J
Super guide!
An absolutely outstanding experience! Catilin was knowledgeable, friendly, humorous, and thoughtful. He extended the time of the tour as we peppered him with questions.
Dracula's Tomb and Mogosoaia Palace, Private Tour from Bucharest
+3 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 4–5 hours
- Price from
- $93 / person
- Rating
- 5.0 / 5 · 20 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Private
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
- Hotel pickup
- Available
- Confirmation
- Instant
Prices checked on Sep 11, 2026Things to do in Bucharest
Description
Vlad III, the Prince of Wallachia, was born sometime between 1428 and 1431, probably in Sighişaora, Transylvania. His patronymic, ‘Dracul’, means Dragon, derived from the membership of his father, Vlad II Dracul, in the Order of the Dragon, an order of chivalry for the defence of Christianity in Eastern Europe against the Ottomans, so the young Vlad became known as Dracula, or “son of Dragon”. The exact date, cause, and location of Vlad’s death is unknown, but is believed to have taken place between October and December 1476, when he disappeared in battle. It is known, however, that his head was taken to Constantinople as a trophy. His daughter Maria was meanwhile brought to the Neapolitan court, whose ruling family was allied with her own family, where she was adopted and eventually married to a Neapolitan nobleman.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hidden by woods and surrounded by the waters of the Lake Snagov, the Snagov Monastery was the most important spiritual and cultural centre of Wallachia in the feudal period. Built on an ancient place - where the archaeological finds have discovered clay pots of the Bronze Age and Iron Age, as well Roman and Byzantine coins - the monastery is one of the oldest monastic settlements in the vicinity of Bucharest. Some legends say that after the ruler was murdered in 1476 by the Wallachian boyars in the forest at Balteni, the monks of the monastery would have taken the body and bury it in secret in the church. Inside the monastery there is a plaque showing that under a stone slab, right in front of the church altar, there is the grave of the great ruler.
Mogosoaia Palace is one of the most important historical buildings, representing a symbol of the Romanian architecture. Located about 15 kilometers from the center of Bucharest, Ilfov County, Mogosoaia Palace is a real honor for our country, being registered on the national list of historical monuments. It was built between 1698 and 1702 by Constantin Brancoveanu in the so called the Romanian Renaissance style or Brancovenesc style, a combination of Venetian and Ottoman elements. The palace bears the name of the widow of the Romanian boyar Mogos, who owned the land where the palace was built on. After 1714, when Constantin Brancoveanu, together with his entire family, was executed in Constantinople, all the family’s wealth was confiscated by the Ottomans and the palace was converted into an inn. It was redeemed on the reign of Serban Cantacuzino, and then returned into the possession of his nephew, Constantin Brancoveanu until the early nineteenth century. But the construction has witnessed many disagreeable events over time. The palace was devastated during the Russian-Turkish war between the years 1768 and 1774 and also during the revolution of 1821, when the last descendant of the family, Grigore Brancoveanu, took refuge in Brasov, the building being occupied by the revolutionaries.
Located 25-30 km outside Bucharest, occupying an area of approx. 600 ha and with a length of 16 km, Lake Snagov is a river edge, the most important one on the lower Ialomița course. Due to its maximum depth of 9 metres, this is the deepest lake in the Romanian Plain area. The shape of the lake is elongated and very sinuous, with many bays. The downstream area features the island that hosts the Snagov Monastery. The biodiversity of the area is formed of 4,200 species of fauna and flora, of which approximately 1,200 species are protected by law and 42 of them are even red listed. The fish fauna, which attracts numerous amateur fishermen, is remarkable enough by the existence of 16 fish species: bleak, rudd, roach, bream, carp, Crucian carp, Prussian carp, tench, two species of gobies, eel, European perch, pumpkinseed, pike, zander, catfish. Sport fishing is allowed on Lake Snagov only outside the protected area (at a minimum distance of 500 metres upstream and downstream from it).
Highlights
Entrence fees to Snagov Monastery
Photo sesion
Tour Guide
Premium car transport
What's included
Included
Entrence fees to Snagov Monastery
Photo sesion
Tour Guide
Premium car transport
Traveller Ratings
5.0
20 reviews
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Dracula's Tomb and Mogosoaia Palace, Private Tour from Bucharest lasts about 4–5 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $93 per person for this Bucharest experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. Pickup points include CONTACT_SUPPLIER_LATER, LOC-6eKJ+or5y8o99Qw0C8xWyJRBozpCtfqt8e6cFSUDWr4=, LOC-6eKJ+or5y8o99Qw0C8xWyK1Ov6xolOpkiyrpPNV89DE=.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 7 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Specialized infant seats are available
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(20)
N
Great Guide & Tour
We truly enjoyed this private tour. We were a group of 4 adults and our guide Catalin picked us up promptly at JQ Marriott. The drive (about 40 mins) to Snagov Monastery was informative as our guide, Catalin detailed some history og Bucharest and shared a little about himself. On the drive he pointed some historical sites. The Snagov Monastery is worth the visit and having a guide is valuable to learn the history and myths. Next, we drove back towards to visit Mogosoaia Palace. Another site worthe seeing, especially views of the Lake. The price to visit was nominal at 15 Lei.
T
One of the Best Tours & Guides For Us
Catalin was an excellent guide. He is very knowledgeable, informative, and truly offers a unique experience. Both the Snagov Monastery and Mogosoaia Palace are worth seeing. You start the journey with about a 45 min drive to Snagov Monastery. Catalin spent time explaining the history of the Monastery. He did a guided tour in the small Monastery. We then, headed back towards Bucharest to visit Mogosaia Palace. We paid the small feee (15 Lei) to enter while Catalin did a guided tour. These are both beautiful sites and I highly recommend them. Thanks for a great tour.
D
Excellent tour and guide!
My wife and I went on the tours with the most outstanding guide, Catalin. He notified me prior to arrival that he would be there shortly and on time. His car was clean and he provided a choice of cold water for the trip. Catalin was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable regarding the sites we visited and Romania in general. You can tell he has a great sense of pride in what he does and in his country and wants to share his knowledge with others. In addition to our tours, which Catalin took extra time over the initial allotment to make sure we were able to see all we wanted to, he gave us many suggestions on other activities and landmarks we could visit in our travels. These included many sites in various regions of Romania we are traveling to far outside of Bucharest. In addition, after the tour he connected with me on WhatsApp sending links to purchase tickets for other attractions and recommendations. I would highly recommend a tour with Catalin as your guide!
B
Worth the trip if you have extra time.
This was a nice little half day tour outside of the city. The tomb of Vlad was incredibly interesting and the palace was also cool! If you have some extra time in Bucharest, I’d recommend. It was a bit overpriced though.
J
Amazing guide wonderful tour.
Catalin was an excellent guide, he knew his history and he knew many facts that we enjoyed. He was on time and came into the hotel to meet us and then took us to various interesting spots. It is always nice to have a tour guide who is knowledgeable and seems to really care about his cities culture and history we would use Catalin again. The personal facts about his life while they were under the Communist regime were fascinating. Americans never know how lucky they have been to never have been under a dictator. Our private tour with Catalin was worth every dollar. Thank you so much for an amazing tour
M
Very enjoyable and...
Very enjoyable and informative. Our Guide Catalin was excellent, attentive and a careful driver. Would recommend
6
Lovely trip with a great tour guide
We booked a private tour from Bucharest to Dracula's Tomb and Mogoșoaia Palace, and it was an excellent experience. Our tour guide was fantastic. He took the time to locate our accommodation before picking us up, which we really appreciated. Throughout the tour, he explained everything in detail at both locations, answered all of our questions, and never made us feel rushed. He was friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and very helpful. We highly recommend this tour and our guide to anyone visiting Bucharest. Thank you for making our day so enjoyable!
1 people found this helpful
R
Great tour guide Catalin
A fantastic tour with guide Catalin! We enjoyed a comfortable ride and a very pleasant tour! Catalin went above and beyond to make sure we get the best service. Highly recommend this tour!
S
Trip to Snagov & Palace
Wonderful trip with Catalin. Very knowledgeable guide, good sense of humour and excellent English. Would highly recommend this trip.
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