Brașov

A Saxon town with mountains at the end of every street

Brașov was founded by German-speaking Saxon settlers as Kronstadt (Crown City) in the 13th century and grew rich as a trading town on the routes between Central Europe and the Ottoman lands. Its medieval walls, bastions and Gothic church survive, and the old town is pressed right against the slopes of Tâmpa mountain, so forest trails start just a few minutes' walk from the main square.

Brașov is also Romania's most practical base. Bran Castle and the Râșnov fortress are 30-60 minutes away, Peleș Castle in Sinaia is an hour by train, the ski slopes of Poiana Brașov are 20 minutes up the mountain, and Sighișoara is a two-and-a-half-hour train ride. It is well set up for visitors, without feeling overrun, and the cafés around the square fill with locals as much as tourists.

Five areas that matter

Brașov's historic centre is compact, and almost everything a visitor needs is inside or just outside the old walls. Staying in the old town is worth the small premium.

Old Town (Centrul Istoric) Council Square · Walkable · Most atmospheric

The medieval core around Piața Sfatului (Council Square) and Strada Republicii, the pedestrian main street. Pastel houses, the Black Church, cafés and most of the hotels and restaurants are here.

Schei Historic Romanian quarter · Quiet · Local

Outside the old walls to the southwest, this was where Romanians were made to live in Saxon times. It has the First Romanian School, St Nicholas Church and steep, quiet residential streets.

Along the walls Bastions · Green · Walks

The promenades beneath Tâmpa, along the Weavers' Bastion and the White and Black Towers, offer the best views back over the red roofs.

Bartolomeu and the station area Practical · Cheaper · Less charming

The modern city around the railway station has cheaper hotels and big supermarkets but little atmosphere; a 10-minute bus ride to the old town.

Poiana Brașov Ski resort · Mountain hotels · 20 min away

Romania's best-known ski resort sits on the plateau above the city, with hotels, slopes and hiking trails in summer. Best if skiing is the point of the trip.

From a historic palace hotel to Saxon-house hostels

Brașov offers excellent value, with boutique hotels in restored medieval houses for the price of a chain hotel elsewhere in Europe. Book ahead for summer weekends and the Christmas market season.

At the top, Aro Palace is the grand historic hotel on the edge of the old town, with a spa and mountain views, from around 600 lei a night. Casa Wagner (from 450 lei) occupies a 1477 building, once a German bank, on Council Square, and Hotel Bella Muzica (from 400 lei) has stone-vaulted rooms in a 400-year-old house.

For something modern, Kronwell Brașov Hotel (from 450 lei) is a sleek design hotel with a pool and spa, opposite the railway station rather than in the old town. On a budget, Kismet Dao Hostel (dorms from 70 lei) is a friendly, long-running hostel in the newer part of town, about a 10-15 minute walk from the old town, with private rooms too.

Transylvanian cooking, papanași and mountain cheese

Brașov's food is hearty Transylvanian fare with Saxon and Hungarian influences: soups in bread bowls, sarmale, grilled meats, polenta with sheep's cheese and the excellent fried-cheese doughnuts called papanași. Prices are low by Western standards, even in the old town.

Traditional Romanian at Sergiana 40-80 lei a main · Old Town

Sergiana, a huge cellar restaurant just off Strada Republicii, is the classic place for Transylvanian food: ciorbă in bread bowls, sarmale, roast pork and polenta, with generous portions.

Home-style cooking at La Ceaun 30-60 lei · Near Council Square

La Ceaun (the cauldron) serves straightforward Romanian dishes at fair prices, with a daily soup and stew menu popular with locals.

Papanași 20-35 lei · Everywhere

The fried cheese doughnuts with sour cream and jam are the dessert to try in Brașov; almost every restaurant makes them, and portions are big enough to share.

Cafés on Strada Republicii 8-20 lei a coffee · Old Town

Brașov has a strong café culture, with specialty coffee shops and cake houses along the pedestrian main street and in the side alleys.

Mountain cheese and market food 10-30 lei · Markets

Look for brânză de burduf, sheep's cheese aged in fir bark, and mici from the grill at local markets and at Bran's stalls.

Old town, mountain and walls

Brașov's sights are small and close together, so a day covers the old town comfortably. The rest of your time is best spent in the mountains above and the castles around it.

Council Square and the Black Church

Piața Sfatului (Council Square), with the old Town Hall in its centre, is the heart of the city. Next to it, the Black Church (around 25-30 lei), the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul, got its name from the soot left by the Great Fire of 1689. Inside are a remarkable collection of Ottoman carpets donated by Saxon merchants and a 4,000-pipe organ played in summer concerts.

Tâmpa Mountain

Take the cable car, reopened in 2025 after a major modernization (30 lei one way, 45 lei return) or hike 45-60 minutes through the forest to the top of Tâmpa for the view over the city and the BRAȘOV sign. The trail is steep but well marked; bears occasionally roam the area, so stick to the paths and avoid going at dusk.

Walls, towers and Rope Street

Walk the promenade below the old walls to the Weavers' Bastion and climb up to the White and Black Towers for views over the rooftops. Strada Sforii (Rope Street), barely more than a metre wide, is one of the narrowest streets in Europe. The Catherine's Gate is the only original medieval city gate to survive.

Schei and the First Romanian School

In the Schei district, the First Romanian School museum displays the first books printed in Romanian, next to the Orthodox St Nicholas Church. A walking tour brings the Saxon and Romanian history of the city to life.

One, two or three days in and around Brașov

One day covers Brașov itself; two or three days let you visit the castles and hills around it. These plans use buses, trains or a short taxi ride.

Small, walkable and well connected

Most international travellers fly to Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP) and take a train (about 2.5-4 hours, 40-100 lei) or a shuttle bus to Brașov. The new Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport (GHV), about 15 km from the centre, has a growing list of flights from European cities; a taxi or Bolt to town takes around 20 minutes.

The old town is entirely walkable. Local RATBV buses connect the railway station with the centre and run to Poiana Brașov (a few lei per ticket, bought from kiosks or by contactless card on board). Buses to Bran and Râșnov leave from Autogara 2, about 2 km from the centre. For Peleș Castle, take a train to Sinaia; for Sighișoara, trains take around 2.5-3 hours. Taxis are cheap if you use Bolt or Uber.

Transylvania's best value base

Brașov is one of the cheapest attractive cities in the EU. Even in the old town, a full meal with wine costs well under what you would pay for a sandwich in Western Europe, and day trips by bus or train cost only a few euros.

A safe, relaxed city, with bears on the hills

Brașov shares Romania's Level 1 "Exercise Normal Precautions" rating and is one of the safest cities in the country, with very little crime against visitors. Normal precautions against pickpocketing apply on crowded summer evenings and on buses.

The unusual risk in Brașov is wildlife: brown bears live in the forests around the city and occasionally come into the outskirts, and even the Tâmpa trails, in search of food. Stick to marked trails, avoid hiking at dusk, never feed bears, make noise when walking in the forest and follow any local warnings. Use Bolt or Uber rather than hailing taxis at the station to avoid overcharging. Emergency number is the EU-standard 112, which also connects to Salvamont mountain rescue.

Castles, citadels and the bears

Brașov sits at the centre of some of Romania's best sights, most of them within an hour by bus, train or car. Organized tours can combine several in one day.

Bran Castle About 1 hour by bus · ~120 lei entry

Marketed as Dracula's Castle, Bran is a small, picturesque fortress on a rock, with rooms furnished by Queen Marie of Romania, who lived here in the 1920s. Go early or late to avoid the queues. A castles day tour combines Bran with Peleș and Râșnov.

Râșnov Citadel 30 min by bus

A 13th-century peasant fortress on a hilltop, built by Teutonic Knights and local villagers as a refuge from invaders, with superb views over the Bârsa plain.

Peleș Castle, Sinaia About 1 hour by train

A neo-Renaissance royal palace built for King Carol I in the 1870s-1910s, with lavish interiors and electric lighting before most of Europe. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; the smaller Pelișor Castle is next door.

Sighișoara 2.5-3 hours by train

A UNESCO-listed, still-inhabited medieval citadel with a clock tower, covered staircase and the house where Vlad the Impaler was born. Combine with the fortified church at Viscri if driving.

Libearty Bear Sanctuary, Zărnești About 45 min by road

Around a hundred rescued brown bears roaming forest enclosures, a responsible way to see bears up close. Guided visits only, at set times; book ahead.