Though Dracula is a work of fiction, written by the Irishman Bram Stoker, its lead character was based in part on a real life figure: the Transylvanian-born Vlad III Dracula of Wallachia. Vlad ruled parts of Romania during the 1400s and remains a heroic historical character for Romanians due to his defence of the common people against foreign aggressors.

However, amongst the English speaking nations of the world, Vlad is most famed for his exceedingly cruel methods of punishment that he administered during his reign. Often referred to as ‘Vlad The Impaler’, as the name suggests, his preferred method of execution was impalement; victims would be forced on to oiled spikes or have stakes driven into them slowly, to cause an excruciating, prolonged death which could take several days.

Dracula has caused much interest in Romania and in Transylvania in particular, and it is possible to take part in a Dracula tour; but there is much more to this region than vampires. Transylvania is also now attracting tourists who are interested in visiting remote Transylvanian villages in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The area is characterised by medieval villages that have remained the same for hundreds of years, and have avoided the blight of new development seen in other parts of Eastern Europe.

Winters are long in Transylvania, lasting from October till the beginning of April, and are known for being the most beautiful season to visit the region. Sports-minded visitors can ski at the Poiana Brasov resort, situated at 1900m, with 13 trails ranging in difficulty and served by 3 cable cars and 8 drag lifts. It also has an ice rink for slightly more sedate winter pursuits.

Animal lovers can indulge in tracking activities where a local wildlife guide will take you out and teach you how to identify various animal species from their tracks in the snow. The is also the option to go for a horse drawn sleigh ride, or if you’d prefer to do the walking, then there are plenty of snow shoeing trails that will allow you to the explore the enchanted forests of the area.

The entire Transylvania region is very picturesque, and often likened to a land of fairly tales, on account of the many turreted castles, and châteaus that dot the landscape. Plus of course the area will also satisfy history and culture enthusiasts, especially those interested in the medieval period. Accommodation varies from rustic holiday rentals to small hotels and guest houses and tends to be inexpensive.

Horror, Gothic and Vampire fans are likely to continue to be drawn to Transylvania as the blood thirst for Dracula shows little sign of slowing. However, the beautiful, largely untouched nature of the region is also attracting a growing legion of visitors, so if you want to see Vlad’s birth land before the crowds arrive, now is the time to take a trip to Transylvania.

‘Sighisoara is a picturesque town in central Romania, best known for its beautiful churches and being the birth place of Dracula. Early on a Saturday morning, courtesy of McLain Finlan Advertising who funded the trip, six Teaching & Projects Abroad volunteers and twelve children from a Brasov orphanage began a day trip to Sighisoara.

Sighisoara is about 2½ hours away by train. During the journey we played games and got to know the children better. When we arrived in Sighisoara, it became apparent why this location was so highly regarded. There were many traditional Romanian homes situated on the small hills with extravagantly decorated churches dotted around. We first went to see the museums and the churches. After the cultural visits we had lunch in a restaurant in town and in the afternoon we went to the park and played games like football and volleyball. In the late afternoon we went back to the train station and caught our train back to Brasov. We arrived back in the evening tired but a good time was had by all.

On this first trip the children were a bit shy and reluctant to put their names forward for the excursion. After the stories of the children who did come with us, for the next trip to Rasnov, there were many more children wanting to join us!

Two weeks later, we took our next trip with the children. The original plan was to stay in a cabin overnight but due to the cold weather we decided that that this was not sensible and took a day trip instead. When we arrived in Rasnov we went on a 45 minute hike to the top of the mountain where the town fortress is situated. The fortress dates back to the fourteenth century when it was built to protect the town’s people from invasion. We took some pictures and then proceeded down the mountain to begin the barbeque we had planned. We had our barbeque at the local tennis club. The barbeque took a while to prepare, so in the meantime we played some games and had a sing-song, with a guitar that a volunteer had brought along. After this we sat down and enjoyed the food prepared by the sports instructor and a couple of the children before catching the bus back to Brasov.

We now have a few more trips planned for the future, and I hope that they will be as fulfilling and enjoyable as our days in Sighisoara and Rasnov.’Find Out About Our Care Placements in Romaniawww.projects-abroad.co.uk

An off plan investment property is one which has yet to be completed in its construction. Usually, “off plans” are offered in apartment or a development of houses or townhouses. In these investments, the buyer reserves a property in a development invent at one of the various stages from planning to completion. Why Investors are attracted to Off-Plans

A key concept of investing in ‘Off Plan’ property lies in the fact that, on average you can pay about 30-40% of the purchase price as a deposit and the rest on the completion of the property, which can be financed even on a mortgage. There is even availability of financing the deposit price through releasing the equity for their property and as a result, there is no need of investing the liquid cash to take advantage of this profitable investment opportunity.Why Developers are offering the Off-Plans

Property Developers sell various properties off plan, so that their risk can be reduced. They can also acquire better interest rates on their development loans from banks and investors. While selling the properties at this early stage the prices are typically on huge competition.Reasons to invest in Off-Plan

The following are the reasons why people purchase a property when it hasn’t even built yet:

• People generally buy off-plan as an investment. There is an element of risk involved and you get a better price to reflect this.

• In times of high demand, it may be the only way to get your hands on a hot property in a sought after area.

• Previously, investors have charged well from buying property off-plan. Good quality new homes can often get revalued shortly after completion with surprisingly high gains for the original buyers.

• In times of a rising property market, it is perfectly possible to turn in a significant profit even before a brick has been laid.

• Buying off-plan means that the purchaser often does not have to pay the balance for quite some time after signing the contracts. For all this time the value of ‘their’ property could be rising, and they still have not had to sell their existing home, meaning extra benefit if they can sell later at a higher price.

This information enlightens the investments in off plan and its potential benefits offered to the investors. It also helps the investors as a guide in all circumstances.