Where to? Romania

Why you’ll love it: Where else are you going to get a behind-the-scenes look at the life of Dracula? In Romania, you can explore the world of Vlad Tepes, the 15th-century count who inspired Stoker’s vampire. The Southwestern Transylvanian Alps are full of fascinating historical sites, such as Bran Castle, the stomping grounds of the fictional Dracula.

There’s also Targoviste’s Princely Court, where Tepes impaled disloyal followers, and Sighisoara, a medieval town in the heart of Romania that’s known as the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. To finish off your Dracula tour, head to the Snagov Monastery, where his remains supposedly lie (in the dark, obviously).

Fun fact: Bran Castle is currently up for sale — if you have a spare US$66 million lying around.

Get there: Get to Bucharest with Aeroflot (via Moscow), Qatar (via Doha), or Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul).

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