Brasov Travel Guide

Hands down Brasov was my favorite city in Romania. One the best preserved cities, it had awesome bars, my favorite hostel in the country, a beautiful town square, medieval walls you can walk on, and was located near Dracula’s famed castle (which wasn’t really his but hey, it’s still a good castle!). The city offered everything, including hiking in the nearby mountains. I came for two days and stayed for five. You’ll see with this travel guide that there is a lot to do here so I urge you to make time for Brasov. You won’t be disappointed. Few rarely are.

Typical Costs

Hostel prices – Dorm rooms range from $8-15 USD, while privates cost $20-30 USD for a double room. Check out Kismet Dao, one of my favorites, and tell them I say hi.

Hotel prices — Hotel costs have a wide range, from $30-120 USD for a single or double room.

Food – You can expect to pay around $5-7 USD for a casual meal or lunch menu. A more mid-range restaurant will run you $9-15 USD. Expect to spend between $25-40 USD per week on groceries.

Transportation – Trains run across the country, with fares ranging from $14-24 USD for intercity travel. If you’re traveling by bus within Brasov, you’ll pay just $0.50 USD for single fare, while a one-day pass is $1.75 USD. Taxis start at $0.40 USD, and increase by the same rate every kilometer. Bicycles are available to rent for $9 USD for three hours, or $14 USD for a day.

Money Saving Tips

Romania is a wonderfully-appealing destination for budget travelers, as it’s one of the cheapest countries in Europe. The best thing you can do here is stick to the local habits and learn from there.Eat lunch out — Although food in Romania is inexpensive in general, you can save more money by cooking your own dinners and eating your lunches out. A lunch menu in Romania typically consists of three courses (soup, main, dessert), and can cost as little as $5-7 USD.Do a free walking tour — In the summer months (April to September), you can take a free walking tour of Brasov that leaves from the fountain in Piata Sfatului every day at 6 pm.

Top Things to See and Do

Explore Bran (Dracula’s) Castle in Bran – As the Castle that inspired Dracula’s Castle, this site now houses music festivals, children’s pageants, and food fairs. Visitors can enjoy rooms dedicated to Transylvania’s most famous count, as well as dine in Queen Marie’s Tea House and ride a glass elevator to experience “Dracula’s escape route.” Entrance is $9 USD.

Visit Rasnov Fortress – The fortress was built by Teutonic Knights. There is a museum here, hidden behind the ancient walls, where you can find a skeleton buried beneath a glass floor, as well as some other interesting artifacts. The inner rooms are maze-like, with several wooden ladders linking them and a few so-called secret passages which should keep you busy for quite a while.

Wander through Piata Sfatului – This is an open-air market square. It is bordered by the Black Church, the former Council House, indoor and outdoor terraces and restaurants, the Orthodox Cathedral, Muresan’s House, the Hirscher House, the Strada Sforii, and more. There’s lot’s here to capture your attention.

Climb Tampa Mountain – See the best view of Brasov from the top of Mount Tampa. You can reach it by cable car (called Telecabina) or by walking up one of the few paths twisting up the hill. Walking to the top takes about an hour (following the red triangles) from the cable car station or the yellow triangles from Brediceanu Alley.

See Catherine’s Gate – This medieval gate was built by the Tailors’ Guild in 1559 for defensive purposes and is the only part of the medieval gates still standing. Presently, it houses a museum that presents art and history exhibitions.

Wander along Brasov’s wall – The bastions here were part of the defensive wall. They once stood 40 feet high, seven feet thick and two miles long. They can still be seen today, though most of the wall was taken down in the 19th century to make room for the city’s expansion. It provides a view of Brasov’s medieval history.

Check out the Black Church – This is the largest gothic church in Romania. Its name is derived from damage caused by the Great Fire of 1689, when flames and smoke blackened its walls. The interior is impressive and well-kept, and the church houses one of the largest organs in Eastern Europe

Tour the First Romanian School Museum – This museum houses artifacts from the school’s history, including its printing press which produced a number of historical Romanian firsts.

Admire the Saint Nicholas Basilica – The interior of this church has frescoes painted by the renowned muralist Misu Popp, and there are also famous Romanians buried in the church graveyard.

Visit the Rupea Hilltop Fortress – This fortress has been restored to show what it would have been like in the medieval period. The process is ongoing, but visitors are able to walk through the site.

Search out the Rope Street — This street is reputed to be the narrowest in Europe at only 4 feet wide (although that’s probably up for debate). It used to be used as a corridor for firemen on duty.