving a Mercedes—that’s Christopher Campbell’s fault too. This is Chris’s sixth year hosting our Dracula Expedition. He’s also been our photography host twice in Jordan and in Vietnam.

Kirsten Koza fKirsten Koza: I’m your host and expedition designer and am a professional adventure travel writer, author, humourist and journalist. I ruthlessly pretest the Writers’ Expeditions trips to find the best local guides, tour operators, and unique adventures, so you can have a great experience.  I’ve had more than seventy-five stories published in books, magazines, and newspapers around the world, on topics as varied as going inside the largest Syrian refugee camp, bullfighting, cannibalism, tornado chasing, mountain biking, dildos, dictators, Putin, gluten, mutants, and politics.  I’ve even made the front page of Kyrgyzstan’s national newspaper. I’m the author of Lost in Moscow: A Brat in the USSR and edited the Traveler’s Tales anthology Wake Up and Smell the Shit: Hilarious Travel Disasters, Monstrous Toilets, and a Demon Dildo.

And we leave you with some photos of Halloween costumes, food and fun from past expeditions (just click on images to expand) and a three-minute documentary made by a participant from a previous expedition. Turn up your speakers for it! The Dracula Expedition Video!

Bucharest police patrolling on Segways - Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Full moon over Bucharest. (Writers' Expeditions)Night falls at the cemetery in Sighisoara, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Halloween party goers at Bran Castle (Dracula's castle), Transylvania, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)Transylvania, Romania, Heroes' Cross, Caraiman Peak (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Halloween 2016 food meat ballsA Roma tinsmith, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell)We're invited into a gypsy home for fun and drinks. (Writers' Expeditions)Chris and Kirsten, your Vlad Dracula expedition hosts (Writers' Expeditions)Repeating pattern, photography tips, at Curtea de Arges, 2018 (Writers' Expeditions - Christopher Campbell)2017 Vlad Dracula Expedition participant in Sighisoara. (Writers' Expeditions)2018 Writers' Expeditions group shot after getting ready to go to the halloween party at Bran Castle.Halloween party 2017 group shot. (Writers' Expeditions)Papanasi, a donut-like dessert made fresh and served piping hot, in Romanian restaurants. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Autumn colours and snow capped Carpathians. (Photo by Kirsten Koza)Halloween group shot 2016 (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Bran Castle courtyard during the Halloween party (Photo by Christopher Campbell)2019 Dracula Expedition, SighisoaraSibiu, Romania. (photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Climbing the stairs to Dracula's fortress. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)Writers' Expeditions, Sighisoara, (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Palace of Parliament, Bucharest. Stairs. (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)Bram Stoker's Dracula at Vlad Dracula's costume party with a 2016 participant. (Writers' Expeditions)Pink waffle truck, Brasov, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell, Writers' Expeditions)2018 Vlad Dracula participants in their vampire costumes.Beer at the Beer Chariot, Bucharest. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)Romania, 2018, view from Rasnov. (Photo by Kirsten Koza, Writers' Expeditions)Outside the torture exhibit, Vlad Dracula Expedition. (Writers' Expeditions)Writers' Expeditions, Targoviste, Romania. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Picturesque drive in Romania. (Photo by Kirsten Koza of Writers' Expeditions)Palinca tasting in Sighisoara. (Writers' Expeditions)Horse wagons are a common in Romania (Photo by Kirsten Koza)Fountains in Sibiu - past Writers' Expeditions participants. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Kirsten Koza, your Vlad Dracula Expedition host, hanging with Vlad. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)Dracula's "vulture's nest" (Photo by Kirsten Koza)Sighisoara, Romania - this medieval walled city is a UNESCO site (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)Our Vlad Dracula Expedition group, from 2015, getting ready for the Halloween party at Bran Castle, Transylvania. (Writers' Expeditions)Vlad Dracula Expedition, palinca toast, Writers' Expeditions, Bucharest. Local made Romanian cheese aged in tree bark. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)The menu called the dish fourskins. You can imagine the jokes. (Photo by Christopher Campbell)The Beer Chariot, Romania (Photo by Christopher Campbell for Writers' Expeditions)In the town square of Sighisoara (Photo by Christopher Campbell, 2016)

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