Romania - Eastern Europe - page 524

transformed the defensive fortress into a modern summer residence fit for royalty,
complete with electric lighting and running water. Marie, who features in many pho-
tographic displays, undertook the interior design, styling the rooms much as they look
today. There's certainly nothing scary here, unless you have a fear of crowds; try to
arrive as early as possible to avoid the masses and walk through the castle at your
leisure, enjoying the fantastic views from the balconies, windows, and battlements.
Included in your ticket is an ethnographic display of well-maintained (and usually
locked) peasant homes at the foot of the castle hill. Not included is a visit to the super-
revolting Haunted Castle and Skeleton's Tavern (L7/$2.50/£1.35) for kids that forms
part of the tourist clutter of souvenir stalls near the ticket office. In 2006, the Castle
was officially returned to Princess Ileana's son, Dominic, a New York City architect.
The jury is still out on what he will do with his inheritance, but we're hoping he'll
clear out the kitsch flea market around the entrance to Bran's extensive ground and
restore some of the property's grandeur.
Muzeul Bran, Bran. & 0268/23-8333. wwwbrancastlemuseum.ro. Admission L12 ($4.30/£2.30) adults, L6
($2.20/£1.15) seniors and students, free for children under 5; L10 ($3.60/£1.90) photography, L18 ($6.50/£3.45) video
camera use. English guided tours are available; ask for availability. Mon noon-6pm; Tues-Sun 9am-6pm.
BRA! OV AFTER DARK
With its wooden floors and exposed brickwork walls, Festival '39 (Str. Mure @ enilor
23; & 0268/47-8664; www.festival39.com; daily 10am-2am) is a classy little all-day
bar; beautiful and unpretentious, it's decorated with dozens of framed antique photos
and large picture windows that open onto a sidewalk—great for people-watching. For
an evening drink, call to reserve a table. Another place for a relaxed drink is nearby
Hypnose in an arcade off Strada Mure @ enilor, across from Pia $ a Sfatului; it's an above-
ground cellar-style space with vaulted ceilings, comfortable armchairs, and a simple,
smart bar. It's not for nothing that Opium (Str. Republicii 2; & 0722-397-887;
daily 10am-late) calls itself “the chill-out caffe”; it's a chicly decorated lounge-bar with
an umbrella-shaded terrace on the city's premiere pedestrian mall. This is prime peo-
ple-watching real estate; you can start your day here with a caffeine fix, and return at
the end of the night for great tunes and fast-flowing cocktails. Finally, there's a sophis-
ticated atmosphere at the less-than-traditional Auld Scottish Pub (Str. Apollonia
Hirscher 10; & 0268/47-0183; daily 11am-3am), which has embraced leather sofas,
pop music, and a big, upmarket crowd.
Bra @ ov's up-for-it party venue is marvelously called Theatre (Str. Lunga 1; & 0721-
972-224; www.theatreclub.ro), which pulls a dedicated crowd with its regular lineup
of international DJs; keep your eyes peeled for posters and flyers (always available at
Opium), or consult the latest edition of the free listings guide, SapteSeri (available
almost everywhere). Inquire at the tourist office about festivals, theater, and music
events.
HOBNOBBING WITH ROYALTY: ROMANIA'S
FINEST VILLAGE STAY
In the predominantly Hungarian village of Miclo @ oara (known as Miklósvár in Hun-
garian), Count Kalnoky's Guesthouses offers some of the finest accommodations in
the country. The project is the brainchild of born-in-exile Count Tudor Kalnoky (a
dead ringer for Ralph Fiennes), whose family left Romania in 1939 with the rise of
fascism; after the fall of Communism, he spent nearly a decade in court fighting to get
his family properties back from the government and has since set to work reclaiming