# Halloween in Transylvania 2026: Bran Castle and Brașov

> Halloween 2026 at Bran Castle: themed tours 24 Oct – 1 Nov from 100 lei, 31 Oct from 300 lei, the night party, getting back and the Brașov fair.

- Original page: https://wowbrasov.com/en/halloween-in-transylvania
- Language: en
- Author: Diana
- Last updated: 2026-10-10
- Facts checked: 2026-10-10

## Key facts

- **Dates:** Bran Castle: 24 October – 1 November 2026, party night 31 October. Piața Sfatului fair: 30 October – 1 November (checked 2026-10-10; source: https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026)
- **Price:** Bran themed tour 100 lei (24–30 Oct and 1 Nov); 31 Oct daytime from 300 lei; night packages 800–3,000 lei (checked 2026-10-10; source: https://bran-castle.com/pages/tickets)
- **Hours:** Last entry: 24–30 Oct 19:00 (Mon 26 Oct opens 12:00), 31 Oct 17:00, 1 Nov 18:00; doors 09:00. Party on 31 Oct 21:00–04:00 (checked 2026-10-10; source: https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026)
- **Getting there:** Bus from Autogara 2 every hour 07:00–21:00, 15 lei, about 55 min; last bus back 19:38 (checked 2026-10-10; source: https://www.autogari.ro/Transport/Brasov-Bran)
- **Booking:** Online at bran-castle.com or at the castle; ticket numbers are limited (checked 2026-10-10; source: https://bran-castle.com/pages/tickets)
- **In Brașov:** Halloween fair in Piața Sfatului, 30 October – 1 November; Dracula Fantasy Con at Coresi, free (checked 2026-10-10; source: https://evenimente.brasovcity.ro/calendar-evenimente/)
- **Address:** Bran Castle, Strada General Traian Moșoiu 24, Bran
- **Map:** https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Castelul+Bran%2C+Strada+General+Traian+Mo%C8%99oiu+24%2C+Bran

Halloween around Brașov means **Bran Castle**, 30 km from the city, which runs a themed programme from **Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2026**. A Halloween tour costs **100 lei** (about €20) from 24 to 30 October and on 1 November, a family day; on **31 October** the daytime tour starts at **300 lei**, and the evening packages with the party in the castle park, until 04:00, cost **800 to 3,000 lei**. In Brașov itself, City Hall lists a **Halloween fair in Piața Sfatului from 30 October to 1 November**, and the free **Dracula Fantasy Con** runs at Coresi Shopping Resort the same weekend. Bran tickets are limited, so book online. The last bus from Bran back to Brașov leaves at **19:38**, so plan your return before you buy an evening ticket.

Prices and times were checked on [Bran Castle's Halloween page](https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026) and [ticket shop](https://bran-castle.com/pages/tickets) on 10 October 2026. More autumn events are in [What's on in Brașov](https://wowbrasov.com/en/whats-on-in-brasov).

## Dates for 2026

| What | Where | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halloween tours ("New Moon") | Bran Castle | Sat 24 – Fri 30 October | Confirmed |
| Halloween Day and night: tours, dinner, parties | Bran Castle | Sat 31 October | Confirmed |
| Family day ("Blue Moon") | Bran Castle | Sun 1 November | Confirmed |
| Halloween fair | Piața Sfatului, Brașov | Fri 30 October – Sun 1 November | Confirmed |
| Dracula Fantasy Con | Coresi Shopping Resort, Brașov | Fri 30 October – Sun 1 November | Confirmed |
| Halloween at Dino Parc | Râșnov | 23 October – 1 November | Announced |

Sources: [Bran Castle](https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026); [Brașov City Hall events calendar](https://evenimente.brasovcity.ro/calendar-evenimente/); [Zile și Nopți](https://zilesinopti.ro/evenimente/dracula-fantasy-con-2026/) for Fantasy Con. Dino Parc is covered in our guide to [activities for families in Brașov](https://wowbrasov.com/en/7-interesting-activities-that-families-with-children-can-do-in-brasov).

Brașov's horror and fantasy film festival, the Dracula Film Festival, isn't on Halloween this year: the 2026 edition runs from 15 to 18 October at Cinema Astra ([Dracula Film Festival](https://draculafilm.ro/)). Fantasy Con is its spin-off.

## Halloween at Bran Castle

The 2026 programme is called "The Legend of Dracul". The castle says this year's tours have been expanded, with a darker atmosphere designed mainly for adults: actors, special effects and dimly lit corridors. Most Halloween tickets also include the Torture Exhibition. During the Halloween period there are no guided tours ([Bran Castle](https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026)).

| Ticket | Date | Time | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Moon: Halloween tour | 24–30 October | 09:00–19:00 last entry; Monday 26 October from 12:00 | 100 lei |
| New Moon: Halloween Day tour, recommended for adults | 31 October | 09:00–17:00 last entry | 300 lei |
| Blood Moon: evening tour 18:00–20:00 and the party in the park, 21:00–04:00 | 31 October | Evening | 800 lei |
| Full Moon: tour, dinner at the Tea House restaurant and the party | 31 October | Dinner 18:00 then tour 21:00, or tour 20:00 then dinner 21:30 | 1,500 lei |
| Eclipse: night tour at 21:00 and a private party inside the castle, 23:00–04:00, with buffet and open bar | 31 October | Night | 3,000 lei |
| Blue Moon: family Halloween tour | 1 November | 09:00–18:00 last entry | 100 lei |

Prices are the "from" prices in the [castle's ticket shop](https://bran-castle.com/pages/tickets), checked on 10 October 2026; they include VAT. As a rough guide, 100 lei is about €20. The shop lists the 31 October daytime tour as running until 19:00, while the event page gives 17:00 as last admission; plan on 17:00.

*Bran Castle on an ordinary day. During the Halloween programme the rooms are decorated and dimly lit, with actors along the route.*

What the castle says about each option:

- **24–30 October** is the cheapest way to see the decorated castle. At 100 lei for an adult, the Halloween tour costs the same as the standard adult ticket the rest of the year (see our [Bran Castle guide](https://wowbrasov.com/en/bran-castle-unraveling-the-history-and-legends-of-draculas-fortress-in-transylvania)).
- **31 October, daytime** has stronger effects and more interaction with the actors, and is recommended for adults.
- **The party (Blood Moon)** is in a 600 m² gala tent in the Royal Park, with two DJs, a bar that takes cash or card, horror film projections and photo spots. The castle says the tent holds up to 1,500 guests.
- **Full Moon** adds a dinner by the chef Vasi Bejenaru, winner of Bocuse d'Or Romania 2025, limited to 160 guests in two seatings of 80.
- **Eclipse** is limited to 100 guests, who can move between the private party in the castle and the tent outside.
- **1 November (Blue Moon)** is a brighter, gentler tour for families, with decorations and friendly characters.

Rules and warnings ([Bran Castle](https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026)):

- Arrive 15 minutes before your time slot; your ticket can be scanned at any point during its one-hour slot.
- Party guests can leave and come back if they keep their wristband on, but the gates close at **midnight**: no entry or re-entry after that.
- On 31 October a costume contest in three categories runs from 23:30 to 00:15, and the tent bar stops taking payments from 23:45 to midnight.
- On 31 October the castle closes from 22:00 to 23:00 to prepare the private party.
- The castle warns people who are claustrophobic, sensitive to flashing lights or loud noise, or carrying children, and reminds visitors that it will be cold and that paths and stairs can be slippery.

## Getting to Bran on 31 October

- **By bus for a daytime visit:** Transbus buses leave **Autogara 2** (Strada Avram Iancu 114) every hour on the hour from 07:00 to 21:00, and Autogara 1, by the railway station, at a quarter to each hour. The fare is 15 lei and the ride to Bran Centru takes about 55 minutes. Buses back leave Bran at :38 past each hour, the **last at 19:38** ([Transbus timetable](https://www.autogari.ro/Transport/Bran-Brasov)). That works for any daytime ticket, including the 31 October tour. Our guide to [getting from Brașov to Bran Castle](https://wowbrasov.com/en/how-to-reach-bran-castle-from-brasov) has the full timetable and how to reach Autogara 2.
- **For the evening packages there is no bus back.** The party ends at 04:00, more than eight hours after the last bus. Your options:
  - **A taxi booked both ways.** The castle estimates about 150 lei each way from Brașov. Bolt and Uber work in Brașov, but finding a car in Bran at night is hard, so agree the return time and price with a driver before you go.
  - **A room in Bran or Moieciu** for the night of 31 October, booked early.
  - **An organised trip** that includes the transfer and the party ticket. Several tour companies sell these from Brașov and Bucharest; check what's included before you pay.
- **By car:** Bran is 30 km from Brașov on the DN73 (E574), through Cristian and Râșnov, about 35 minutes in normal traffic. The castle has no car park of its own; there are several paid car parks around Strada General Traian Moșoiu, run by others, with their own prices. With a party tent for up to 1,500 people, plan for busy roads in Bran that evening and full car parks. Anyone who'll be drinking at the party shouldn't plan to drive back.

## Halloween in Brașov

### The Halloween fair in Piața Sfatului

City Hall's events calendar lists a Halloween fair in **Piața Sfatului from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026**, with a separate entry for Thursday 29 October ([City Hall](https://evenimente.brasovcity.ro/calendar-evenimente/)). The event listing calls it **Halloween Fest**, presented by the Caravana Dovlecilor Fermecați ("Enchanted Pumpkin Caravan"), from 11:00 each day, with more than 60 exhibitors and craftspeople ([Zile și Nopți](https://zilesinopti.ro/evenimente/halloween-fest-brasov-2026/)). The programme promises:

- parades of costumes, of giant puppets, and of skeletons and glowing robots;
- acrobats, live concerts and dance shows;
- an alley of lanterns and video-mapping projections;
- a pumpkin pyramid, pumpkin carving and painting, and themed workshops.

The listing doesn't mention an entry fee; the fair is in the public square. The caravan's previous edition in Piața Sfatului ran from 31 October to 2 November 2025 ([Capital](https://www.capital.ro/halloween-2025-ce-poti-face-in-fiecare-oras-din-romania-evenimente-petreceri-tematice-si-spectacole-amuzante.html)).

### Dracula Fantasy Con

The Dracula Film Festival's fan fair runs from **30 October to 1 November** in the Piața cu Copaci area of Coresi Shopping Resort, about 4 km north-east of the Old Town, from 17:00 each day. Entry is free. The 2026 programme has gaming tournaments, a board-game marathon, an artists' alley, Japanese-culture workshops and a cosplay parade ([Zile și Nopți](https://zilesinopti.ro/evenimente/dracula-fantasy-con-2026/)).

### Parties and family events

In 2025 several bars and clubs in and around Brașov held Halloween parties over the weekend ([Capital](https://www.capital.ro/halloween-2025-ce-poti-face-in-fiecare-oras-din-romania-evenimente-petreceri-tematice-si-spectacole-amuzante.html)); look for the 2026 listings on [Zile și Nopți](https://zilesinopti.ro/) in late October. For children, Dino Parc in Râșnov, on the way to Bran, runs a Halloween programme from 23 October to 1 November 2026.

## Why Transylvania? Vlad, Stoker and Bran

**Halloween isn't a traditional Romanian holiday.** In 2013 Radio Romania International described it as something Romania had celebrated only "for a few years", with travel agencies, clubs and hotels building offers around it ([RRI](https://rri.ro/en/features-and-reports/travellers-guide/halloween-in-romania-id146008.html)). Romanian folklore has its own night of the undead: the eve of St Andrew's Day (30 November), *Noaptea strigoilor*, when garlic is put on windows and doors to keep out the *strigoi*, the restless dead ([EVZ](https://evz.ro/noaptea-sfantul-andrei-haloween-romanesc-30-noiembrie.html)).

Bran's Halloween comes from a novel. Bram Stoker's *Dracula* came out in 1897, and Stoker never visited Romania; his Count lives near the Borgo Pass in northern Transylvania, nearly 200 km from Bran. The castle's own explanation for the link is that it is the only castle in Transylvania that looks like the one in the book.

The real Dracula was **Vlad III Țepeș**, prince of Wallachia in 1448, 1456–1462 and 1476. He had a long and violent relationship with Brașov: he traded with its Saxon merchants, wrote to its council and raided its suburbs between 1456 and 1460. But there's no record that he owned, lived in or captured Bran Castle, and the castle itself says it isn't known. Our guides tell both stories: [Vlad Țepeș and Brașov](https://wowbrasov.com/en/vlad-tepes-and-his-connection-with-the-legendary-story-of-dracula) and [Bran Castle: tickets, hours and the real history](https://wowbrasov.com/en/bran-castle-unraveling-the-history-and-legends-of-draculas-fortress-in-transylvania).

## Tips

- **Book Bran early.** All Halloween tickets are limited, and the dinner and private-party packages are capped at 160 and 100 guests.
- **For the decorations without the price, go between 24 and 30 October.** It's 100 lei, the same as a normal visit, and weekdays are likely to be quieter than the weekend. Monday 26 October starts at 12:00.
- **With children, choose 1 November.** The castle recommends the 31 October tours for adults and designed the Blue Moon tour for families.
- **Dress warm.** October in Brașov averages 4°C at night ([Brașov weather by season](https://wowbrasov.com/en/the-weather-and-seasons-in-brasov)), and the party in the park runs until 04:00. Wear thermal layers under the costume.
- **Bring cash and a card.** The party bar takes both.
- **Watch the clock in Bran.** If you came by bus, the last one back is at 19:38.

## FAQ

### Is Halloween celebrated in Romania?

Not traditionally. It's a recent arrival, promoted mainly by travel agencies, clubs and hotels. Romania's own night of spirits is St Andrew's Eve, on 29–30 November. Around Brașov, Halloween mostly means Bran Castle's programme and a fair in Piața Sfatului.

### How much is the Halloween party at Bran Castle?

The Blood Moon package, with an evening tour and the party in the park from 21:00 to 04:00, starts at 800 lei. With dinner (Full Moon) it starts at 1,500 lei, and the private party inside the castle (Eclipse) at 3,000 lei.

### Can I visit Bran Castle on Halloween without going to the party?

Yes. On 31 October the daytime New Moon tour starts at 300 lei, with last entry at 17:00. From 24 to 30 October the Halloween tour costs 100 lei.

### How do I get back to Brașov after the party?

There's no public transport: the last bus leaves Bran at 19:38 and the party ends at 04:00. Book a taxi both ways, stay the night in Bran or Moieciu, or take an organised trip that includes the transfer.

### Is Bran Castle really Dracula's castle?

Only in the tourist sense. Bram Stoker never went to Romania, and there's no record that Vlad Țepeș, the historical Dracula, owned or lived in Bran. The castle's Dracula link comes from its resemblance to the castle in the novel.

### Is Halloween at Bran suitable for children?

The castle recommends its 31 October tours for adults and warns about loud noises and flashing lights. The Blue Moon tour on 1 November is designed for families.

### What's on in Brașov on Halloween?

A Halloween fair in Piața Sfatului (30 October – 1 November), the free Dracula Fantasy Con at Coresi Shopping Resort (same dates) and costume parties in bars and clubs.

## Sources

- Bran Castle: [Halloween 2026](https://bran-castle.com/pages/events/halloween-2026) (programme, times, rules), [tickets](https://bran-castle.com/pages/tickets) (prices), [plan your visit](https://bran-castle.com/pages/plan-your-visit) (taxi estimate, parking)
- Transbus timetable via Autogari.ro: [Brașov–Bran](https://www.autogari.ro/Transport/Brasov-Bran) and [Bran–Brașov](https://www.autogari.ro/Transport/Bran-Brasov)
- Brașov City Hall: [events calendar](https://evenimente.brasovcity.ro/calendar-evenimente/) (Halloween fair dates)
- Zile și Nopți: [Halloween Fest 2026](https://zilesinopti.ro/evenimente/halloween-fest-brasov-2026/), [Dracula Fantasy Con 2026](https://zilesinopti.ro/evenimente/dracula-fantasy-con-2026/)
- Dracula Film Festival: [official site](https://draculafilm.ro/)
- Capital: [Halloween 2025 events](https://www.capital.ro/halloween-2025-ce-poti-face-in-fiecare-oras-din-romania-evenimente-petreceri-tematice-si-spectacole-amuzante.html)
- Radio Romania International: [Halloween in Romania](https://rri.ro/en/features-and-reports/travellers-guide/halloween-in-romania-id146008.html) (24 October 2013); EVZ: [St Andrew's night](https://evz.ro/noaptea-sfantul-andrei-haloween-romanesc-30-noiembrie.html) (29 November 2023)

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Source: Wow Brașov, https://wowbrasov.com/en/halloween-in-transylvania