More Than “Dracula”: A Journey Through Romania’s History, Faith, and Underrated Beauty

If you had asked me a year ago what came to mind when I thought of Romania, I probably would have said Dracula… and then quickly run out of ideas.

Now, after living here for the past ten months, Romania has become so much more than an obscure place on a map. It’s a country of resilience, breathtaking landscapes, fascinating history, and warm hospitality. Somewhere between wandering cobblestone streets, sipping coffee in centuries-old cafés, hiking through the Carpathian Mountains, and learning about a complicated past, Romania effortlessly found a place in my heart.

More Than Dracula

Let’s address the elephant—or vampire—in the room: Yes, I visited Bran Castle. Yes, it’s beautiful. No, Vlad the Impaler almost certainly never lived there.

The real Vlad III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, was the ruler of Wallachia (the southern region of modern-day Romania, not Transylvania where the story originates). Far from being a mythical vampire, he was a medieval prince trying to defend his territory during a turbulent time as the Ottoman Empire expanded through Eastern Europe.

Like many historical figures, his reputation became exaggerated over time. German Saxon merchants published stories portraying him as a ruthless monster, and centuries later, Bram Stoker borrowed his name when writing Dracula. Ironically, the castle now famous as “Dracula’s Castle” (more of a medieval fortress) became associated with the legend largely through tourism.

History has a funny way of rewriting itself.

A Crossroads Between East and West

For centuries, Romania has stood at the meeting point of competing empires and ideologies—Roman, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, Soviet—and today it finds itself on the eastern frontier of both the European Union and NATO.

Despite its complex history and strategic location, what I’ve experienced over these ten months is not a country defined by conflict, but by resilience. Romania has endured invasions, occupations, revolutions, dictatorship, and economic hardship. Yet somehow, it has retained a strong sense of identity, hospitality, and hope.

Romania borders five countries—Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine—and has a coastline along the Black Sea. That location has shaped nearly every chapter of its history.

Living here while the war in Ukraine continues has made geography feel much more real than it ever did in a classroom. Romania shares a long northern border with Ukraine and has welcomed hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the war began. Although daily life here feels peaceful and safe, there are occasional reminders that one of Europe’s largest conflicts since World War II is taking place just beyond its border.

A Fought Over Territory

One thing that quickly became clear is that Romania’s history has rarely been peaceful. Located between powerful empires, Romania has spent centuries caught between competing forces. The Ottomans marched through. The Russians invaded repeatedly. Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania each experienced different rulers and influences before eventually becoming modern Romania.

In fact, Romania as we know it today is surprisingly young. Its official name dates to 1881, and the unified Romanian state has existed for only about 170 years.

Walking through Bucharest, I realized how much of the city’s architecture reflects this layered history. French-inspired buildings earned it the nickname “Little Paris,” while grand government buildings and communist-era apartment blocks tell an entirely different chapter.

Learning About Communism

One of the most eye-opening experiences during my time here was taking a communist history tour.

Before arriving in Romania, I knew very little about life behind the Iron Curtain. I understood communism as a historical concept, but hearing how it shaped everyday Romanian life made it deeply personal.

Romania came under communist rule after World War II, when it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. King Michael was forced to abdicate and leave the country, ending Romania’s monarchy. For decades, life was tightly controlled. In the 1960s and 70s, many Romanians remember receiving guaranteed housing and employment, which initially brought optimism. But by the 1980s, that optimism had faded. Food became rationed through coupon systems. Electricity was restricted. Daily life grew increasingly difficult as the government focused on paying off the nation’s foreign debt.

One story that particularly stayed with me was learning about Nicolae Ceaușescu’s enormous Palace of the Parliament. To build it, entire neighborhoods—including churches and monasteries—were demolished. Tens of thousands of people were displaced, and approximately 2,000 workers lost their lives during its construction. Standing in front of the massive building today, it’s impossible not to admire its scale while simultaneously recognizing the tremendous human cost behind it.

Perhaps the most moving part of the tour wasn’t the buildings at all. It was hearing about the people. The political prisoners. The families separated. The ordinary citizens who quietly endured extraordinary hardship. History suddenly felt less like dates in a textbook and more like the lived experiences of people whose parents and grandparents are still here today.

Romania and the Orthodox Church

One of the things I didn’t expect to appreciate so much was Romania’s deep Christian heritage.

Throughout my travels, it was nearly impossible to go more than a few blocks without seeing a beautiful Orthodox church. Whether nestled in a quiet Transylvanian village, perched on a mountainside, or standing in the middle of a bustling city square, these churches are woven into the fabric of Romanian life. Their domes, frescoes, and ringing bells became a familiar part of everyday life.

Coming from a Protestant background, I knew very little about Eastern Orthodoxy before arriving. But after spending months here, visiting monasteries, attending services, and exploring the Christian and Byzantine Museum, I developed a profound respect for this ancient tradition.

While Protestants and Orthodox Christians differ theologically, one thing became abundantly clear to me: the Orthodox Church has faithfully preserved Christianity for nearly two thousand years. Long before the Reformation, long before many of the churches we know today existed, believers in the East were preserving Scripture, copying manuscripts, defending core doctrines about Christ, writing theology, composing hymns, and faithfully gathering for worship.

Walking through the Christian and Byzantine Museum, I found myself reflecting on the countless monks, priests, scholars, and ordinary Christians whose quiet faithfulness helped carry the gospel from one generation to the next. Their names may never appear in history books, but their legacy lives on every time someone opens the Bible or professes faith in Christ.

Whether you’re Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, or simply curious about Christianity, it’s hard not to leave Romania with a greater appreciation for the rich history of the Church and the faithful men and women who have preserved it through the centuries.

A Diverse and Unequivocally Beautiful Country

One of my favorite things about living here has been experiencing just how diverse Romania is.

I’ve wandered through tiny villages tucked away in the hills of Transylvania, where colorful homes seem frozen in time. I’ve spent countless afternoons exploring Bucharest’s charming Old Town, where lively cafés and hidden bookstores fill buildings that have witnessed centuries of history. I’ve stood inside fairytale castles like Bran and Peleș, driven along the Black Sea to Constanța, and watched the sun set over medieval fortresses.

Every season seemed to reveal another side of Romania. And every place had its own story.

The Romania I’ll Remember

When I think back on these ten months, I probably won’t remember every historical date or every castle tour.

I’ll remember sitting in tiny cafés while rain fell outside. Weekend train rides through the Carpathian Mountains. The smell of fresh pastries drifting out of neighborhood bakeries. Conversations with friends over coffee that lasted for hours. Walking through villages where life seemed to move at a gentler pace. The warmth of Romanian hospitality. The beauty of discovering a country that most people know so little about.

Romania may not always be the first destination that comes to mind when planning a trip to Europe, but perhaps that’s part of its charm. It doesn’t need to compete with Paris or Rome. It quietly tells its own story.

And after ten months of living here, I can confidently say it’s a story worth hearing.