EnglishThe series follows the life of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), who falls for a 160-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). Their lives grow more and more complicated as Stefan's vicious and malevolent elder brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) returns to the town of Mystic Falls with a plan to wreak havoc on the town and also to plan a vendetta against his younger brother. Both brothers begin to show affection towards Elena, mainly because of her resemblance to their past love Katherine. It is revealed that Elena is Katherine's doppelganger, who eventually returns with plans against the trio.
The series is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, a town charged with supernatural history since its settlement of migrants from New England in the late 17th century. Other story lines revolve around the other inhabitants of the town, most notably Elena's younger brother Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), Elena's best friend Bonnie (Katerina Graham), Elena's close friend, Caroline (Candice Accola), Elena's childhood friend, Tyler (Michael Trevino), and Elena's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, Matt (Zach Roerig). The town's politics are orchestrated by descendants of the original founding families, all comprising a "Founders' Council". Some of the founding families of Mystic Falls include the Salvatores, the Gilberts, the Fells, the Forbes and the Lockwoods. They guard the town mainly from vampires although they seem to be oblivious on other supernatural threats, but creatures such as werewolves and witches are themselves members of the Founders' Council.
La serie è ambientata a Mystic Falls, una cittadina della Virginia con un passato ricco di vicende soprannaturali. Elena Gilbert e il fratello Jeremy hanno da poco subito la perdita dei loro genitori, morti in un incidente stradale, e sono andati a vivere insieme alla loro giovane zia, Jenna. Il vampiro centenario Stefan Salvatore torna nella sua città natale, e incontrando Elena si accorge che la ragazza assomiglia in modo impressionante a Katherine, la donna che vampirizzò lui e suo fratello Damon durante gli anni della guerra civile. Elena e Stefan iniziano a frequentarsi, ma la loro relazione è ostacolata dal fratello di lui, tornato a Mystic Falls per vendicarsi della morte di Katherine.Quest'ultimo diventa amico di Elena e infine se ne innamora.