Include Romania in your Balkan tour

The cities below definitely deserve to be included in your itinerary as overnight locations.

Bucharest – the charming Romanian capital

Bucharest is the most prosperous city in Romania and is the main industrial center and transportation hub of Eastern Europe. You will need more than a day if you want to visit all interesting places, some museums and the parliament building. That’s why we usually recommend two nights in the Romanian capital before going to another city or country. 

Things to do in Bucharest

• Visit the a unique Village Museum with old buildings, workshops, etc. showing the style of different regions and hosting festivals.
• Visit the Parliament building – the biggest in the world.
• Visit the city’s hidden, historic churches
• Drink and dance through the historic center
• Find the republic square and see where the modern history is made
• Feast on stuffed cabbage rolls and cornmeal porridge
• Go for a walk in Cismigiu Gardens or Herăstrău Park
• Relax in Therme

Brașov – the Center of Transylvanian history

Brasov is the southern gateway to Transylvania. You can go there on a day tour from Bucharest or spend one or more days in Brasov and taking day tour from there to the famous castles or historical cities nearby. Basov is a very good starting point to Sinaia and Peles castle, Bran castle, Sighisoara and Sibiu. Because Brasov is situated in the Carpathian mountains the winter season is also a good time to go. 

Things to do in Brasov

• Go snowboarding or skiing in Poiana Brașov – the most widely popular Romanian ski resorts.
• Know more about Dracula and the legend behind Transylvania
• Hike to or ride the cable car up to Tampa Mountain.
• Stroll along Brasov’s historic streets.
• Go beyond the Saxon gates to explore the Schei District.
• Feast on a Kurtos Kalacs.
• Visit the First Romanian School, and slowly go along the Rope Street, known to be the narrowest street in the country

 Sibiu – the beating heart of Romania

The lovely town of Sibiu sits at the foothills of the Cindrel Mountains in Transylvania. A great place to spend few days on holiday or to go on a day tour from Brasov or Sighisoara.

Things to do in Sibiu

• Explore the squares
• Explore the old towers and fortifications
• Walk on the Bridge of Lies
• Off the beaten track on old streets
• Visit one of Sibiu’s 3 religious landmarks
• Taste a local Romanian treat

Sighisoara – the medieval citadel

Another city in Transylvania also known as “the birth place of Vlad Dracula”. Here you will find wide squares, Romanian architecture and old street to roam around. One day is enough to visit the city but you can stay more if you want to relax or see some of the famous museums.

Things to do in Sighisoara

• Climb The Clock Tower
• Climb the Hill to The Church Through the Spooky Covered Stairway.
• Browse the Shops and Street Stalls
• The Church of the Dominican Monastery
• The Torture Museum and Medieval Arms Museum
• Visit The Birthplace of Vlad Dracula

Timisoara – the City of Flowers

Timisoara is the largest city in Western Romania, capital of the Banat region and among the locals is also know as ‘ the little Vienna’ or as ’the city of flowers’, thanks to its many parks and flower decorations. Timisoara has much to offer to all different type of travelers. We recommend to visit the city if you also would like to inclide Serbia in your Balkan tour. The driving from/to Belgrade in only 3 hours.

Things to so in Timisoara

• Take a walk down the Corso
• Visit the Communist Consumer’s Museum
• Try the famous local Timisoreana beer.
• Go for a walk and relax in some of the local parks
• Visit the Village Museum
• Have a cup of coffee in Unirii Square

Cluj Napoca- the most beautiful City in Transylvania

A central located Romanian city full of history, parks , museums and monuments. You can spend a night there driving from Sighisoara or Sibiu passing via Salina Turda for example.

• Learn about Transylvanian History at Romulus Vuia Ethnographic Park
• Relax at Central Park
• Take a day trip to the Turda Salt Mine (Salina Turda)
• Visit the Botanical garden
• Try the Papanași – typical  Romanian doughnuts.

The places, listed below are recommended for a visit on your guided tour of Romania.

Peleș castle

Peles Castle is the most exciting and beautiful castle in Romania, and it definitely competes with the best ones in Europe.

• The elaborate neo Renaissance style makes this castle a gem since its inauguration in 1883.

The 170 rooms of the castle will show off disparate themes, like libraries, armories, offices, galleries. Styles are also diverse. In the arms collection there are over 4,000 items. The bathrooms alone are 30. The exhibits feature materials like exquisite porcelain, ivory, silver and gold, stained glass. There are Oriental rugs, Sèvres and Meissen porcelain, and leather delivered from Cordoba. Overlooking the entrance is a statue of Carol I.

Bran Castle

Bran Castle is the most visited attraction in Romania.

• Bran Castle is associated with Dracula, the most famous vampire.
• It houses the collection of art objects and furniture assembled for queen Marie.
• Before you go up to the castle based on a cliff, explore the open air museum.

The open air museum and park show peasant structures, like barns and cottages, from all corners of Romania. The castle, being of fortress type, has served as defense in Ottoman times.  Romanians regained it in 1533, and much later, in 1920, it was turned into a royal residence. Queen Marie loved visiting it. Bran Castle has been restituted to the heir of Princess Ileana, Queen Marie’s daughter.

Merry Cemetery

• It is located in Săpânța, and has gained fame for the colorful tombstones there.
• Each stone is covered with paintings in naive style, giving information about the person buried.
• Now this is an outdoor museum in the Maramureş county.

The beginning was laid by a local artist, who painted the first stones. His tomb, with a unique epitaph on his tombstone, is also there. His creation has been extended in compliance with local culture. Colorful pictures and funny epitaphs cover the tombstones. Maramureş is in the northeast part of the Carpathians.

Carpathian Mountain

• The Carpathians are the second longest European range, extending for 1,599 kilometers.
• Mineral water springs are among its riches, with the most famous ones in the Cerna Valley.
• The virgin forests and the wild animals, like brown bears, chamois, lynxes, etc. make the range even more attractive.

The Romanian Carpathians attract with Alpine landscapes and easy accessibility. Moldoveanu, the highest peak in the Romanian section is high 2,544 meters. Romania ranks second after Russia, in the amount of forests in Europe, mostly thanks to the Carpathians.

What to do in Romania?

Find below our recommendations on Romanian experiences that are totally worth a shot.

• Relax in Therme Bucharest
• drive the Transfăgărășan road
• Visit the Romanian castles,
• Hike the Karpatian mountains
• See the brown bears in the bear sanctuary
• Go fishing in Denube delta
• Take a communism tour in Bucharest

Hiking

• The Carpathians attract hikers with verdant forests and majestic views.
• The nature parks in the mountains show off caves, gorges, volcanic lakes, rivers, and beautiful villages.

The mountain scapes are the most appealing around Transylvania. Apuseni is a caver’s paradise, with cave fauna and prehistoric finds. Bicas Gorges is a park for kayakers and fishing enthusiasts. Calimani sinks in pines and junipers, as well as uniquely shaped stones. In Piatra Craiului, the limestone ridge is especially breathtaking and great for trekking.

Skiing and snowboarding

• The Carpathians are great for winter sports and there are lots of resorts to go to in winter.
• The ski slopes length totals 220 kilometres, and the number of ski lifts is 154.
• Poiana Brașov is the most well-known resort, and is also close to the Bran Castle.

The top resorts for skiing and snowboarding are Sinaia, Poiana Brașov, Transalpina, Predeal, Parang. Poiana Brașov is at 1,200 meters. It also boasts an artificial skating ring, cable cars, a gondola.

Sinaia is just 125 kilometers from Bucharest, at 800 meters altitude, in the Bucegi mountains. Predeal is the highest town resort for skiing, at 1,000 metres.

Sightseeing

• Romania features long history and sites with the UNESCO list of heritage.

For mountain scapes and picturesque cities and towns, visit Transylvania. Bran Castle is unmissable. Brașov is another gem of Transylvania. The seaside feature Constanta and its seaside resort Mamaia, with a rich nightlife. Constanta’s old casino is a landmark to see at all costs. In Salina Veche, the clean air has a healthy effect.

• Târgul de Fete de pe Muntele Găina – The ‘Maiden Fair on the Gaina Mountain’ – Avram Iancu village, Alba County, Romania / on the closest Sunday to the Saint Elijah celebration on 20 July
• The National Easter Eggs Festival  – Ciocanesti, Suceava County, Romania
• Shepherd’s Festival – Tohanul Nou, Brasov Country, Romania / Autumn
• Romania’s Folk Art Festival
• Wine Making Festival
• Halloween in Transylvania
• Junii Brasovului Parade – Brasov, the Sunday after Easter

Here you can see all festivals in Romania for 2020 

Cultural (6)

• Churches of Moldavia (1993,2010)
• Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains (1999)
• Historic Centre of Sighişoara (1999)
• Monastery of Horezu (1993)
• Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania (1993,1999)
• Wooden Churches of Maramureş (1999)

Natural (2)

• Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (2007,2011,2017)
• Danube Delta (1991)