What to Do in Brașov and How to Visit Transylvania!
There’s nowhere else like Brașov and Transylvania. Here’s your guide to what to do in Brașov and how to visit Transylvania!
While I have indeed been to Brașov (and Transylvania), I never got a chance to write about what to do in Brașov, and that’s a good thing because it has given the chance for a friend of the site, Benji Kriner, to step up and talk about how to visit Brașov and Transylvania. He’s a talented writer and storyteller, and passionate about travel, so it’s a genuine pleasure to give him this platform. You’re in for a treat today, everyone. Take it away, Benji!
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I recently went on a 3 week trip to Europe. My friends asked me, “Where did you go?” My response, “Amsterdam, London and Romania.”
I heard the same response from every single person: “Why Romania?”
Let me explain.
Romania’s history is somewhat hidden and mysterious to the Westerner. In the early first century through the eleventh century, rule over Romania changed frequently. The Romans, Huns, Gepids, Avars and Bulgarians all had their time. Most of the architecture from that time period has been demolished, so most of what comes next is from the Saxon and Hungarian rules (1100s – 1947).
My travels sent me into Cluj-Napoca, one of the cheapest airports to fly into from London, in which I rented a car and drove south to the land of mystery and vampires – Transylvania. As an American, you hear legends of Transylvania and vampires, mostly due to Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the stories inspired by it.
So I decided to go see for myself during the height of costume season – Halloween.
Getting to Brașov, Romania
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I drove to Sibiu and stayed for a couple days before moving onto Brașov on October 30th. And don’t think I’m skipping my discussions on Sibiu; we’ll get there later.
Brașov (pronounced Brashov as told to me by my Romanian tow truck driver) is a beautiful, foggy city.
I got into Brașov in the early evening and went to one of the best (and cheapest) hostels I’ve ever stayed in. Boemia Hostel was run by very friendly and helpful people who spoke good English (which is fairly hard to find in Transylvania). When I checked in, they gave me a map of the city and told me landmarks to visit and, most importantly, restaurants in which to eat.
I headed to a restaurant called Sergiana which was so good I ate there the next night too, and probably would have the day after if I was still in Brașov.
The chicken and noodle soup warms your body after a cold day of exploring the Transylvanian countryside and the filling, spicy goulash is like comfort food you’ve never had before. Add in a glass of famous Romanian wine, Feteasca Neagra, and the total bill is about $15 USD.
After I finished dinner and settled back into my hostel, I planned my next few days in Brașov. As I spoke with other travelers in the hostel, I quickly found out that the three days I had planned were absolutely not enough.
Things to Do in Brașov (How to Visit Brașov)
The Black Church (Biserica Neagră)
The Black Church is an epic gothic church from the late 14th century. The church was originally named The Church of Saint Mary, but after a fire during the Great Turkish War in the late 17th century, the walls became blackened with ash (like a crispy, Cajun tilapia).
This fire only added to the stature (metaphorically) of the striking church. As impressive as it is outside, it’s equally stunning on the inside. The only issue is that it’s open during strange hours, so you should go onto their website a few days prior to see if they’ll be open.
This church is one of the largest gothic structures in Eastern Europe and an important staple in Brașov. Easy for you, it’s a one minute walk from Hostel Boemia.
The Council Square (Piata Sfatului)
The central square in Brașov is a colorful, busy part of the city.
It’s home to many markets throughout each month and many stores and restaurants surround the historic Town Hall. Even on a rainy night and foggy morning, the Council Square was still bright.
From the square, you can see the surrounding Carpathian Mountains with a Hollywoodesque Brașov sign. The morning of Halloween, I woke up to partially snow-covered mountains which I stared at for a good 30 minutes from the middle of the Council Square, with a much needed cup of hot coffee.
Tâmpa Mountain
This is the view from Tâmpa Mountain of Braşov’s Council Square that you can hope to see in the warmer months.
Now that you’ve seen the mountains from the Council Square, you should go see the Council Square from the mountains.
You can hike the multiple trails up to the viewpoint (which may take about an hour) or you can take a cable car (which costs less than $5).
If you have the time, I’d recommend hiking down the mountain, as it takes less energy and it’s fairly beautiful, especially if you go during the fall while the leaves are changing. Most of the mountain is a nature preserve, which is home to many brown bears, lynx and a large percentage of the native Romanian butterfly species.
Now That You’ve Done Some Braşov Sightseeing, It’s Time to Visit Transylvania Via Car
Early morning dusting of snow in the Transylvania woods near Bran
As I mentioned before, I flew into Cluj-Napoca and rented a car from there, however if you don’t want to spend the 3 hour drive from Cluj to Sibiu, fly into Sibiu or Bucharest and rent a car from there. Parking is unbelievably easy to find in all of the small towns and even in the center of Brașov (for free!).
But the main point of renting a car is to go to the multiples of small towns outside of Brașov at your own pace and to visit Transylvania on your own terms without having to book tours or take trains/buses.
Bran Castle (Braşov to Bran Castle - 40 minute drive)
Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, was the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s novel and the main reason I went to Transylvania during Halloween.
This gothic behemoth is exactly what I wanted on Halloween. I woke up to a gloomy, chilly morning to later be greeted by rain on my drive down to Bran. The only thing missing was some lightning and maybe a bat flying around.
The castle itself is a stone building that melds together with the hill it’s sitting upon. From the outside, you see a grey, cold structure but the inside was prepared for Halloween. Although it’s a bit gimmicky, the tables, pianos, and an old grandfather clock were covered in fake cobwebs.
The main attraction of the inside is the Torture Museum, which is an extra fee but well worth it. It contains many medieval torture instruments including The Rack, Judas Cradle, The Spike and a wooden chair with spikes on it (which seems a bit uncomfortable).
Reading about how they used these sadistic medieval torture techniques makes me grateful for the Geneva Convention.
Râșnov Citadel (Braşov to Râșnov Citadel - 30 minute drive)
The original Citadel was built in the 14th century by the Teutonic Knights on a hilltop in the Carpathian Mountains. When the Saxons moved in, they made it significantly bigger.
From the outside, you see thick defensive walls and watch towers along the entire border. The inside is like a small town with houses, a school, and a chapel. In the center of the Citadel is a hill with a sweeping view of Râșnov and the neighboring mountains. This Citadel feels like it still is ready to defend against a siege.
Peleș Castle ( Braşov to Peleș Castle - 1 hour 15 minute drive south of Braşov and 1 hour 40 minute drive north of Bucharest Airport)
Peles Castle is a modern castle, unlike most of the castles in Romania, and by “modern” I mean it was finished in 1883. Believe it or not, It was the first castle in Europe to have electricity.
This castle was the summer house for the royal family until 1947, which was the beginning of the Communist regime.
This castle is the most ornate, detailed and jaw dropping castle I’ve ever seen. Every single wall is covered in elaborate wood carvings and the ceilings have stained glass and paintings that rival the Vatican.
The castle has an armory on display with more than 4,000 weapons that range from civil war guns and horse armor all the way to broad swords (some of these weapons were purchased, while others were gifts from visitors). You’ll see weapons and armor from the Turkish, Moorish, Germans, Italians and many more, as each room has a different theme from a different country/style.
The German rooms have detailed stained glass, the Italian rooms have Murano glass mirrors, and the Turkish rooms have handspun rugs and silks.
When I try to describe Peles castle, I’m often at a loss of words because of how awe inspiring it is. And, as an accountant, I tried to think about how much the castle was worth. My final estimate – $1 trillion USD.
If you’re into castles, you might like this article on Hluboká Castle, widely considered to be the most beautiful in the Czech Republic.
Fortified Churches of Transylvania (Some are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites)
Prejmer is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and tourists come from far and wide to visit this fortification. It’s especially popular in the summer months.
In these tiny towns scattered throughout central Transylvania are these hidden gems called fortified churches.
The first question I had was, “Why are the churches fortified?”
In the 13th century, each Saxon town had a church which was the most important building in the city. It was usually in the center of the city or built high on a hill overlooking the city. For the next three or so centuries, these towns were constantly being attacked by the Ottomans, so they built fortifications to guard the most important building in the city. Additionally, most of these churches had bell towers, which allowed better surveillance of the land.
I visited Harman and Prejmer, the latter being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These are the two closest to Brașov, although if you go northwest, there are a bundle of them.
In the center of these fortifications is the church surrounded by a courtyard and then rooms for the people to sleep during invasions. The townspeople would gather everyone and everything inside the walls, including weapons and stockpiles of food. The walls were thick but hollow so the soldiers could shoot arrows through the slits in the walls. These structures are in perfect condition which shows the effectiveness of these fortifications.
Why Not See Everything Else in Transylvania?
Sibiu, Romania is not just one of the prettiest cities medieval cities in Romania, but in all of Europe.
If you want to venture further into Transylvania, which I highly recommend, head west to Sibiu. If you take the upper route via Sighisoara, you can see more fortified churches in Viscri and Biertan.
If you take the lower route via Fagaras, you can see Fagaras Castle and Castelul de Lut Valea Zanelor (the fairy tale castle).
Once you get into Sibiu you can see the houses that have eyes and you have to try Sibiu salami, a protected geographical indication product.
Lastly, you can go about an hour and half further east of Sibiu to the epic Corvin Castle.
The undiscovered lands of Transylvania are well worth the visit. There aren’t many tourists to block your pictures and the food is quite delicious. The architecture and history is fascinating. I will undoubtedly be back to Romania to see what else this beautiful country has to offer.
If you have any questions about Brasov or any of my other travels in Romania, please comment below and I’ll be happy to answer!
By the way, if you liked Benji’s writing, then you should check out his article on Delhi!