As we were headed back down from Castle Hill we went down a back street and came across something called ‘Labirintus’ claiming to be Dracula’s cave. Intrigued, we had a look and it turns out there was an underground labyrinth where Dracula was purported to have been kept captive. It wasn’t that expensive to visit and we both love a good cave, so we headed down a ton of steps to see this unique tourist attraction.
In the 15th century, it is said that Dracula was held captive by Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus. Vlad Tepes, apparently known at the time as “Count Dracula” was imprisoned in the chambers of the labyrinth in the hills of Buda, with the labyrinth serving as both a prison and torture chamber for numerous unlucky souls. They underground caves have also had a history of people seeking refuge during the wars or fires that used to happen.
Even without the connection to Dracula, the caves are quite interesting, albeit slightly terrifying in parts if you’re afraid of the dark. Most of the route is lit with oil lamps and underground lights, but for those brave enough, you can enter some ways that are total darkness. We stepped a couple paces into one, both went “nope” and promptly turned around and stuck to the lighted areas. We were babies, not even afraid to admit it. Towards the end of the exhibit/exit, there was a small room with chairs and old movies showing, if we didn’t have other things to do I could have stayed there and watched for a while, so if you want to take some time out factor that into your visit.
The parts you can visit in the caves are about a mile long, I would suggest comfortable footwear as the ground can be uneven in places. If you want to visit, tickets are 2500 HUF (around £7) for adults, and less than half that for children under 12. So for around about an hours entertainment and a history lesson, it’s well worth a visit. You can find more information on the official website, including opening times and up to date ticket info.