Poenari Citadel

Update of July 2023: The path up to Poenari Citadel is STILL closed. There's a notice posted on the road near the entrance to the path, saying it's closed for renovation until 25 October 2023 (see uploaded photo). I understand from the young people working in the hotel there ("Cabana La Cetate") that there's an electrified fence around the path, keeping people safe from the bears. I suggest you contact the hotel (get their details from the Internet) after October 2023 to check if the path and the citadel are really open again.
I give this review 5 stars, because I can't post it without stars.

One of the lost beautiful experiences in the zone.

Be aware that there are over 1400 steps to climb, there are around 3-5 organised stops with benches and progress overview - it’s worth climbing in order to see the castle and beautiful nature.

This mystical place hidden in the mountains is not a tourist trap like Bran Castle. The views are fantastic and you hardly run into tourists on the way up the many stairs to the top. Here is the place where Count Draculae really had spent time. They are ruins but very well preserved.

Its closed for nex time. Reconstruction began. On the rouad Transfagarskar Route 7C are many NOT DAGEROUS Bear :)

Dracula's REAL castle! Loved it, even if it's just in ruins.

A few things to keep in mind when going there. There are 1480 steps up there, bring water, you'll need it! You are not allowed to walk up to the castle by yourself. A guide will take the visitors up 2-3 times a day. If you miss the scheduled times, you won't be able to get up there. Also, the time up there by the castle is limited. You're only allowed to stay there for about 30 minutes or so, less if you are among the last ones in your visitors group. You also have to pay in cash to your guide once you get up to the castle, so make sure you bring money in cash. When we were there (August 2018) it costed 6 Lei for adults and 2 Lei for kids.

I would recommend to visit it if you have the opportunity.
Bear in mind that it is only possible to visit it twice a day, at 10am and at 3pm
Price is 6 ROM
Environment is fantastic and it is very impressive to be in a historical place like this one.
Also if you want to say that you have been in the real castle of Dracula, you have to come here!
Furthermore you can also drive through the impressive Transfăgărășan

1480 steps.
That's what it takes to visit the Poenari Citadel (plus the entry fee, but it"s not expensive).
It's worth taking every single step. The citadel is well preserved and the view is breathtaking. Also, don;t be afraid of the official Citadel guardian, he is very friendly and accepts with pleasure all pets and treats (of course, we are talking about a dog here, don't go picturing a 2m 200kg mountain of a man)

Definitely worth the stop! 3 friends and I made the stop while passing through. Over 1400 steps and it takes a while to get to the top, but it was a beautiful view.

There is no way you should miss this castle if you are on your way to Vidraru. It will challenge you to go up 1400+ stairs and down after. But once you have reached it, you will instantly fall in love with the view.

Ignore what it says online: the trail to the castle is CLOSED until further notice (probably November) due to bears in the area. Yes, I saw a large brown bear on the trail with my own eyes, so don’t follow my example and hop the fence thinking you’re Simon Belmont.

Check the Arges County Museums website (linked on the google entry) and although it’s in Romanian, if you see a big block of red text at the top, it’s probably telling you the castle trail is still closed because of bears.

I was able to get a lot of good pictures from below and there’s a nice walking trail along the river. Yes, I also ran into a bear down by the river, but fortunately the stray dogs in the area served as my protectors and barked like crazy. Feed them some chips and they’ll never leave your side!

A piece of history, a beautiful sight to see. Yes, ruins, but still...well preserved. There is an electrified fence to protect tourist against bears. The access is permitted between 10 AM to 6 PM. 1480 stairs to climb.

Very beautiful place. A must see! Climbing all the stairs is pretty hard but you have some "checkpoints" where you can rest. Personally I think that the view that you have once you get on top worth all the effort. The stronghold is small and damaged, but still stores a smal piece of history. There is a small fee of 6 lei (~1 euro) once you get close.
Again, the view is AMAZING!

The long stair climb is worth it for the view up top. The first offers a lot of shade so it's cool even when it's hot outside. The fortress itself is small and not in a good shape but it's still an interesting piece of history to visit. Be prepared for the long climb, as it takes a while. An outdoor toilet is available near the fortress.

Yo have to go up on stairs for 30 minutes but the view is amazing!

A very historical place where Vlad (really) was and built (most of it). Some informational boards along the hike that tells you some history of Vlad and the Citadel. It's a good hike up to the Citadel. 1480 steps, but it was not a problem for an untrained heavy smoker. So most people should manage the hike. Very nice view at the top. The Citadel itself is mostly ruins but nevertheless a very important historical place. I also saw a lot of wild brown bears dring south down from Transfăgărășan. A must stop if you're driving Transfagarasan Highway!

Cool exercise! I raced with my son to the top. There's a great guide over there telling stories.

Nice excercise for your legs (stairs). It's worth going there, ruins are not something special, but view from the top is really astonishing. Finally, it's place where Vlad Tepes really was and not just mistake of book author.

We really like to take our visitors to Poenari. It has it all: beautiful scenery, history, a bit of a hike, Dracula, guillotine ... what more can you possibly ask for?

I am rating it 5 for the beautiful drive to the Citadel but sadly I did not know that it was closed

The second residence of Vlad Țepeș, a place of many legends. Great view from the top, 1480 stairs to worth it!